ESA Technology Broker Czechia Actively Contributed at XIV Workshop on Passive Components and Sensors
On 9–10 April 2026, ESA Technology Broker Czechia and Technology Centre Prague took part in the XIV Workshop on Passive Components and Sensors in Jičín, hosted by HYDRA Jičín in cooperation with the European Passive Components Institute (EPCI). We gave a presentation, engaged in in-depth technical discussions with participants, and used the workshop to identify both technology needs and technology descriptions from non-space companies that may be relevant for future space applications or for space-enabled technology transfer. The event brought together an exceptionally strong mix of companies, research organisations and technology stakeholders from across the Czech innovation ecosystem, with more than 40 participants listed in the workshop materials and broad representation from industry, academia and R&D institutions.
The workshop created a highly valuable environment for discussing space technology transfer, advanced electronics, sensors, passive components, and emerging industrial applications. For ESA Technology Broker Czechia, the event was especially important because it helped identify terrestrial technologies with strong potential for future space applications. Among the most promising examples discussed was two-photon 3D nano printing, presented by IQS Nano as a technology capable of producing highly precise 3D microstructures with sub-micrometre detail, including directly on chips and components. The workshop materials describe this as a technology with application potential in passive components, sensors and photonic systems, making it highly relevant for future space-related use cases.
At the same time, the discussions also worked in the opposite direction: they helped uncover technology needs from industry that could potentially be solved through space-derived solutions. This included needs identified through exchanges with HYDRA and other participants from the electronics and sensor ecosystem. The workshop therefore served not only as a platform for showcasing innovation, but also as a practical matchmaking space between industrial demand and space-enabled technologies.
Another key outcome of the event was the opportunity to present what ESA Technology Broker Czechia can offer to Czech SMEs and researchers. Participation in Jičín made it possible to introduce the role of the brokerage mechanism in supporting technology transfer, commercialisation, and the connection of Czech innovators with opportunities linked to the European Space Agency. This was particularly relevant in a setting where companies and research teams were actively sharing current challenges, development priorities and future application directions.
The 2026 edition also stood out because of the very strong participation of companies and organisations. Overall, the workshop confirmed that cross-disciplinary meetings of this kind are essential for identifying new pathways where electronics, sensors, passive components, photonics, and advanced manufacturing technologies can intersect with the space sector. For ESA Technology Broker Czechia, it was a valuable opportunity to strengthen links with Czech industrial and research partners, gather concrete technology needs from the field, and explore high-potential innovations — including 3D nano printing — that may one day be applied in space.