The Next Canadian Space Mission is Targeting Italy and the EU

The Colosseum in Rome from the air. Is it "worth the trip?"

The Canadian trade commissioner in Italy, in conjunction with the Association of Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) are soliciting Canadian space companies to participate in a trade mission to Italy focused on "space innovation and cooperation" and the development of business partnerships between Canada and the European Union

And, as of October 15th, there are "seven funded places" still open and waiting to be filled by delegates representing Canadian space companies.

The event is scheduled to occur from November 25th - 29th with funding provided through the Federal Government’s “Global Opportunities for Associations” program.

As outlined on the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service website, Canadian trade commissioners Joann Smith (responsible for space) and Tyler Wordsworth (responsible for science & technology/ innovation), will lead a "Pan European initiative in collaboration with Canadian and Italian space sector partners which will include Canadian aerospace national and provincial associations, the CME, the Canada Enterprise Network and in Italy the European Commission's Enterprise Europe Network."

The five day program will take in Turin, Rome and Capua, include meetings with executives from the Advanced Logistics Technology Engineering Centre (ALTEC), the AVIO Group, E-GEOS (a well known space imaging company), the Italian Space Agency, Telespazio, Thales Athena Space, various regoinal organizations and others plus include participation in the Horizon 2020 space information day and brokerage event scheduled for November 27th, in Rome.


Horizon 2020 is an €80Bln ($107Bln US) European Union program designed  to encourage innovation and science.

According to the event organizers, participation in the week-long series of activities in Italy will provide a unique opportunity to:

• Receive the latest information from the European Commission on the Horizon 2020 Space calls.

• Competitively position Canadian firms on lucrative R&D projects in advance of the first space calls.

• Establish important linkages with Europe’s best in terms of space sector players.

• Develop and define partnerships with project consortia.

• Present, discuss and develop new technology and innovation projects at an international level

A full schedule of events for the trip, known formally as the Canada-Europe Space Innovation Mission to Italy is available online here. A schedule of events for the Horizon 2020 information day is available online here.

For more information on the mission and funding support, please contact Joanne Smith at joanne.smith@international.gc.ca.