Launched by CNES (French Space Agency) in 2014 and supported by ESA since 2016, ActInSpace® went global in 2018. ActInSpace® aims at fostering entrepreneurship, especially among young people, by taking up one of the challenges set up by CNES, ESA and their partners. One of the distinguishing features is that these challenges are based on CNES or ESA patents or based on data supplied by the partners of the event (Airbus, GSA, Copernicus…).
Participants are coached by space and business experts who give advices and support during the hackathon. ActInSpace® fosters and encourages team spirit, proactiveness and innovativeness while promoting space technologies for daily uses, for the benefits of citizen, employment and our planet.
Since the 1st edition of ActInSpace®, 35 startups have been created throughout the host countries, indeed, all teams get the opportunity to be accompanied for the launch of their project after the hackaton. And the international best team wins a ZeroG flight in the European astronaut’s aircraft.
For the 2020 edition, the objective is to extend the international dimension of the event. Therefore, CNES and ESA have renewed their trust in Aeropsace Valley, who as manager of the ESA BIC South of France, will once again be in charge of the operational organisation. ActInSpace® should take place in 50 countries and 100 cities and the finals will be in Toulouse, France in June 2020 during the new international meeting for space industry: Global Space in Toulouse.
Among the international partners of ActInSpace® are Airbus (historical partner since the first edition), AirZeroG (offering the first prize), CLS (a CNES subsidiary operating satellites for data collecting), EBAN (European Business Angels Network), the GSA (European GNSS Agency), the economic development agency Invest in Toulouse, Qwant, etc.
