Space for sustainability in sports and mass events

*** Please note: opening date is tentative ***

BACKGROUND 

This Call for Proposals invites feasibility studies and demonstration projects that leverage satellite technology to enhance the sustainability of sports and mass events. Proposals are encouraged to explore innovative ways to reduce the environmental impact of large-scale gatherings, such as sports championships, music festivals, and conferences.

POTENTIAL APPLICATION DOMAINS

The following are examples of applications derived from conversations with end-users but any applications that serve towards reaching the sustainability goals set by end-users could be applicable under this call:

Carbon Reduction

1. Sustainable Mobility and Logistics Solutions: Electric and autonomous transport solutions for large-scale events, minimising emissions from transportation. This includes real-time tracking of event-related traffic and logistics to monitor and reduce associated carbon outputs.
2. Real-time Emission Measurement and Validation: Measure and validate emissions directly attributable to events, supporting compliance with sustainability targets set by frameworks like the UN Sports for Climate Action initiative. 

Nature and Biodiversity Protection

1. Site Access and Environmental Compliance: Monitor and control site access, ensuring that only authorised vehicles and compliant materials are used. This would include tracking impacts on local landscapes, verifying adherence to environmental guidelines, and maintaining records of authorised activities within protected areas.
2. Sustainable Snowmaking in Winter Sports: Optimisation of snow production by assessing specific terrain needs, enabling significant water and energy savings through accurate planning and usage.

Circular Economy

1. Impact Monitoring of Hosting Locations: Measuring the impact of large events on green spaces, urban heat islands, and air quality. Tracking of traffic patterns, assessing how the event affects local transportation and nearby communities.
2. Supply Chain Sustainability and Waste Management: Track and analyse supply chains to ensure products meet sustainable production standards. Monitoring of Scope 3 emissions, reducing overall carbon impact through better resource management.

Sustainable Infrastructure

1. Sustainable Venue Planning and Optimisation: For temporary or demountable venues, satellite data can assist in environmental impact assessments, logistical planning, and efficient monitoring of construction sites to optimise resource use and support long-term sustainability goals.
2. Smart Infrastructure Upgrades: Satellite-enabled IoT sensors and smart building solutions can enhance existing facilities, improving digitalisation, monitoring, and sustainability while extending their functionality for future events.

Event Resilience to Environmental Impact

1. Weather Impact and Risk Assessment: Real-time monitoring of extreme weather events, allowing organisers to make timely adjustments to protect attendees and minimise disruptions caused by weather-related risks.
2. Air Quality and Environmental Changes: Measuring air quality data and assessing the impact of air quality on athletes and audiences, adapting event plans as necessary to maintain health and safety standards.

VALUE OF SPACE

• Satellite Navigation (SatNav): Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) can enable innovative applications for the tracking and tracing of vehicles and goods through precise positioning, navigation, and timing. It can be used to provide coarse to high accuracy positioning information based on the specific use cases. For instance, GNSS can enable various route optimisation solutions by providing real-time location data as well as flow monitoring of fans, vehicles and goods.
• Satellite Communications (SatCom): In remote areas where communication is lacking, SatCom provides the possibility of connection with IoT sensors - for instance to monitor air quality with local sensors or to provide alerts, such as emergency warnings for extreme weather events.
• Earth Observation (SatEO): SatEO data combined with advances in AI and machine learning, could be used to directly measure GHG emissions, measure traffic flow, movement of people, activities along points of the supply chain, identify infrastructure needs, and understand direct effects of the events in the surroundings like biodiversity. SatEO data can be used for the planning of the infrastructure and traffic flows. Additionally, weather forecasts can be used to anticipate adverse situations that can affect events.

WHAT WE LOOK FOR

We look for promising business ideas addressing topics of relevance or related areas that propose:

• Attractive market opportunities, identified customer needs and customer engagement
• Commercially-viable service concepts
• Technically feasible solutions
• Added value of space data or technology
• Motivated teams with business, technical, and financial expertise

WHAT WE OFFER

We offer funding and support to companies, both for business case assessment and for the development of new, space-based services. Our offer includes:

• Zero-equity funding* 
• Technical and commercial guidance
• Access to our network and partners
• ESA brand credibility

*(50-80% depending on SME Status and Member State Approval)

ESA TENDER INFORMATION

The initiative is open to the submission of proposals for Feasibility Studies and Demonstration Projects:

• Feasibility Studies - which provide the preparatory framework to identify, analyse and define new potentially sustainable services
• Demonstration Projects - dedicated to the implementation and demonstration of pre-operational services

HOW TO APPLY

1. Scroll down to the ‘Downloads’ section of this webpage to download the official documents at the opening date. Official documents include an Activity Description (including the scope of the call, procurement approach…), an Annex (including relevant use-cases), and other supporting materials (e.g. webinar slides, if applicable)
2. Download the Activity Pitch Questionnaire template and submit your pitch as instructed in the Activity Pitch Questionnaire guidelines, through the online form (Select ‘Thematic Call (under 1-10494)’ followed by ‘Commercial Applications of Space-Enabled Robotics’ in the ‘Call’ and ‘Activity’ fields on the first page of the APQ).
3. ESA will evaluate your pitch. Teams whose pitches are positively evaluated will be invited to prepare an Outline Proposal and then a Full Proposal. Teams must obtain a Letter of Authorisation from their respective National Delegation before submitting a Full Proposal. Contact details of all National Delegates can be found here: National Delegation(s).

AUTHORISATION OF FUNDING

This opportunity is open to companies that intend to develop space-enabled services and products related, but not restricted, to the topics of relevance outlined above. To be eligible for funding, your team must be based in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom. Teams can involve non-European entities, but their contribution to the activity cannot be funded by ESA. Authorisation of Funding letters from the corresponding National Delegations are required as part of the application.

Downloads

Available 1 May 2025