Join 5 days of immersive Innovation Sprint at ESA ESEC in Redu!
ESA invites your team to a 5-day innovation sprint at the ESA ESEC site in Redu, where multidisciplinary teams will collaborate to create bold solutions that enhance crowd management and mass evacuation in case of emergency or crisis.
Essential info:
Dates: 30 June – 4 July 2025
Location: ESA ESEC, Redu, Belgium
Eligibility: Open to SMEs, startups, and industry players in ESA Member States with teams of 6-8 members, aged 18 or older.
Application deadline: 2 June 2025, 23:59 CEST
Please note that registering for ESA Acceleration Days does not confirm your participation. Once the application period closes, selected participants will receive a confirmation of their participation.
Registration Link
The context
This innovation sprint is a fast-paced, collaborative process where teams compete for prizes by co-creating practical prototypes with end users to solve real-world challenges. The sprint is supported by national civil security and crisis stakeholders, whose involvement ensures that the solutions are grounded in real operational needs and safety priorities. Together, participants will tackle critical challenges to enhance European resilience.
Acceleration challenge
In moments of crisis, every second counts. Whether it is a natural disaster, large-scale accident, or sudden emergency, the ability to plan and execute mass evacuations efficiently can reduce physical and psychosocial harm as well as save lives. We are calling on innovators to harness the power of space – from satellite navigation and communications to geospatial intelligence – to develop bold, scalable solutions that:
Anticipate risks and identify pressure points and vulnerable areas before crisis strikes
Support optimal placement of infrastructure, escape routes, and safe zones
Enable smarter, real-time coordination and communications during evacuations
Strengthen planning, training, and public awareness in advance
From AI-powered mapping and analysis to smart infrastructure design or automated early-warning systems – if your idea leverages space capabilities to make evacuation safer, faster, and more informed, we want to see it.
You will work on a real-time, real-world use case developed by ESA together with user partners including, safe.brussels, and Police Brussels Zuid – tackling the complex challenges of mass evacuation planning.
You bring the project concept; we guide you towards a prototype in co-design with end-users.
Who can participate
This innovation sprint is open to industry players including SMEs and startups ready to explore how space capabilities can enhance mass evacuation preparedness. Participants must apply as teams (6-8 members). Teams should be multidisciplinary, bringing together diverse expertise – from space technologies and AI to emergency planning, urban planning, and beyond. We welcome applicants from any ESA Member States, and all participants must be 18 or above. Gender-balanced teams and inclusive collaboration are strongly encouraged. Whether you are part of a consortium, a startup team, or forming a new alliance – if you are ready to co-create the future of emergency preparedness, this is your mission.
Selection process and criteria
Applications must be submitted as a team; individual application will not be considered. During the registration process, you will be asked to provide information about your team’s professional backgrounds, motivation, and collective skill set. Successful teams will include a diverse mix of expertise across space, technology, AI, policy, legal, design, and communication domains. You will also need to submit an initial pitch idea outlining the project your team intends to develop during the innovation sprint. Details on the focus areas can be found above. Based on this information, the ESA Acceleration Days Team will evaluate and select the participating teams.
At the end of the sprint, each team will pitch their prototype to a jury made up of experts and end-users.
Projects will be assessed based on:
innovation and creativity,
relevance and impact for the end-user challenge
quality of the teal—specifically how effectively teams leveraged available tools, data, and mentoring.
We are looking for SMEs, start-ups, and industry players, either applying alone or as part of a consortium or a new alliance.
To participate in the ESA Acceleration Days, follow these steps:
Register via EUSurvey: Visit the specific event webpage and click on the registration link provided.
Complete the Registration Form: Fill in your personal details, professional background, and explain your motivation for joining the event.
Application Specifics: Applications must be submitted by teams of 6-8 members. Ensure you include detailed information for each team member.
Application Review: After submitting your registration form, it will undergo a review process. Submission does not guarantee participation. We will evaluate your application and notify you of your registration status. If your application is approved, you will receive an email with the final confirmation of participation.
Costs, accommodation and travel
There are no registration or participation fees for this event.
Participants are kindly requested to arrange their own travel.
Accommodation will be provided to the selected team at the Euro Space Centre, free of charge. If you wish to take advantage of this accommodation, you will be able to indicate your interest in the registration form. Once selected, participants will receive further information and guidance for the event.
Programme
We are excited to welcome you to a 5-day innovation sprint, running from Monday, 30th June to Friday, 4th July. The sprint will begin at 11:00 on Monday and conclude at 17:00 on Friday. Throughout the week, participants will engage in an intensive, structured process—starting with aligning on goals, then framing and focusing the challenge, envisioning innovative solutions, and finally creating and testing prototypes. Testing is embedded in all stages to ensure the ideas developed are both impactful and feasible. Selected participants will receive more detailed information about the agenda ahead of the event.
Deadlines & application submission
Registrations open on 12 May and close on 2 June at 23:59 CEST. During the registration process, students also have the option to apply for ESA Academy sponsorship. Once the application period concludes, selected participants will receive a confirmation of participation within a few days.
Meet your mentors and jurors
Stay tuned for announcements on the mentors and jurors who will guide you throughout your hackathon journey.
Evaluation criteria and Prizes
Evaluation criteria and prizes will be communicated at a later stage.
Frequenty Asked Questions