European Satellite Navigation Conference / Awards Ceremony of the European Satellite Navigation Competition 2010

To complement the Awards Ceremony of the European Satellite Navigation Competition 2010 – scheduled for 18-19 October in Munich, Germany – the Application Center for Satellite Navigation Oberpfaffenhofen (AZO) is holding an international conference that will be all about innovative applications in the same field.

The event is designed for developers, industry representatives, investors, and other patrons of business from around the world.

The conference will take place on Monday, 18 October at the Haus der Bayerischen Wirtschaft in Munich and on the following day at the Galileo Control Centre, on the premises of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in nearby Oberpfaffenhofen. It is being supported by the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Transport, and Technology.

The first day of the event will begin with a business matching session featuring one-on-one discussions with up to four desired partners arranged in advance. Following a lunch break, the agenda will continue with a “Baltic Workshop” that will introduce the strategies and activities of the Baltic states, as well as a number of local start-ups.

Speakers from the national aerospace agencies and business development organisations in Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia will provide insights into their areas of focus in satellite navigation and invite the attendees to engage in dialogue with Baltic companies and research institutions. The workshop is being supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and its “Promoting Innovation in Germany” programme.

The second half of the day will contain presentations and a discussion forum dedicated to intelligent transport and logistics systems. In addition to the challenges involved in assembling secure, efficient, and environmentally friendly logistics solutions, the focus will be on future visions of in-vehicle driver assistance, guidance, and IT-supported communication systems.

The first day will draw to an exciting close at the Awards Ceremony of the European Satellite Navigation Competition, which will be held as part of a state reception hosted by Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs Martin Zeil. The event is scheduled to begin with a classical concert by pianist Elena Misirkova at 6:45 p.m. at the Munich Residenz. Along with the 23 winners from the competition’s partner regions, eight special prizes will be awarded by high-ranking representatives of the European GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA), the European Space Agency (ESA), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), ESNC industry partners T-Systems and NAVTEQ, and Forum SatNav MIT BW.

In addition, a student prize and three awards for the best applications suitable for testing and realisation at one of the 220 nodes of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL) will be presented – a first for the ESNC.

The second day of the conference will then be all about the winners of this year’s competition.

Innovators from all over the world – including the overall victor, the GALILEO Master – will introduce their business ideas based on satellite navigation. The versatility of this field is reflected in the six topic blocks covered: security-critical applications, road solutions, public & social services, highprecision applications, location-based services, and earth observation & environment. An info session on the third Galileo Call for Proposals in the EU’s 7th Framework Programme, an introduction of the new ESNC partner regions, and example best practices from international incubation programmes will round out the day. During the breaks, attendees will also have the chance to tour the Galileo Control Centre and the German Space Operations Center (GSOC).

The conference is free for attendees, who can access the full agenda at www.conference.galileomasters. eu.

To apply for press accreditation for the European Satellite Navigation Conference and the ESNC Awards Ceremony, please use the enclosed registration form.

Press contact:
Anwendungszentrum GmbH Oberpfaffenhofen
Ulrike Daniels
phone: +49 (0)8105 7727714
fax: +49 (0)8105 7727755
daniels@anwendungszentrum.de