The Business Factory Aero (BFAero) is a vertical accelerator created in the context of the Aerospace Hub of Galicia promoted by the Xunta de Galicia. In its fifth edition, it plans to support 11 innovative projects in the aerospace and unmanned vehicles sector.

There are three thematic areas: platforms and their components (structures, energy, propulsion, systems, navigation or piloting), equipment and systems (both on-board and on the ground) and applications of unmanned vehicles for specific markets.

There are three ways to participate in the programme, depending on the stage of development of the idea and the company:

• Incubation. A 12-month itinerary aimed at projects, unincorporated or recently created companies that are at an intermediate stage between the idea and the validation of the business model.
• Acceleration. An 8-month support programme for projects that have a minimum viable product or companies that will make initial sales and have the capacity for growth, but need to streamline their business model, achieve recurring sales and/or penetrate new markets.
• Consolidation. Lasting 6 months, this programme is aimed at companies with up to 7 years of existence, a registered office or work centre in Galicia, a defined product or service, real sales, a structured business model and a high capacity for growth.

The selected initiatives will benefit from a comprehensive support programme that provides mentoring by companies and professionals in the sector, highlighting the involvement of the companies Airbus, Avincis and Telespazio; an advanced training programme adapted to the project's degree of maturity; their own office, meeting rooms and coworking in the business incubator of the CEL Initiatives Foundation for Lugo; and access to the infrastructure, equipment and technical resources of the Galician Aerospace Hub in Rozas (Castro de Rei, Lugo).

In addition, the projects selected in the BFAero will receive financial support from the Xunta de Galicia: up to €40,000 in the incubation stage, €60,000 in the acceleration stage and €30,000 in the consolidation stage, as well as the possibility of accessing venture capital from XesGalicia in acceleration (up to €50,000) and consolidation (up to €250,000).

Entrepreneurs, start-ups and companies can submit their applications through the website www.bfaero.eu until 19 July at 14:00. The regional government is thus strengthening its commitment to retaining and attracting innovative talent in the search for high-impact proposals for the aerospace ecosystem and for society.