ActInSpace® 2020

NOTE: the early 2020 4th edition mentioned below was postponed to end of the year and happened online HERE!

The 4th edition of the international challenge dedicated to space applications!

TACKLE ACTINSPACE’S CHALLENGES AND UNLEASH YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL POTENTIAL!

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What is ActInSpace®?

Launched by CNES (French government space agency) in 2014 and co-organised by ESA (European Space Agency) since 2016, ActInSpace® is an international competition enabling to imagine the products and services of tomorrow using satellite data or space applications.

Created in order to foster entrepreneurship, especially among young people, midway between a startup weekend and a hackathon, ActInSpace® enables teams with different profiles throughout the world to take up, in just 24 hours, one of the challenges set up by CNES, ESA and their partners, and finally launch their startup.

One of the objectives of ActInSpace® is to create a bridge between space agencies and citizens. Therefore, the competition offers challenges based on CNES and ESA patents, which participants can access exceptionally. In order to actually launch their project, after the hackathon, they get to meet inventors and experts from the space agencies. Some partners also offer challenges, based on satellite data (Pléïades for Airbus, GNSS for the GSA…) and accompany the participants in the same way. Examples of challenges can be seen on https://actinspace.org/challenges

During the ActInSpace® hackathon, experts from the space industry and the business world are present to advise and accompany the contestants.

Through these challenges, combining proactiveness, pushing the limits and team spirit, ActInSpace® fosters and facilitates entrepreneurship among young people while promoting space technologies for daily uses, for the benefit of citizens, employment and our planet.

The best team wins a ZeroG flight in the European astronaut’s aircraft and all competitors get the opportunity to be accompanied for the launch of their startup.

Since the 1st edition of ActInSpace®, some 35 startups have actually been launched in the different host countries. Among recent examples features Australian company Wright Technologies, winner of ActInSpace® Grand International Prize in 2018 for its tamper-proof identification and registration system for UAV operators, using a CNES Patent based on Galileo.

ActInSpace® Calendar

February 2020: Publication of challenges
February to April 2020: Applications of contestants on https://actinspace.org
April 24 & 25, 2020: Local hackathons in all host cities

  • 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM: Beginning of the event
    • Welcome message and recall of the competition rules
    • Coaches introduction
    • Creation of the teams
  • From Friday 3:00 PM to Saturday at 3:00 PM (24 hours): Hackathon
    • Teamwork, with the help of experts in Space, Business Development and Innovation.
  • 4:00 PM: Pitch in front of the jury
    • Team pitch in front of the jury.
    • 7-10 minutes for each team
  • 5:00 PM May 26th: Award Ceremony
    • Result announcements and comments on each team
    • Award ceremony
    • Cocktail

June 17-19, 2020: International finals, during Global Space in Toulouse, the international space Rendez-vous.

Switzerland Local Hackathon

This is the first year ActInSpace® is being run in Switzerland. ActInSpace Switzerland is organized and hosted by the EPFL Space Center (eSpace).

Students, entrepreneurs, technologists, scientists, designers, storytellers, artists, come join us at the 2020 international ActInSpace!

For more information, contact espace@epfl.ch

Examples of Challenges

The full list of the challenges in 2018 is available here: https://actinspace.org/challenges

Registration

You can apply through the ActInSpace® website from February to April 2020. Find out more at actinspace.org and linkedin.com/company/actinspace