In 2009 ESA & AZO launched the first innovation competition dedicated to Europe’s Earth observation (EO) programme. Back then, the programme was called Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) with the objective to establish a European capacity for EO and its respective innovation competition driving the commercial use of EO was the GMES Masters.
This year, Europe’ most ambitious EO programme, Copernicus – formerly known as GMES, celebrates its 20-year anniversary! And there’s even more to celebrate: The Copernicus Masters celebrates its 9-year anniversary! Over the past years, the competition has scouted new EO ideas in various application fields. Many of them turned into successful business across Europe.
One example of these success stories is the very first Overall Winner of the GMES Masters: was Jean-Marc Gaubert, Managing Director of Atmosphere, who turned his winning idea into business and launched his company in the ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC) Bavaria. Atmosphere presented an airborne collaborative network for real-time exchange of atmospheric conditions to complement the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) objectives.
We are proud to see the success of the first winner of the GMES Masters! Today the company’s customers are key space players including: Airbus, Honeywell, Thales Alenia Space, Safire, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the National Research Council (NRC). Atmosphere operates “PLANET” the real-time collaborative solution for flight mission management, providing worldwide in-flight services, including weather and aeronautical information services, flight tracking, health monitoring etc.
For the 2018 edition of the Copernicus Masters we are looking for new ideas and innovative personalities. We are very excited to see this year’s winning ideas of the Copernicus Masters! Explore this year’s challenges presented by our world-class partners: www.copernicus-masters.com and become a successful entrepreneur just like Jean-Marc Gaubert. Hurry up and submit your idea before the database closes on 30 June!
