Five highlights from EU Space Days 2025

EU Space Days 2025 brought the European space community to Gdańsk for two packed days of discussion and inspiration. Organised by the European Commission under the auspices of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU, and held alongside InfoShare, the region’s largest startup and tech conference, the event featured a rich mix of sessions, the most ambitious EU Space Days exhibition to date, and a dynamic Agora stage which showcased emerging talent, entrepreneurial initiatives, and cutting-edge research. In this Observer, we look at five key highlights from this year’s event.

1. A journey through the EU Space Programme

The largest and most ambitious exhibition ever put together for EU Space Days provided participants with a unique walk-through experience of the EU Space Programme. As they moved through the vibrant, immersive space, visitors were able to explore the different components of the Programme, including Copernicus, Galileo, EGNOS, IRIS², and SSA. The exhibition combined bold visual design with physical models and interactive installations, including a 1:20 scale model of Ariane 6, models of the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellites, a VR Galileo experience, as well as a collection of stunning Copernicus Earth Observation images. roughout the exhibition space, where institutional, commercial, and national priorities converged. 

 2. Spotlight on innovation and emerging talent at the Agora stage

The Agora stage brought fresh energy to EU Space Days 2025, offering a more intimate and interactive setting for exchanging information and exploring new directions in the EU space ecosystem. The innovative silent conference format allowed the Agora sessions to run side-by-side with the main stage, as participants could tune in via the provided headsets without distraction. 

From thought-provoking presentations on sustainability and diversity in the space sector to pitch sessions and presentations of student-led initiatives, the Agora featured a broad mix of content and contributors. Some of the most memorable moments came from student organisations, including presentations by Poland’s Student Council to the President of the Polish Space Agency and student teams from Gdańsk University of Technology’s SimLE student organisation, showing how young talent is already shaping the future of space.

Sessions on Horizon Europe projects and CASSINI Matchmaking pitch events added further depth, showcasing how EU funding and support mechanisms are helping research teams and startups move from concept to commercial reality. Vera Pinto from the European Commission also gave a dedicated presentation on the DIVERIS initiative, the EU’s space and defence industry diversity and inclusion network, which is working to ensure the sector reflects the full range of talent across Europe.

Continue reading on this week's EU Space Observer