From focused sprints and competitive challenges to ambitious Grand Marathons, this portal provides information for every ongoing and upcoming initiative designed to accelerate the use of Earth Observation data in science and industry.
Browse the initiatives below to find current objectives, key deadlines, and all the resources necessary to get involved and drive meaningful impact.
Φ-lab Challenges organises cutting-edge innovation challenges in partnership with esteemed organisations and sponsors.
These initiatives serve several purposes: they actively promote the growth and engagement of the Φ-lab community; provide a vital platform for researchers and talented innovators to showcase their work and create a tangible impact on some of society’s most pressing issues; and enrich the community’s resource portfolio by releasing datasets, notebooks, and propose benchmarks with direct impact in the specific fields of research addressed by the various challenges.
The use of transformative technologies such as AI, Machine Learning and other Disruptive Computing paradigms – together with the power of Earth Observation data – has the potential to extract valuable insights and information that drive positive change for human prosperity.
More information about this initiative and the Challenges Portfolio can be found here.
The ESA Φ-lab Grand Marathon is a milestone-based innovation challenge to accelerate AI-enabled Earth Observation solutions, with a new theme, focusing on societal impact, defined each year.
Unlike traditional challenges that culminate in a single pitch or final submission, the Grand Marathon unfolds over several months as a structured, progressive journey, with teams advancing through successive ‘kilometre’ stages that require increasingly mature deliverables — from an initial business plan, to a detailed technical proposal, then an minimum viable product using EO test data, and finally a high-fidelity solution demonstrated on realistic scenarios. This format prioritises continuous development, technical validation, and real-world relevance, with prizes awarded cumulatively as teams progress.
Powered by Hello Tomorrow, the Grand Marathon also provides coaching, visibility, and access to a global innovation ecosystem. It is open to external partners and culminates with winners being invited along the progressive journey, to pitch at an ESA event and at the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit, further amplifying their visibility and impact.
You can find more information about the ESA Φ-lab Grand Marathon here.
Call for Φdeas is a call organised by ESA Φ-lab to stimulate transformative innovation in the Earth Observation sector.
It is open to research and academic institutions, NGOs, commercial entities (e.g., start-ups, SMEs, and LSIs) and international collaborators, among others, to propose ambitious, forward-thinking initiatives that will have an impact in fields like Earth Science, green technologies, climate technologies, sustainability, or in a commercial setting.
Know more about this call here.
Φ-lab Sprints are implemented via a research collaboration framework, the Earth Systems Lab, which is implemented by Trillium Technologies, with the support of University of Oxford, Google Cloud, NVIDIA, Scan AI, and Pasteur ISI.
It focuses on artificial intelligence (AI) – in particular machine learning (ML) – to support Earth sciences, helping researchers create practical tools for some of humanity’s toughest challenges with the best of motivations: ‘planetary stewardship’.
Experts with deep knowledge of the sprints’ domain work side by side with data scientists to develop new AI-enhanced approaches and tools. The short, focused sprint format encourages quick testing and refinement, ensuring stronger results.
More information about this initiative is available here.
