The European Satellite Navigation Competition 2013 will award €1 million worth of prizes to innovative business applications using satellite navigation.
Now in its tenth edition, the competition is open to individuals and teams of aspiring entrepreneurs from industry and research. Winners receive cash or in-kind prizes to help them develop businesses and market their services or products—for example through patent consulting services or help with prototyping.
According to Thorsten Rudolph, managing director of the company running the competition (Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen, in Germany), one third of former winners have founded a company. A total of 80 per cent of the applications presented in the competition in previous editions have been realised.
Participants can choose to be teamed up with one of 20 partner regions, in Europe or beyond. Each region will select and promote its winner’s business case. Other institutions including the European Space Agency, the German Aerospace Center and the European Patent Office will award additional prizes.
Students and academics can submit their ideas to the ESNC university challenge.
Proposals can be submitted until 30 June, and the prizes will be awarded in Munich, Germany, in November.