DUBAI: The UAE Space Agency has announced a new competition for next-generation solutions that address climate change and food security, with the financing of up to AED 4 million available. Scientists, entrepreneurs, academics, and innovators interested in tackling some of humanity’s most pressing issues are welcome to join and help the UAE accelerate its knowledge-based economy.
The competition, which is part of the Space Analytics and Solutions (SAS) initiative, was announced during Expo 2020 Dubai’s Space Week and is being run in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), which is also in charge of food and water security. Its goal is to develop technically practical, scalable, and unique concepts for creating services that support agricultural or environmental practices utilizing data acquired from space. This may include evaluating soil moisture levels to improve crop yields or using data to track and monitor greenhouse gas emissions.
The competition will result in the selection of two projects. They will each receive funding of up to AED 2 million, as well as technical assistance, advice from prominent experts, and assistance in securing commercial partnerships and reaching out to customers. The initiative intends to improve the competitiveness of the UAE space industry, stimulate public-private collaborations, upskill professionals, and strengthen the national space ecosystem, in addition to developing cutting-edge applications for the future economy.
Two of the world’s most pressing issues are climate change and food security. In 2019, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations were greater than they had been in at least two million years, while almost 750 million people – roughly one in every ten people on the planet – faced extreme food insecurity. Both challenges require immediate attention, and the UAE Space Agency is working to develop answers.
Proposals must be received before the deadline of January 15, 2022. In February, the top six will be invited to pitch in front of an expert panel, with the top two being chosen as the winners. The competition will evaluate submissions based on a number of variables, including the persons’ professional and academic backgrounds, as well as the idea’s uniqueness and practicality.
The competition comes just weeks after the UAE Space Agency launched a new mission to investigate Venus and seven asteroids as part of the country’s expanding space program. The new mission, like the competition, emphasizes the UAE’s efforts to contribute meaningfully to space exploration, scientific study, and our understanding of the solar system over the next 50 years.
Space Week is one of ten thematic weeks aimed at collaborating on answers to some of the world’s most urgent problems. Each one focuses on a certain problem, such as climate and biodiversity, health and wellness, urban and rural development, travel and connectivity, and so on, and runs for six months during Expo Dubai 2020.
