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How-to: GDA Impact Stories from Space Challenge

Show us how space-based data can make a difference on the ground

ESA’s Global Development Assistance (GDA) invites you to take part in the GDA Impact Stories from Space Challenge — an open call for stories demonstrating how Earth Observation (EO) data, products and services are making a difference in global development assistance.

The ESA GDA Impact Stories from Space Challenge is an open competition in which participants are invited to submit real case studies showcasing the impact of utilising European EO technology in developing countries.
Those stories will highlight the use, uptake and impact of Earth Observation (EO) data, products and services in the context of global development assistance.

Eligibility Criteria

Submissions to the GDA Impact Stories from Space Challenge can be accepted if at least one of the boxes in each of the following points can be ticked.

  1. The target area is in a developing country as defined by the OECD DAC List.
    • Target area is in a developing country

  1. The implementation involves either:
    • One of the ESA Member States: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
    • One of the ESA Associate Member States: Slovakia, Latvia and Lithuania.
    • A European country with an ESA Cooperation Agreement: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta.
    • A non-European country with an ESA Cooperation Agreement: Canada
    • A developing country

  1. The implementing or financing organisation is one of the following:
    • An IFI
    • EU institution or agency
    • EU joint undertaking
    • A governmental body engaged in ODA (Overseas Development Assistance): DFI, DANIDA, GIZ, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc.
    • A European company providing EO (Earth Observation) or geo-information services.
    • A European university or research organisation

  1. One or more of the following European satellite-based EO data sources is utilised

The Award

The winner(s) of the Challenge will receive the ESA GDA Impact Award, rewarding their project demonstrating:

  • Remarkable and measurable EO role and impact on local, regional, or global challenges (accounting for 50% of the total score)
  • Active or recently completed work (completed within the last three years)
  • A unique or untold story, showcasing EO’s role in delivering transformative solutions
  • Scalability: projects that can inspire or be replicated elsewhere.
  • Partnership and inclusivity: initiatives that empower local communities, governments, or organisations.
  • Communication and outreach: projects that bring visibility to the benefits of EO in innovative ways.

Prizes

A tiered prize system will recognise a range of outstanding submissions.
All winning stories will gain visibility and promotion through ESA’s GDA communication channels, ensuring your work reaches a wide international audience.

How to Submit

Send us your impact story, based on the following requirements:

Language Requirements:
All languages are welcome; however, a comprehensive summary must be provided in English, French, German or Spanish.

Format:

Accepted formats: text, maps, videos, etc.
Documents: PDF format (max. 15MB)
Videos: .mp4 or .wmv format (max. 50MB)
Submission method: Via sharing link (e.g. WeTransfer, Dropbox) with no login restrictions
Published material: Must include publication details and full content scans
Web references: Must be freely accessible — if password protected, please include the password