The CommEO Award is aimed at providing visibility, networking and matchmaking opportunities to European space start-ups active in the field of Earth Observation (EO).
This challenge has the following objectives:
Highlight and select promising European space entrepreneurs with innovative and disruptive business models;
Raise investors’ and industrial actors’ awareness about the potential of European space start-ups in the field of EO;
Provide entrepreneur with support for company development through means of increased visibility, networking opportunities, match making and other prize contributions.
In this context, the European Space Agency (ESA) will select 3 start-ups in the space sector that can demonstrate the most promising and convincing commercialization plans for their product and/or service and will offer support to increase their visibility to potential target markets, investors and industrial actors.
ESA wants to support initial progresses of high potential business ideas to strengthen European industry competitiveness, including assisting in areas such as:
Network and Partnership Building
Increase visibility to potential target markets
Match making with potential investors/clients
Participation and submission remarks
Proposed ideas shall be at the intersection between ‘Earth and climate initiatives’ and EO commercialisation: “Addressing climate challenges and opportunities with Earth observation for human and planet prosperity”. For example:
Idea submission format: each idea shall also include 5 minutes live video pitch (MP4 format with up to 150 MB) to be uploaded as attachment within the application form.
The deadline for the idea submission is by end of October 31th, 2024.
CommEO Award process
1. All submitted ideas will be assessed by a team of ESA experts, investors and sponsors.
2. Announcement of top 3 applicants selected for pitching at the 2nd CommEO in Frankfurt will be made by November 15th, 2024.
3. The top 3 applicants will be provided with networking/matchmaking opportunities by pitching their idea to a panel of investors, ESA experts and industry at the 2nd ESA EO Commercialization Forum (CommEO) in KAP Europa, Frankfurt on 27th of November, 2024.
4. Finally, the 3 selected pitches will be awarded with prizes during the awarding ceremony at the dedicated session at the 2nd ESA EO Commercialization Forum (CommEO) in KAP Europa, Frankfurt on 27th of November, 2024.
Prizes
The CommEO award will distribute the following prizes among the top 3 applicants:
One-year free access to Altair Start-up Acceleration Package which includes unlimited use of Altair full software portfolio for Simulation and Data Analytics (value 160.000€) sponsored by Altair
Access to Satellite Imagery (for a maximum amount up to 50.000€) sponsored by the ESA Third Party Mission Programme*.
Voucher for the use of a range of Forestry TEP services at f-tep.com (valued at 30.000€) sponsored by VTT
*to use under the ESA Third Party Mission's terms and conditions.
The CommEO Award Evaluation Committee will be composed by ESA experts, investors and sponsors.
Eligible submissions will be assessed according to the following criteria:
Credibility of the business case and attractiveness of the product service for the market
Technical viability and proposed development.
Adequacy and credibility of cost estimations, schedule and planning
Team (skills, resources and experience)
More information about the call and its official conditions of participations are available on the dedicated webpage on the ESA portal.
