NASA’s Sustainable Business Model Challenge seeks entrepreneurs, startups and researchers to leverage the agency’s publicly available Earth system science data to develop business solutions to climate challenges.
This opportunitywith a submission deadline of June 13, bridges the gap between vast climate data and real-world solutions by inviting researchers to transform data into sustainable economic models that support climate resilience and decision-making.
“Creative, results-driven entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of our country’s economy, and we are excited to see the sustainable climate solutions they are able to deliver by working closely with the vast resources and data of NASA,” said Jason L. Kessler. , program manager for the NASA Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR), which sponsors the challenge.
Through the Sustainable Business Model Challenge, NASA aims to foster a new set of sustainable businesses capable of transforming climate information into tangible, market-ready services, contributing to a more resilient future for vulnerable communities, businesses, and ecosystems . NASA is committed to broadening participation in its solicitations and fostering technological advancement.
By engaging new entrepreneurs, the challenge serves as a pathway for NASA’s SBIR/STTR program, helping to scale solutions to advance the global response to climate change and encourage a more sustainable future. From its vantage point in space, NASA holds a wealth of data that can inform new approaches to climate adaptation and mitigation.
Participants will submit a 10-page business concept document that includes details on how they will integrate NASA climate or Earth system data to deliver a product or service. Up to ten winning teams will each receive $10,000, as well as admission to a 10-week capacity development training designed to strengthen any future potential NASA funding proposals.
NASA’s SBIR/STTR program, managed by the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, is part of the U.S. Seed Fund, the nation’s largest source of early-stage funding for innovative technologies. Through this program, entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses with fewer than 500 employees can receive funding and non-monetary support to build, develop and commercialize their technologies, advance NASA’s missions and advance the economy aerospace industry of the country.
Ensemble is organizing the challenge on behalf of NASA. THE NASA Tournament Labpart of the Prizes, challenges and crowdsourcing program in the Space Technology Mission Directoratehandles the challenge. The program supports global public competitions and crowdsourcing as tools to advance NASA research and development and other mission needs.
The deadline to participate in NASA’s Sustainable Business Model Challenge is June 13, 2025.
For more information about the challenge, visit: https://nasabusinesschallenge.org/