The Business Factory Aero (BFAero), the aerospace accelerator backed by the Regional Ministry of Economy and Industry, has supported 49 business projects since 2019, 15 of which are start-ups. BFAero has demonstrated its ability to attract entrepreneurial talent from other regions, as some of these companies have relocated to Galicia from Catalonia, the Valencian Community, Madrid and Castile and León, as well as from other countries such as Norway, Uruguay and Portugal.
Overall, the companies have created more than 310 skilled jobs, generated a cumulative turnover of 28.6 million euros and made investments totalling 16 million euros. The economic impact generated by the companies in the accelerator programme reflects Galicia’s ability to transform innovative projects into business activity that has an impact across the whole region.
The impact of the accelerator programme was highlighted during the graduation ceremony for the sixth cohort and the launch of the seventh, which took place at the premises of Kreios Space, a company that has recently set up in the Porto do Molle industrial estate (Nigrán). The event was attended by the Regional Minister for Economy and Industry, María Jesús Lorenzana, who gained a first-hand insight into the Galician company’s projects.
An industrial footprint across Galicia
BFAero’s industrial footprint in Galicia extends across the entire region. Notable projects include Kreios Space and Lupeon in Nigrán; Aguia Analítica in Oleiros; Aeromedia and ITG Drone Solutions in A Coruña; Arzeos Aircraft in Silleda; Luxit in Ourense; and Vig-Sec Drone in Lugo.
Furthermore, the projects from the fifth and sixth editions have secured more than 14 million euros in public and private funding. It is worth noting that nearly 70 per cent of these funds come from private investment funds, a figure that demonstrates the market’s confidence in the technological capabilities and growth potential of the companies that have emerged from the programme.
A public-private partnership ecosystem
After six editions, BFAero has established itself as one of the key instruments for supporting technological entrepreneurship and the development of the aerospace industry in Spain. The programme collaborates with more than 55 organisations, including leading companies (such as Airbus, Avincis and Telespazio), technology centres, Galician universities and companies across the value chain.
The accelerator forms part of the 2025–2030 Strategic Initiative on Security, Defence and Aerospace, spearheaded by the Regional Ministry of Economy and Industry, which has a public budget of 183 million euros and an estimated capacity to mobilise around 900 million euros through public-private partnerships.
Several companies linked to the Business Factory Aero(BFAero) ecosystem, including Binarial Automatización y Robótica, Ventilation Lab, Kreios Space, and Lupeon, have been selected as recipients of the NEXOS grant program, a funding initiative by the Regional Government of Galicia aimed at promoting collaborative R&D&I between SMEs and knowledge centers in strategic sectors. With a budget exceeding 20 million euros, NEXOS seeks to boost competitiveness, sustainability, and digital transformation by mobilizing significant investments in areas such as the circular economy, agri-food, and advanced manufacturing.
In total, four companies affiliated with BFAero are participating in projects selected under this call for proposals, out of a total of 138 supported companies—representing nearly 3% of the total—which underscores the ecosystem’s presence in the program and its contribution to collaborative innovation in Galicia.
The NEXOS call for proposals will support 37 R&D&I projects in collaboration with knowledge centers, with the aim of promoting initiatives in industrial research, experimental development, and organizational and process innovation. The total budget is €22.6 million, and it is expected to mobilize approximately €39.8 million between 2026 and 2028.
Participating BFAero companies
Among the beneficiary companies are several firms involved in projects spearheaded by BFAero:
Kreios Space, S.L. and Lupeon, S.L., participants in the MANA project (Advanced Manufacturing for the New Space Age), which focuses on advanced manufacturing applied to the space sector.
Ventilatio Lab, S.L., a participant in the XIADA project, which focuses on developing solutions for smart air management and environmental disinfection in the field of health and well-being.
Binarial Automatización y Robótica, S.L., a member of the SENSOMARE project, which focuses on researching new solutions in advanced sensor technology and artificial intelligence for the fishing industry.
Binarial Automatización y Robótica, S.L., a member of the SENSOMARE project, which focuses on researching new solutions in advanced sensor technology and artificial intelligence for the fishing industry.
Promoting collaborative innovation
The funded projects will be carried out by consortia consisting of a minimum of three and a maximum of six SMEs, with the aim of promoting collaborative work and the effective transfer of results.
In this context, the participation of companies affiliated with BFAero reinforces the ecosystem’s role as an active driver of innovation, fostering connections between companies and knowledge centers and contributing to the development of technological solutions that have an impact on strategic sectors.
Strategic Projects for Galicia
The selected initiatives fall within the strategic areas defined in the Galician R&D&I Plan 2025–2027, notably the circular economy and energy, advanced manufacturing, agri-food, and health and well-being.
The NEXOS call for proposals is part of the Activa I+G+i program, which supports collaboration between companies and the effective transfer of research results; the Galician government has allocated more than 40 million euros to this program through four major calls for proposals.
The participation of companies affiliated with BFAero in this call for proposals highlights, once again, the ecosystem’s ability to drive innovation and engage in high-impact collaborative projects, thereby helping to strengthen Galicia’s technological and industrial base.
