ESA experts shortlisted the top ten proposals from startups registered with ESA’s Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) around Europe.

Presenting at ESA’s Pavilion at the IAC, the shortlisted startups pitched their business to a jury of ESA experts, ESA partners, and investors. The jury voted for their preferred startup and a runner-up from each of the two categories: Earth observation and space transportation.

ESA Director of Commercialisation, Industry and Procurement, Géraldine Naja announced the winners on Wednesday 21 September:

Earth observation
First place – SpaceSence, ESA BIC Nord France
Runner-up – Super Sharp Space Systems, ESA BIC UK

Space Transportation
First place – Magdrive, ESA BIC UK
Runner-up – The Exploration Company, ESA BIC Bavaria

The two winners are set to receive a parabolic flight ticket as well as one hour of C-level mentoring from Géraldine Naja.

For the runners-up, Super Sharp Space Systems was awarded mentoring from Planet and ESA Director of Earth Observation, Simonetta Cheli. The Exploration Company was awarded mentoring from Airbus and ESA Director of Space Transportation, Daniel Neuenschwander.