ESA asks space startups to solve Coca-Cola and P&G industry challenges

The European Space Agency opened a competition on September 22 for companies that can turn space data and technology into practical tools for large industries. Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Galp and Tomorrowland/Love Tomorrow have supplied operational challenges, while ESA is inviting six-month proof-of-concept proposals. Applications close on November 4. The contest offers a route to test ideas with potential customers, but participation does not guarantee a commercial contract.

From satellites to everyday operations

The call is run through ESA Business Applications and Space Solutions. It asks teams to answer a specific published challenge, rather than submit a general pitch about space. Themes include water resilience, sustainable manufacturing, renewable energy, logistics, consumer insight and the management of temporary sites and events.

Earth observation can track drought, land use, vegetation, hazards and infrastructure over large areas. Satellite navigation can locate moving assets, and satellite communications can connect equipment where ground networks are unreliable. ESA also points to space-derived techniques such as digital twins and resource-efficient processing. The opportunity is to combine these capabilities with other data and test whether they solve a defined business problem.

The list of challenge owners makes the scope unusually broad. A drinks company may care about water availability, an energy business about renewable assets, and an event operator about the movement of people and equipment. ESA has not said that any named company will buy a resulting service. The contest is a structured experiment to see which proposals survive a real operational test.

A six-month proof of concept

Applicants must respond directly to one of the published challenges and propose a six-month study. ESA says a credible technical starting point is required. Teams should test important technical, operational and business assumptions, then show whether a solution could be repeated or commercialized more widely.

This is a competitive funding call. Eligible teams submit a full proposal, after which selected applicants may be invited to pitch to a jury that includes ESA and the challenge owners. Winners would be offered a cooperative agreement to carry out their proof of concept. The announcement does not promise an award amount for every applicant or automatic adoption by the corporations.

Who can apply

ESA lists 23 eligible countries, including several European states and Canada. A written authorization from the relevant national delegation is required for a full proposal, so companies should check country rules early. Registration and submission run through ESA's procurement system.

The measure of success will be whether these pilots produce useful services beyond a demonstration. For now, the concrete opportunity is a dated call with named problems, a six-month test period and a competitive route to funding. Applicants have until November 4 to turn an idea into a proposal tied to a specific challenge.