Space Innovation Challenge
-From Data Utilization to Future Space Service -
Propose a space-enabled solution to a real societal challenge!
Finalist Proposals
(in alphabetical order by title)
| Proposal Title | Name | Affiliation | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| AidWisely: Space-Enabled Prioritization and Verification of Disaster Cash Assistance | Julie Ann Delda, Girlie G. Cortez, Janine S. Zabate, Ron Sebastian R. Rebaño | Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration | Philippines |
| DGGS-Native Earth Intelligence for Reservoir Operations under a Non-Stationary Monsoon | Narasimha Sharma Narayanam | Aganitha Space Technologies Pvt ltd | India |
| Disaster Emergency Assistance & Response (DEAR) | Doan Huong Thanh, Nguyen Huy Thang | VinSpace | Vietnam |
| FloodLens AI: From Satellite Observations to Actionable Flood Response Intelligence | 1.Shubham Tayade, 2.Anukriti Dixit, 3.Shashank Maurya | 1.Dfy-Graviti Technologies Pvt. Ltd, Bengaluru, 2.Banasthali Vidyapeeth, Rajasthan, 3.IIT Guwahati | India |
| Foraging Habitat Suitability Modeling for Whale Shark | Chatten Bion P. Abrera, Jerome A. Azul, Herold C. Caisido, Vince Kharlo B. Caringal, Rome Justin C. Caro, Khen Josef H. Evicner, Dave Loui A. Gumarang, Romer Jerome B. Lemery, Giovanni Paolo C. Mondejar, Kent Alster T. Palmares, James Bernard S. Rabago, and Jeishan Khlynt D. Talan | ISAT U Space Society | Philippines |
| Nowcasting & Analytics for Disaster Intelligence (NADI) | Muh Akbar Idris | IPB University | Indonesia |
| Piloting a Satellite-Based Hydrological Forecasting | Karl Sam M. Maquiling | City Government of Iligan | Philippines |
| RIFFAI AI-Powered Satellite and Geospatial Intelligence Platform | Puthiphat Jirawatanaphalin, Tinthai Bootseeta, Kongphat Phaiboonukulkij | RIFFAI CO., LTD. | Thailand |
| Space Enabled Water Intelligence for Ungauged Mountain Basins | Alison Shilpakar | Antarikchya Pratisthan Nepal | Nepal |
| WeavAir Breathing Twin Asia–Pacific | Natalia Mykhaylova | Weav8 | Singapore & Poland |
1. Overview
The Asia-Pacific region faces a wide range of societal challenges, including disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, agriculture, marine and coastal management, water resources, urban development, and public health.
Space data has tremendous potential to address these challenges. However, a significant gap remains between the information needed by end users and the space data and services currently available.
The Space Innovation Challenge aims to bridge this gap by:
- Promoting innovative applications of existing space data and services;
- Identifying future observation needs and opportunities for new space-enabled services;
- Fostering international collaborative research and projects involving Japanese universities, research institutions, and private companies.
Participants are encouraged not only to develop practical solutions using existing space data, but also to identify current limitations and propose future observation capabilities, data products, or space services that could better address societal challenges.
2. Competition Theme
Space Innovation for Societal Challenges
Proposals should demonstrate how space data and space-enabled services can contribute to solving societal challenges.
Applicants are encouraged to:
- Utilize existing space data and services effectively;
- Integrate multiple datasets through data fusion where appropriate;
- Generate new insights using alternative data derived from space assets;
- Apply AI or other advanced analytical techniques;
- Identify future observation needs and opportunities for new space-enabled services.
Example Application Areas
- Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Response
- Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
- Agriculture and Food Security
- Water Resources Management
- Marine and Coastal Management
- Environmental Protection and Biodiversity
- Urban Development and Smart Cities
- Infrastructure Monitoring
- Public Health
- Other societal challenges
3. Eligibility
The competition is open to individuals, teams, organizations, and companies interested in developing space-enabled solutions for societal challenges.
Each team should include members with relevant domain expertise (e.g., industry, government, NGOs, research institutions, or other practitioners).
