16 November 2017
The Innovation and Collaboration Centre at the University of South Australia will host the Australian leg of a 24-hour international Space hackathon that will see students, developers and entrepreneurs tap into existing space technology data to design, improve or develop innovative applications for their use.
Kicking off in May 2018, it will be the first time the ActInSpace competition will take place in Australia and participants will be competing simultaneously with people in cities all over the world.
And with the help of a team of experts, the best ideas will be fast-tracked for development as start-ups, opening up the potential for new job creation in South Australia.
Co-organised by the French space agency Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and the European Space Agency (ESA), the event will be delivered by the UniSA’s Innovation Collaboration Centre with support from the South Australian Government.
UniSA Vice Chancellor Professor David Lloyd says the space hackathon will offer exciting opportunities for people with great ideas and an entrepreneurial spirit.
“As a long-term supporter of space innovation and space education through our partnership with the International Space University and our research into satellite systems, UniSA is delighted to host the international space hackathon,” Prof Lloyd says.
“We’re committed to innovation and enterprise in South Australia and to exploring how our research and education can underpin Australia’s bid to establish a national Space Agency.
“We are also deeply committed to encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation in our students and graduates and to working with them and industry professionals to grow local businesses and high potential start-ups.”
South Australia was chosen to host the hackathon given its support for the creation of an Australian space agency as well as the recent establishment of the country’s first dedicated centre to grow the local space economy and create future high-tech jobs.
The new South Australian Space Industry Centre will support the SA’s emerging space industry by providing funding of up to $1 million every year to young space entrepreneurs, along with new and existing space start-ups.
ActInSpace winners from each country will compete in a ‘final’ that will take place in France during the Toulouse Space Show in 2018.
Find out more about ActInSpace at www.actinspace.org.
Media contact: Michèle Nardelli mobile 0418 823 673 email michele.nardelli@unisa.edu.au
