South West SpaceTech Challenge

The South West SpaceTech Challenge will support innovative entrepreneurs using space-enabled technologies to grow their business, and connect with commercial opportunities in the Offshore Wind and Climate & Nature resilience spaces. As part of the SpaceWest programme, it will push forward our ambition to build a leading space ecosystem across our region.

What is the Innovation Challenge

The South West SpaceTech Challenge is a competition inviting innovators using space-enabled technologies to provide solutions to real world problems in offshore wind. It is led by the Space West and supported by Deloitte.

This is a unique opportunity for innovators to work with an important growing sector and gain a deeper understanding of specific industry challenges. The package of support will help innovators develop solutions with the potential to scale up for the global market.

The Challenge aims to deliver three key objectives:

  1. Supercharge the growth of SpaceTech businesses in the South West region
  2. Help organisations associated with Offshore Renewable Energy and Climate & Nature Resilience (the Challenge Group) to lift-the-lid on the applications of SpaceTech for their industry 
  3. Connect SpaceTech businesses with the Challenge Group organisations to encourage collaboration and commercial opportunity 

Why Apply?

Taking part in the South West SpaceTech Challenge will give you an opportunity to:

  • understand product market fit by applying your space-enabled technology to specific real-world business problems
  • build your network with large organisations seeking external innovation
  • learn best practises on how to grow your business.

By participating in this program, you will get access to:

  • in-person networking and pitch events, where you will receive tailored feedback from our judging panel
  • four virtual, interactive workshops on the topics of product roadmap, fundraising, pitching and proposal writing
  • access to a mentor pool of both Innovation and Space subject matter experts
  • 1-1 Collaboration sessions with the Challenge Group to ensure your solutions align to their business challenges.

The Challenge Statements

STATEMENT 1

Offshore Wind: How can using space-enabled technologies have a positive impact on businesses operating within the Offshore Wind value chain?

STATEMENT 2

Climate & Nature Resilience: How can using space-enabled technologies help organizations and individuals understand, evaluate, or mitigate their climate and nature related risks?

Innovators can apply to either of the above Challenge Statements and showcase how their space-enabled technology can be leveraged in these areas. 

Further, more specific challenges briefs have been developed by the Challenge Group, and innovators are invited to apply to showcase how their technology can provide solutions for these current, real world problems end users are facing today. 

The Challenge Group

The Challenge briefs have been developed by a group of organisations growing the offshore wind industry in the Celtic Sea and those developing UK Climate & Nature Resilience.

To learn more, click on the green arrow to read the Challenge Briefs.

Challenge Area - Offshore Wind

Celtic Sea Power

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Read more about Celtic Sea Power

Celtic Sea Power

At Celtic Sea Power we want to understand the applications of Satellite data for:

  1. Measurement of Turbulence Intensity, including high shear events like low-level jets etc. 
  2. Modelling of wave period to a higher degree of accuracy 
  3. Modelling currents
  4. Mapping fishing and leisure vessels (sub AIS scale)
  5. Understanding the environmental impact of Offshore wind (e.g. to birds and marine mammals)
  6. Conductivity salinity temperature and depth

The Crown Estate

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Read more about The Crown Estate

The Crown Estate

The Crown Estate is a unique landowner growing the financial, environmental and social value of our diverse portfolio to create lasting and shared prosperity for the nation, and we play an active role on the UK seabed in offshore energy, marine aggregates and cables and pipelines. As part of identifying areas to be leased for offshore wind, we use a stakeholder-validated evidence base to enhance understanding of spatial interactions, co-location opportunities and risks to other seabed activities, and through this challenge, we’re interested in understanding how satellite data can help to improve this evidence base. To ensure the most value out of this space solution, there is also further opportunity to use information about smaller leisure and fishing vessels (less than 12 metres in length) that are not captured within existing vessel monitoring datasets. Improving understanding of vessel density and location would be incredibly valuable for marine spatial planning and habitat restoration efforts.

Challenge Area - Climate & Nature Resilience

South West Water

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Read more about South West Water

South West Water

How can space-enabled technologies be used to understand where and how water company activities interface with nature?

The Environment Agency

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Read more about The Environment Agency

The Environment Agency

How can space-enabled technologies be used to ensure we are a nation ready for and resilient to flood and coastal change now and in the future?

The Challenge Group
The South West SpaceTech Challenge brief was developed by a group of organisations growing the offshore wind industry in the Celtic Sea and those developing UK Climate & Nature Resilience.

Challenge Timeline

Download the full timeline here

Application

Innovators entering the South West SpaceTech challenge using space-enabled technologies to address the Challenge Brief, please apply below. 

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be an SME business based in the UK.
  • Applicants must use space enabled technology, where insights or capabilities are driven by satellite data and services.
  • Successful applicants are required to attend two in person events, as well as virtual mentoring and collaboration sessions.
  • We will be hosting a webinar with further information on the Challenges and giving you the opportunity for a Q&A on 24th November at 12pm – please register your interest to [email protected]

Contact

For information please email: [email protected]













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