Event Follow Up: Opportunities for UK Space-enabled organisations across South Africa with a focus on Environmental Challenges and Climate Resilience
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On October 3 2023, the Satellite Applications Catapult (the Catapult), in collaboration with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) hosted a bilateral event. This event shared insights derived from a project that focused on identifying opportunities for collaboration to address Environmental Challenges and strengthening Climate Resilience through partnerships between the UK and South Africa.
This project was undertaken by the Catapult as part of its International Discovery Programme (IDP) which aims to uncover potential avenues for innovation and impactful collaborations. This programme utilises a range of exercises to identify opportunities for collaborative activities and research that could be undertaken through joint UK – South Africa activities, facilitated by Space and Satellite applications.
The project, funded by DSIT, took place between November 2022 and October 2023. This second phase encompassed desk research, workshops, interviews, and a bilateral event, all with specific objectives in mind:
- To corroborate and refine the themes established in Phase 1, pinpointing more precise and detailed opportunities for the UK.
- To foster a deeper understanding of South Africa’s Space and Climate & Resilience sectors / markets.
- Identify and provide visibility of key sector and regional opportunities and challenges to support UK export opportunities.
- To facilitate the progression of technical concepts and capabilities into tangible projects and opportunities for bilateral collaborative research or commercial ventures involving UK companies.
- To provide the rationale for continued engagement to foster relations between the UK and South Africa in the field of space business and research.
- To cultivate and reinforce strategic relationships within South Africa.
- Identify tactical and strategic engagements that would bring meaningful impact and benefit to the UK and South Africa.
The opportunity areas that were explored in Phase 2 were:
Environment:
- Drought
- Flood Management
- Water Security
Climate Resilience:
- Natural Disasters & Risk
- Biodiversity & Habitats
- Adaption & Mitigation
To encourage collaborations, a UK – South Africa bilateral event was conducted to disseminate findings and research outcomes. The online event, spanning nearly two hours, featured a diverse lineup of speakers. These included representatives from the UK’s FCDO Science & Innovation Network, Department of Science and Innovation (South Africa), KTN South Africa office, and the Catapult. The bilateral introduced the project, discussed challenges, and presented findings. Additionally, selected companies were invited to showcase their capabilities with an eye toward potential collaboration or engagement with South African organisations. These companies included AAC Clyde Space, Omanos Analytics, GIS Environmental Services, GEOTERRA, and Eutelsat OneWeb.
Event Recording:
To view the recording of this events, please click here >>
More Information:
If you have any questions following on from this event, or would like to explore future collaboration opportunities between the UK and South Africa, please contact info@sa.catapult.org.uk
