Call for Proposals 2025 at the ESA Phi-Lab Switzerland:
Quantum x Space
Why Phi-Lab at ESDI
The Phi-Lab at the European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI) aspires to transform breakthrough science into real-world solutions.
The approach based on use-inspired research, combined with deep-tech
competence in our ecosystem, promises that developments are scientifically excellent, commercially relevant and have potential market impact. We expect that this accelerates progress from laboratory demonstrations to market-ready products that meet the demanding standards of space, but also terrestrial applications.
The big question:
What if every satellite could carry a quantum sensor the size of a shoebox?
Quantum sensors can detect minute changes in gravity, magnetic fields, and time, and
other quantities with atomic precision, potentially revolutionizing how we
measure our world. Yet many of these extraordinary capabilities remain still
confined to controlled laboratory environments, preventing quantum sensing from
addressing urgent commercial and societal needs, such as water resource
management, infrastructure monitoring, and autonomous navigation.
The Current State:
While quantum sensors can demonstrate 100-1000 times better precision than classical
devices, they demand sophisticated infrastructure: typically room-sized setups,
complex electronics, and constant expert oversight. Their high cost and
operational complexity create significant barriers to commercial adoption,
despite their transformative potential across industries.
The Challenge:
Make measurable progress towards at least 10x improvement in compactness, performance, or reliability to transform quantum sensing from laboratory instruments into commercially
viable products for applications in space. Key objectives include:
Advancing miniaturization from room-scale towards handheld dimensions while maintaining
precision and addressing SWaP(-C) (Size, Weight, and Power with Cost)
considerations.
Demonstrating improved reliability under harsh environmental conditions, including stability
in thermal environments (e.g., cryogenics, heat load management) and radiation
hardness.
Developing robust solutions for operation in varying temperatures and vibration levels,
ensuring efficiency and integration with quantum systems.
Establishing pathways toward cost-effective manufacturing at scale.
The Solution:
We seek breakthrough approaches linked to technology conundrums worth solving that aim at demonstrating significant progress in areas like:
- Control system miniaturization, all the way to chip-scale
- Environmental resilience, including thermal and vibration management
- Sensor integration, such as by combining multiple quantum sensing modalities
- Scalable production methods suitable for commercial manufacturing
The harsh space environment serves as an ideal testbed: technologies meeting these requirements will readily translate to terrestrial commercial applications. Advances should therefore show clear pathways toward quantum sensor enabled systems, their applications and their commercialisation for space, for example such as:
- Space-based gravity field mapping for climate and earthquake monitoring
- Space-based quantum magnetometers for space weather and planetary exploration
- RF spectrum monitoring for ultra-wideband detection
- Quantum RADAR/LiDAR for enhanced resolution and accuracy
- Chip-sized atomic clocks.
Furthermore, additional terrestrial applications might also be enabled by such advancements, including for example:
- Underground mapping for resource and infrastructure monitoring
- Autonomous navigation in GPS-denied environments
- Environmental sensing for climate and water resource management
- Medical diagnostics using quantum-enhanced detection
Your application
Phi-lab Switzerland: Call for proposals
Check the requirements
Benefit from our pre-proposal support
Submit your application on OSIP
Submission closed on May 1st.
Evaluation process
May 6th
Final Evaluation: May 20th
Budget and Additional Benefits
The total available Phi-Lab “Innovation Seed Funds” (See call documentation for details) for the implementation of this specific call is 2.97 MCHF.
The available budget per winning project is from a minimum of 200’000 CHF to a maximum of 990’000 CHF for a maximum duration of 24 months, with the average Innovation Seed funding per project expected to fall in the range of 600’000 to 750’000 CHF for 24 months.
The evaluation process
The process consists of the following main steps:
- After the cut-off date for the application, a formal check of the application documents received takes place
- If the application is found compliant with the requirements, the applicant will be invited to the Tender Evaluation Board meeting
- The applicant gives a 10 – 15 min presentation to the Tender Evaluation Board, followed by a Q&A session
- The Tender Evaluation Board evaluates the application
- The ESA Phi-Lab provides feedback to the applicant and, if successful, an invitation to sign an incubation contract
FAQ
Can I request a preliminary check before submitting my application?
To have your proposal reviewed and to assess its viability in relation to the call criteria, please contact Markus Schoelmerich at markus.schoelmerich@esdi.ch.
How can I stay informed about upcoming calls and updates?
The best way to stay updated on ESDI’s open calls and other news is by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on LinkedIn.
Is Quantum x Space the only call available, or will Phi-Lab Switzerland offer other calls in the future?
Phi-Lab Switzerland has two additional calls planned: one on materials, scheduled for autumn 2025, and another on data, planned for 2026. This list may expand over time. To ensure you never miss an update, we recommend subscribing to our newsletter.
Who can I contact for questions regarding intellectual property, equity, or other contractual matters?
For any inquiries related to intellectual property, equity, or other contractual matters, please contact Markus Schoelmerich at markus.schoelmerich@esdi.ch.
Is there someone available to answer technical questions or provide expert guidance during the application process?
The ESDI team is available to support you with any technical questions you may have. Additionally, we collaborate with partners who possess specific expertise to ensure your questions are answered thoroughly. The first point of contact for technical inquiries is: markus.schoelmerich@esdi.ch.
What is the earliest possible start date (T0) for my project?
The earliest possible start date (T0) for your project is once the contracts are signed, which we expect to happen by Summer 2025.
Questions Regarding Funding Details
For any question according to the funding please check the attached document: ” Funding overview” or check the OSIP webpage or contact: markus.schoelmerich@psi.ch.
What is the expected TRL at the end of the 24 months?
Regarding the expected delivery, we don’t necessarily expect a market-ready product at the end, but a path to commercialisation in the future should proposed. While TRL is a useful guide, it’s not the only factor. A project is expected to demonstrate a 10x improvement in compactness, performance, or reliability to transform quantum sensing from laboratory instruments into commercially viable products for applications in space.
Could this be considered a “consortium” under the call's definition, even if all partners are within the same legal entity?
In principle, yes. However, we encourage assembling a consortium with a variety of expertise and skills, ideally from different institutions or sectors, to enhance diversity, which aligns with the goals of the call.
Is it acceptable to submit a small-scale proposal led by a single lab focused on a specific contribution, in response to needs identified during the profile-seeking session?
While small-scale, focused contributions are valuable, the call is primarily structured around full project proposals submitted by consortia. If you are considering a single-lab proposal, we encourage you to position it as part of a broader consortium effort, ideally as a targeted contribution addressing identified needs from the profile-seeking session. You may also consider collaborating with other teams to form or join a consortium where your expertise can be integrated. For this matter we will be happy to put you in contact.
In the case of multiple labs collaborating, should internal cost allocations be treated as subcontracting, or is there a different mechanism expected for internal cost-sharing within the same legal entity?
A collaboration between several laboratories within the same legal entity can still be considered a consortium under the call’s definition, provided that multidisciplinary competences are clearly demonstrated. However, we strongly encourage forming consortia that include partners from different institutions or sectors (e.g., industry, research organizations). This approach aligns with the call’s emphasis on cross-sector innovation and multidisciplinarity. If your proposal remains within a single institution, ensure that the complementary expertise of the labs is well articulated and clearly defined in the proposal.
Contact us
We appreciate your interest in ESDI. Kindly complete the form, and we will respond to your inquiry promptly.
For questions related to open calls, please visit the call page on the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP).
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Jennifer Wadsworth
Head of Phi-Lab
PSI
