THE CHALLENGE

This Kick-Start initiative explores how space technology can link with or enable online digital platforms, by introducing new features and innovative services to consumers and businesses. Conversely, it also considers the benefits that digital platforms could offer to the space ecosystem, by offering space products and services in novel way. Such digital platforms are understood as online e-commerce websites connecting buyers and sellers, facilitating transactions of products, service, and exchange of social contents, such as Amazon, Uber, or Facebook.

ATLANTIC AREA

AUTOMATED ROAD TRANSPORT

ESA has launched an opportunity to offer funding and support to companies for the business case assessment and development of new space enabled Internet of things (IoT) services that target relevant customer needs.

IoT is already used in many parts of daily life: human-centred applications related to health & fitness, home-automation & security, smart cities & transportation, connected vehicles, retail, production or industrial work environments are some of its applications.

Tourism continues to grow in popularity worldwide, but local authorities are often faced with the conflicting challenges of both maintaining and preserving popular outdoor destinations as well as encouraging and managing streams of visitors, balancing environmental sustainability with economic development. In addition, tourists are getting more and more tech savvy, and expect to be able to use their smart-phones and tablets to both plan their journeys and get information while travelling.