Continental Innovation is a component of the EU-Africa Space Partnership Programme (funded by DG INTPA under the Global Gateway initiative).

The project "AESPP Continental Innovation" aims to strengthen the African Earth Observation (EO) private-sector ecosystem and to facilitate sustainable European–African industrial cooperation in the space domain. 

Launched in 2025, the project is implemented across multiple phases through 2028, with an overall duration of approximately three years, and is structured around parallel activities covering capacity development, continental incubation, and wrap-up and handover actions.

The project is coordinated by Novaspace, while the African Space Agency (AfSA) acts as a joint implementing partner and the main interface with African space agencies. Planetek Italia plays a key role in the project by leading “Work Package 2 – Capacity Development” and contributing to “WP3 – Continental Incubation” and “WP5 – Results and Handover”, leveraging its expertise in EO training, the development of educational methodologies, and support to space innovation.

The main objective of this procurement is to setup a capacity development program dedicated to the EO private sector in Africa including: 

1. the implementation of trainings aimed at empowering young African entrepreneurs and researchers to develop private sector EO applications and services, 
2. the development of mentoring and grant issuing programs to support African start-ups,
3. the setup of matchmaking events and activities between European-African EO innovators, industry and private investors at continental scale.

The project adopts an integrated approach that combines ecosystem analysis, capacity development, business incubation, and international matchmaking. First, it maps and analyses the African EO private-sector landscape in order to identify needs, gaps, and opportunities, and to build an evidence-based understanding of the ecosystem. This analysis provides the foundation for targeted capacity development and incubation actions.

Based on this knowledge, the project delivers a comprehensive capacity development programme aimed at strengthening both technical and entrepreneurial skills of African innovators, start-ups, and stakeholders. Training activities are implemented through a blended model, combining online courses and in-person workshops, and focus on the practical use of Copernicus and EO data, as well as on business development, innovation, and investment readiness.

In parallel, the project supports African EO start-ups through structured incubation and mentoring activities, helping them to transform EO-based ideas into market-ready products and services. At the same time, it promotes European–African matchmaking to foster partnerships, industrial cooperation, and access to markets and investment opportunities.

Finally, the project ensures wide visibility, dissemination of results, and long-term sustainability by consolidating lessons learned, success stories, and impacts into structured reporting and knowledge transfer actions, supporting the growth of a durable and scalable EO innovation ecosystem in Africa beyond the lifetime of the project.