Student-only teams are not eligible. Students are encouraged to participate as members of multidisciplinary teams that include professionals or domain experts.
4. Schedule
- First Announcement
- 1 July 2026
- Abstract Submission Deadline
- 7 August 2026 13 August 2026
- Notification of Finalists
- 9 September 2026
- Final Oral Presentation and Judging
- 26 October 2026
Venue
APRSAF-32 Side Event
Bangkok, Thailand
5. Proposal Requirements
Please submit “Space Solution Proposal” using the 
template.
Each proposal should address the following:
- Societal Challenge
- Describe the challenge and explain why it is important.
- Target Users
- Identify the intended users and beneficiaries.
- Data and Services
- Describe the space data and other relevant information used.
Examples include:- Optical satellite imagery
- SAR data
- GNSS data
- GIS data
- Meteorological data
- Statistical data
- In-situ observations
- Other relevant datasets
- Proposed Solution
- Explain how the proposed solution addresses the challenge.
Approaches may include:- Innovative use of space data
- Data fusion
- Alternative data generation
- AI-assisted analysis
- New service concepts
- Current Limitations
- Describe the limitations of currently available data, observation capabilities, or services.
- Future Observation and Space Service Needs (Optional)
- Applicants are encouraged to identify future capabilities that could further improve the proposed solution, such as:
- New observation capabilities
- New sensors
- New data products
- New space-enabled services
- New data delivery models
- Outstanding proposals in this category will be considered for the Future Observation Award.
- Evaluation Criteria
-
Evaluation Criterion Points What to Evaluate 1. Significance of the Societal Challenge 20 Is the societal challenge significant and clearly defined? Are the target users and their needs clearly identified? 2. Contribution of Space 30 Do space-based data or technologies play an essential role in the proposed solution? Is there a convincing reason why space is needed? Space should contribute meaningful value rather than being included only as an additional data source. 3. Quality of the Proposed Solution 20 Is the proposed solution logically connected to the identified challenge? Is the concept technically reasonable and sufficiently feasible? Does the proposed approach address the actual needs of the target users? 4. Innovation 15 Does the proposal present a new idea, a new use of space, or a meaningful new way of solving the problem? Creative combinations or new applications of existing technologies may also be considered innovative. 5. Expected Impact 15 If implemented successfully, could the proposal generate meaningful social, economic, environmental, or other societal benefits? Is the potential value of the solution significant?
6. Awards and Benefits
- Awards
- 1st Place
- 2nd Place
- Future Observation Award
- Company Awards
- Benefits
- Finalists from ASEAN countries may be eligible for travel support to attend the Final Presentation in Bangkok.
| BeneficiariesProviders | All contestants | Finalists | Winner | Note The award may not be granted if no project meets the selection criteria. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Space Shift | SateAls API | SateAls API 10,000 credits | SateAls API 100,000 credits | Participants are eligible to use the SateAIs API's satellite data analytics tools. You can register via the following link to receive 500 free credits per month. |
| iQPS |  High-Resolution SAR Satellite Imagery Data Usages Rights | iQPS may select one or more teams to receive the iQPS Award. | ||
| Tellus Global | Detail explanation documents for Tellus Pro Services | Mentorship(1-2 teams selected by Tellus) | Free use of Tellus Pro, a cloud workspace for satellite data. | Tellus may select one or more teams to receive Tellus Award.Tellus Pro BroucherCEO message |
| ArkEdge Space | Mentorship for selected team | Mentorship for selected team | ArkEdge Space may select one or more teams to receive mentoring support. | |
| Synspective | Message from Vincent Kessler (CEO of SynspectiveSG) | |||
| Axelspace | Special Award for UNISEC Global Space Innovation Challenge |
7. Application
- Step 1
- Register online
- Step 2
- Submit your abstract （PDF and WORD）to:
spaceinnovation(at)unisec.jp
by no later than August 7, 2026. - Language
- English
8. Organizer
Japan Space Forum (JSF)
under the Space Strategy Fund Program
In cooperation with
UNISEC
Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech)
