We are excited to announce that Ensemble has been awarded a contract by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and Early-Stage Innovations and Partnerships (ESIP) to design, launch, and manage the NASA Space Technology Inclusive Innovation Challenge!
In partnership with Blueprint Creative, we will be running a challenge to promote inclusive innovation within the space technology sector.
The challenge will aim to identify and recognize individuals and organizations that support capacity building in the space technology industry, while highlighting best practices for engaging and developing the skillsets of underrepresented and diverse innovators. The goal of the challenge is to leverage these practices to broaden the scope of proposers that apply for NASA ESIP funding, increasing the number of high-quality applications and fostering an environment of equal opportunity within NASA and the broader space technology community.
With nearly a decade of experience in running prize challenges, Ensemble is well-positioned to reach and activate non-traditional audiences while ensuring seamless challenge management for both participants and NASA challenge stakeholders. The President & Founder of Ensemble, Mike Contreras, expressed his excitement about this new project with NASA ESIP. Mike emphasizes that one of the most crucial parts of running a successful challenge is meeting individuals where they are at. “By stripping away hierarchies and barriers, we uncover better solutions from diverse groups of people. By opening up problem areas in space technology to be solved by more groups, we inherently achieve better outcomes.” Through this challenge, we will engage underserved audiences who may have never considered working with NASA, activating the public’s innovative potential and expanding access & inclusivity within the space tech community.
ESIP’s mission is to keep NASA’s space technology pipeline growing with emerging, innovative technologies that promise to drive the future of exploration, science, and commercialization. We are proud to be working with NASA ESIP to help them achieve their mission and make the space tech community more inclusive for everyone. The challenge is set to launch in September, stay tuned on Ensemble and NASA STMD social media for the latest updates!
