SPACE RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE

Their core work

SRTI-BAS is the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences' institute focused on space research and solar-terrestrial physics. Within H2020, their role has been as Bulgaria's National Contact Point (NCP) for Space, helping Bulgarian researchers and companies access EU space funding. They also contributed to regional Earth Observation coordination in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Their H2020 footprint is primarily support and networking rather than direct R&D execution.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early H2020 work (2015-2018) centered on building the Space NCP network and contributing to regional Earth Observation integration. By 2019, the focus shifted more explicitly toward awareness raising, information provision, and partner search support — essentially deepening the service layer for connecting researchers to funding. The evolution suggests a move from network-building toward active matchmaking and outreach services.

Moving from passive networking toward active brokerage — connecting space researchers with EU funding opportunities and consortium partners.

How they like to work

Always a participant, never a coordinator — they join large CSA consortia rather than leading them. With 52 unique partners across 29 countries from just 3 projects, their networks are broad but driven by the NCP coordination structure rather than deep bilateral research ties. Working with them means accessing their role as a Bulgarian gateway to space and environment research communities.

Despite only 3 projects, they connect to 52 partners across 29 countries — a reflection of the pan-European NCP networks they participate in. Their reach spans nearly all EU member states plus associated countries.

What sets them apart

As Bulgaria's space research institute within BAS, they serve as the national gateway for EU space programme participation. For consortium builders targeting Widening Countries, SRTI-BAS offers a direct connection to the Bulgarian space and Earth Observation research community. Their NCP experience means they understand the EU funding landscape from the inside, which is useful for proposal preparation and partner identification in Southeast Europe.

Highlights from their portfolio

• GEO-CRADLE
  Their largest funded project (EUR 80,340), focused on integrating Earth Observation across North Africa and the Mediterranean — their only non-space-NCP project showing broader technical scope.
• COSMOS2020plus
  Continuation of the original COSMOS2020 network, demonstrating sustained trust in their role as a Space NCP node across two successive EU funding periods.