For a real challenge, try the Pirates mod.
As a pirate, you can't build (and don't start off with) ANY planet-based resource extractors. First thing you should build is a remote-miner escort
You also can't build or retrofit colony ships. Basically, your economy will be based on remote mining and ship capture & scrapping.
Note that there are some restrictions on the choice of racial traits that you must set yourself.
- no reproduction / no environment resist.
- no Psychic tech.