The European Satellite Navigation Competition – Globally Networked Innovation

Europe’s own global satellite navigation system, Galileo, is catapulting satellite navigation to a new level. It provides reliable and extremely precise position and movement data and opens up a host of possibilities for innovative applications. Bavaria identified early on the importance of the space industry and all its benefits and future opportunities. In close cooperation with our European and global partners, we have leveraged our activities to forge an excellent network that creates added value and employment by interfacing satellite navigation technologies with other key industrial sectors.

As of 3rd August 2009, the Free State of Bavaria – together with the European Space Agency, the German Aerospace Center and the local bank Kreissparkasse München Starnberg – began supporting the fourth ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC), which will further establish Oberpfaffenhofen as a major hub for aerospace research, operations and industrial activities. The goal of this new business development centre – run by Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen (AZO) – is to support 40 company start-ups on-location in the next four years. The partners of the ESA BIC will contribute EUR 6,3 million toward these efforts to incorporate aerospace technology and expertise into start-up companies in new fields of the economy with a view to creating sustainable jobs for highly skilled individuals.

For the sixth year running, the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport, and Technology has awarded the best applications developed on the basis of satellite positioning technology. It is convinced that the creativity sparked by the European Satellite Navigation Competition boosts entrepreneurship on a global scale.

Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s competition and all the best with your efforts to realise your ideas!