Business Factory Aero participated in Invertir en Ciencia SÍ es Rentable, a strategic meeting of scientists, investors and technology-based companies held in Santiago de Compostela, to showcase examples of accelerated companies that reinforce the slogan of this fourth national meeting, organised by UNIRISCO and Xesgalicia.
The companies Vig-Sec DroneandKreios Space participated in a round table discussion to share their experiences on the value of the Business Factory model as a lever for promoting entrepreneurship and science in the service of strategic sectors, moderated by IGAPE.
Along these lines, Noelia Gil, director of operations and co-founder of Vig Sec-Drone, explained the added value of ‘connecting with the Galician ecosystem because it opened many doors for us.’ She also acknowledged that ‘the experts we had access to helped us position ourselves in the market.’
For his part, Jan Mataró, CTO and founder of Kreios Space, explained how they decided to move the company from Catalonia to Galicia: ‘We needed a vacuum chamber to carry out some tests and, thanks to BFAero, we had the support of the Xunta de Galicia through IGAPE and we ended up getting the project off the ground.’ Having a favourable environment of public support, investors and a strong ecosystem encouraged the company to make the move. ‘Initially, eight of us moved, and now there are more than 25 of us.’
Alongside the start-ups, more than 50 speakers analysed investment in deep tech technologies as a driver of economic transformation and social impact, and the need for private capital to boost competitiveness, technological sovereignty and sustainable growth.
Patient investment
During this event, the role of public and private investors was also analysed, as well as the need for investment in science and technology-based companies to be approached as a patient investment.
Vig Sec-Drone and Kreios Space are examples of entrepreneurs with disruptive technology that has generated interest among public and private investors. At the end of 2025, Vig Sec-Drone closed a €1 million investment round to accelerate its growth and consolidate its technology. The round was led by Encomenda Capital Partners SGEIC and included the participation of Lugo Transforma, XesGalicia and Vigo Activo Sociedad de Capital Riesgo.
For its part, Kreios Space closed an €8 million seed investment round led by NATO Innovation Fund and Join Capital, making it the largest European funding round for VLEO technologies. The operation was also backed by other investors, including Xesgalicia, Grow Venture Partners, and Tasivia Global.
Over the past few weeks, several BFAerostartups have earned recognition both nationally and internationally within the aerospace innovation ecosystem. These awards and distinctions are proof of the effectiveness of their projects, which address civil or military challenges through an innovative approach.
VALAR has been selected as one of the winners of the 2024 CASSINI Challenges, organized by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). This is a major acknowledgment of the company’s commercial track record and a validation of its vision to make space operations more accessible, reliable, and efficient for the entire European space ecosystem.
Aguia Analítica Avanzada has received the 2025 Aeronautical Innovation Award – COIAE, in recognition of its work in developing advanced technologies for the intelligent inspection and management of infrastructure. In addition, it has been recognized as one of the 101 outstanding companies in the second edition of the Top 101 Spain Up Nation Awards, an event that celebrates high-impact entrepreneurial talent in Spain.
It is also worth noting that Vig Sec Drone was likewise recognized as a Top 101 Spain Up Nation in this year’s edition.
Finally, congratulations are also due to Kreios Space, which achieved great success in Korea by winning the “Most Disruptive Startup” award at South Summit Korea 2025.
All these recognitions also offer valuable opportunities to expand networks and connections for the development of future projects. Congratulations to everyone involved.
Kreios Space,Airbus, Telespazio, Avincis andTecnobit took part in various sessions of the program promoted by the Xunta de Galicia, aimed at bringing the aerospace sector closer to young people and to Galicia’s industrial network.
World Space Week was held in Galicia from October 7 to 10, featuring a full schedule of activities organized by the Regional Ministry of Economy and Industry within the framework of the Strategic Initiative in Security, Defense, and Aerospace. For the first time, the region hosted its own public program, aligned with this year’s international theme: “Living in Space.”
Promoting Talent and Innovation
Throughout the different sessions held at the university campuses of Lugo, Santiago, Vigo, Nigrán, and Ourense, participants explored the opportunities the aerospace sector offers in fields such as research, engineering, and technological entrepreneurship.
The startup Kreios Space, part of the BFAeroaccelerator, shared its experience in deep-tech entrepreneurship and satellite propulsion during a session at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Santiago de Compostela.
Meanwhile, BFAero’s leading partner companies — Airbus, Telespazio, Avincis, and Tecnobit — played a prominent role in various events, showcasing their cutting-edge projects and technologies in space communications, defense, navigation systems, and drone-based solutions.
Inspiring Future Careers
The program included technical talks, round tables, a hackathon, and educational workshops with the participation of secondary, high school, vocational training, and university students. These activities highlighted how space exploration contributes to scientific and technological progress, as well as to improving life on Earth.
World Space Week also served to strengthen ties among universities, government institutions, and companies, while showcasing Galicia’s potential as an emerging hub in the aerospace field.
BFAero: Driving Force of the Galician Aerospace Ecosystem
The participation of startups and companies linked to BFAero in this event reinforces the role of Business Factory Aero as a cornerstone of Galicia’s aerospace ecosystem, promoting innovation, talent, and public-private collaboration around a strategic sector for the region’s future.
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