The Portuguese Eureka Chairmanship promoted the 2nd “Eureka meets the Atlantic” event, with a focus on Earth Observation (EO) as a key point for sustainable development through green and digital innovation. The event took place on the 21st and 22nd of February, in Cape Town – South Africa fostering collaboration between European and South African entities.
“Eureka Meets the Atlantic” is an event that gathers different stakeholders from government, research and industry, who come together to discuss new projects, establish global business partnerships and showcase innovative, scientific and technological applications, for the inclusive benefit of the international communities working towards a greener, digital and healthier planet.
The goal of the event was to address research and sustainable innovation to deliver game-changing technological advancements that are fair, affordable, scalable, and accessible to everyone. This dialogue contributed to the ongoing green transition policy debate whilst addressing the imperative role of the New Space community. It was an opportunity to link European and South African selected SMEs, working on Copernicus services under the Framework Partnership Agreement on Copernicus User Uptake (FPCUP), a protocol coordinated by the AIR Centre.
On the first day of the agenda, participants had the opportunity to discuss the funding mechanisms of the Globalstars program, to delve into the Sustainability Cluster call, and to learn about the South African strategic goals around space science. The day ended with Pitch sessions from SMEs working in the field of sustainable innovation.
The second day included technical visits to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology Cube Satellite Facility and the South African Astronomical Observation Campus. In the afternoon, the delegation had workshops on the development of the African industry, alternatives to stimulate the growth and transformation of the space industry and the process from innovation to commercialization in the space ecosystem. During this day, it was also announced the winner of the SMEs Pitch session, the company Abiri Innovations.
The next destination for Eureka Meets the Atlantic will be Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for collaborative discussions with Brazilian and Latin American companies.
EUREKA Portuguese Coordination
Portuguese Chairmanship Team info@eurekaportugal2021-22.pt
Alexandra Frazão | Executive Secretary
alexandra.frazao@aircentre.org
+351 217 231 062
Eureka Network Meeting 02