Hungary: Hungary has joined ESA’s network of finding down-to Earth uses for space technologies. Under ESA’s leadership, European space industry develops top-notch space technologies, many of which offer valuable attributes to terrestrial industries as well, solving production problems or forming the basis of new products or services.
The Agency’s long-running Technology Transfer Programme supports this spin-off process, working with local industry and national technology institutes. The Programme oversees an expert network of technology transfer brokers across 16 European countries – now including Hungary – to find new terrestrial homes for space technologies.
“Space technology should respond to everyday problems we are facing here on Earth,” comments Dr. Károly Balázs Solymár, Deputy State Secretary of Infocommunications at Hungary’s Ministry of National Development.
“Our top priority duties are to secure the prosperity of our country and increase the efficiency of industrial production, with space industry an important tool to help reach these goals.
“A new opportunity is now open for Hungarian companies to make their top technology developments serve these objectives, both inside and outside the country.”
Hungary formally became ESA’s 22nd Member State on 4 November.
“The country will benefit in three ways,” explains Aude de Clercq of ESA’s technology transfer office. “In help for space and non-space industries to collaborate and generate new business opportunities, as well as connecting Hungary and its companies to know how and technology from the other ESA Member States.
“It will also strengthen Hungary’s overall innovation and technology transfer capacity.”
Hungary’s participation in the broker network will be managed by the Hungarian Space Board, operating within the Ministry of National Development, with the active involvement of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences’ Wigner Research Centre for Physics, which is serving as the national technology transfer point.
