The 80-hour challenge

Turning satellite fault-finding software into new terrestrial business prospects was the challenge faced by 29 economics students last week when they arrived at ESA’s technical heart – and do it in a week. As business students, they were helped with the technical aspects by ESA engineers via video conferences.

Another 37 students had the opportunity to act as business consultants to real start-up companies at the nearby ESA business incubation centre, under the guidance of consultants from McKinsey & Company.

“It was exciting, using our studies on a real business case,” said one student. “We worked almost round the clock to come up with the best proposal.”

“It is amazing what the students managed to complete in just five days,” noted Niels Eldering of ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme Office. “They come up with innovative business prospects for new European companies from our space technologies.

“It is a great learning process for future European business managers to see and feel the opportunities and potential of terrestrial spin-offs from our space programmes.”

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