EUSPA Space for Our Planet Challenge

EUSPA is looking for solutions that use space data to help overcome climate change and environmental degradation, which are an existential threat to our children in Europe and worldwide.

The Finalists

Discover the TOP 3 submissions to the EUSPA Space for Our Planet Challenge below.
Please note, that finalists are presented in an alphabetically order of their submission title.

SAM – Smart Aerial Mapping

Robin Mink

Due to the lack of precision farming technologies, farmers mostly spray their entire fields with herbicides even though weeds are only present in specific areas. This causes unnecessary costs and environmental pollution, not to mention the eradication of weed species that can include host plants for beneficial insects. Using SAM’s drone imagery and GNSS-based mapping technology, weeds that need to be regulated are precicely identified and appropriate measures can be carried out at the plant level based on their geo-coordinates. This system is financially appealing to farmers as it leads to lower operating costs. Furthermore, the SAM system offers detailed data analyses for additional mapping products, such as in optimised fertilizer application. Authorities can use the mapping system to link recommendations for action and subsidies to ecological services, as is planned in the EU Green Deal.

Sea Angel – Because Electric Boats Can't Plug In at Sea

Jonathan Williams

Boats are going electric as part of the drive towards net-zero and many boat builders, for both the commercial and leisure markets, are already offering all-electric crafts. While demand is increasing, the range of all-electric boats is a serious constraint, especially because the risk of running out of energy is by far greater than in an electric car. Adverse sea conditions also impact the energy consumption of a boat: An unexpected change in the weather can have dangerous consequences and leave vessels stranded at sea, unable to reach a safe haven. There is, of course no recharging infrastructure for boats at sea.
Sea Angel solves this problem. By tapping into Copernicus marine data services, it predicts the risk of a boat running out of energy before it reaches its planned destination. Sea Angel can thus alert skippers to change their route while they are still able to do so and return to a safe environment.

WAMO – Flood Warning and Algal Management

Sebastian Lemke

WAMO is a real-time surface water assessment platform for flood warnings and algal monitoring and control. The free-floating platform integrates different sensors for accurate and real-time parameter observation. These sensors collect information on water level, precipitation, temperature, and pH along with parameters such as chlorophyll and nitrates. A low-power ultrasonic device is utilised to stop algae growth without harming aquatic life. WAMO’s breakthrough, meanwhile, lies in the high-precision GNSS-based system it provides for accurate water level measurements and positioning which, along with in-situ measurements, serves as input for flood models, flood warnings, and effective algal bloom control. WAMO is a self-sustainable movable platform that requires low construction, operation, and maintenance costs and is easy to implement in any water surface scenario.

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The Challenge

Galileo/EGNOS signals are providing enhanced positioning and timing, which enables new applications of navigation signals for transport, farming, disaster management and energy on a global level. Copernicus offers information services based on Earth observation (EO) data and modelling for climate change, atmosphere, marine and land. Services based on such data should lead to more environmentally friendly living and decision-making, resulting in a healthier planet.

Participants are encouraged to submit solutions using Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus as key enablers to:

Support sustainable and smart mobility (EGNSS-enabled transport)
Contribute to the Farm to Fork strategy (Space for ‘’healthy food from a healthy planet’’, contributing to Europe’s climate change agenda, protecting the environment and preserving biodiversity)
Support zero-pollution ambition (satellite-based solutions for better monitoring, to prevent pollution from the air, water, soil and consumer products, and limit damage from floods or other natural hazards)
Build and renovate in an energy and resource efficient way (EGNSS for smart monitoring and tracking of the processes)

Rewards 2021

Cash Prize

Cash prize worth EUR 10,000

Additional Rewards

Extra EUR 10,000 cash prize if your concept gets selected as Galileo Masters 2021 Overall Winner

Chance to win one of six tailored Galileo Incubation prizes worth up to EUR 62,000 each

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions to the EUSPA Space for our Planet Challenge will be assessed using the following criteria:

Benefit

Environmental and societal benefits along the entire value chains for market players, society and the planet

Innovation

Innovative approach over existing technical solutions and commercial services

Relevance

Use of European space programme data & services

Market potential

Considerable contribution to uptake in one of the various satellite downstream market segments

Eligibility

To participate, any applicant must be a natural or a legal person of an EU Member State or European Economic Area (EEA), European Neighbouring Countries (ENP), South/East countries or other countries with which the EU has space dialogues and cooperation: USA, Canada, Latin America, Africa, Gulf Cooperation Countries, Kazahstan, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand.

For further information see the Terms of Participation.

About the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)

The EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), a European Union agency, is working with the European Commission on a range of activities aimed at helping European entrepreneurs and businesses – especially high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), research institutes and related networks – build their applications using the positioning, navigation and timing data delivered by Galileo and EGNOS.