Overview

NASA's Wildfire Climate Tech Challenge, part of the MSI Incubator initiative, seeks innovative solutions for wildfire prevention and climate technology. NASA invites students and employees of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to address the escalating issues caused by wildfires exacerbated by climate change. Successful participants will have the opportunity to join a startup incubator program and compete for a prize of $100,000. Additionally, this initiative offers a platform for participants to present their ideas to venture capitalists and NASA experts, furthering the development of technology in the fields of wildfire prevention and climate change, while promoting inclusivity and diversity.

Registration Closed

Competition LAUNCH DATE

December 11, 2023

Competition Duration - 8 Weeks

December 11, 2023 - February 16, 2024

Submission required:

5-page white paper (includes cover page)
2 - 3 minute video

Submissions Close: February 16, 2024 at 5 PM PST (8 PM EST)

Download Challenge Flyer (PDF)

ROUND ONE

5 page white paper due: February 16, 2024
2-3 minute video due: February 16, 2024
6-9 semi-finalists selected: MARCH 1,2024
Semi-finalists pitch event: MARCH 14, 2024
3 finalists selected from pitch event: MARCH 15, 2024

ROUND TWO

Up to 3 winners will be invited to participated in the incubator program

March 18, 2024 - May 2024
Attend 16 - 18 seminars on how to build a startup
Receive pitch coaching

Attend Wildfire Week - in person (Travel and accommodations will be provided)

June 3 - 7, 2024
Startup Pitch
Celebration & up to three (3) winners awarded $100K each

NASA MSI Incubator Wildfire Climate Tech
Challenge Winners & Highlight Video

Finalists

Team FIRESENSE

Invitiation to NASA I-Corps Accelerator Program

Runner-up

Project FireWatch

Invitiation to NASA I-Corps Accelerator Program

Runner-up

Team Sireen

Invitiation to NASA I-Corps Accelerator Program

NASA MSI Incubator
Wildfire Climate Tech Challenge

NASA invites students and employees of Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to tackle the increasing problems caused by wildfires linked to climate change by participating in the Wildfire Climate Tech Challenge. The initiative serves to promote students and employees of Minority-Serving Institutions with the opportunity to pitch their ideas to venture capitalists and NASA specialists, while also advancing wildfire and climate change technology for a better and more inclusive future.

The challenge encourages utilizing NASA’s tools, applications, and research (such as remote sensing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other novel approaches) and applying them to a new idea. We are looking for ideas that turn into practical solutions and startup businesses that help gain a deeper understanding of wildfires throughout their lifecycle.

Marginalized communities bear a disproportionate burden of the impacts of climate change, including wildfires, due to heightened exposure and decreased adaptive capacity. We encourage the consideration and integration of equity and environmental justice principles in your proposals, and development of tools and solutions in consultation with and made accessible to these most affected communities.

This opportunity serves to promote students and employees from Minority-Serving Institutions with the opportunity to pitch their ideas to venture capitalists and NASA specialists, while also advancing wildfire and climate change technology for a better and more inclusive future.

Image courtesy of: NASA Earth Observatory

Why does wildfire management matter?

Educational and Career Opportunities: The field of wildfire management offers a range of educational and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. These include roles in environmental science, forestry, fire ecology, meteorology, emergency management, and more. For MSI students, this can translate into diverse career paths and opportunities for advancement in sectors critically important to public safety and environmental stewardship.
Community Impact and Public Service: Studies have shown that wildfires disproportionately affect certain communities, including those often served by MSIs. Gaining expertise in wildfire management enables students to directly contribute to protecting and serving these communities, making a tangible difference in areas such as disaster preparedness, recovery, and resilience.
Research and Innovation Contributions: MSIs are often at the forefront of research and innovation, particularly in addressing unique challenges faced by their communities. Students can contribute to and lead cutting-edge research in wildfire prediction, management strategies, and mitigation techniques, potentially influencing policies and practices on a national or even global scale.
Environmental Stewardship: Wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems, but their increasing frequency and intensity due to climate change pose significant environmental challenges. By studying wildfire management, MSI students can play a crucial role in environmental conservation and sustainability efforts.
Interdisciplinary Learning: Wildfire management is inherently interdisciplinary, blending elements of ecology, meteorology, geography, public policy, and engineering. This offers MSI students a rich educational experience that integrates various fields of study, fostering a well-rounded academic and professional development.
Personal Growth and Leadership: Engaging in wildfire management studies and related activities can foster personal growth, leadership skills, and a sense of responsibility. It encourages students to tackle complex problems, work collaboratively in diverse teams, and develop innovative solutions to pressing environmental and societal challenges.
Networking and Collaboration: Participating in wildfire management initiatives often involves collaboration with government agencies like NASA, non-profit organizations, and private entities. This provides MSI students with valuable networking opportunities, access to mentorship, and potential collaborations that can enhance their educational journey and career prospects.

Registration Process

To compete in this challenge, participants must register above. Participants will be required to identify whether they are an Individual competing alone, or a Team Lead on behalf of a group of individuals (i.e., a Team), or a Point of Contact on behalf of an entity (i.e. an institution, organization, or corporation):

HOW TO ENTER

1. Registration:

The first step is to register for the competition. Registering early is the easiest way to stay informed.
Registration has ended.

2. Understand the Competition Structure:

Two Phases: Be aware that the competition consists of two phases, each with specific requirements and deadlines.

3. Phase One Submission:

Prepare a 5-Page White Paper:

Include a Cover Page: The white paper should not exceed 5 pages, including the cover page.
Content Guidelines: The paper should include an introduction to your proposed solution, details about the solution, potential impact, team experience and capabilities, expected outcomes, and a conclusion.
Formatting Requirements: Adhere to the provided formatting guidelines, including font size, margins, and document organization. See formatting instructions here.

Create a 2-to-3 Minute Video:

Overview of Solution: The video should briefly describe the proposed solution and its potential impact.
Incorporate Visual Aids: Use graphics, charts, photos, or demonstrations to explain your proposal.
Team Introduction: Introduce your team members and their qualifications.
Submission Deadline: Ensure all materials are submitted by the specified deadline
See video instructions here.

4. Eligibility and Participation Rules:

Review Eligibility Criteria: Ensure that your institution is listed in the NASA MSI Exchange and complies with all stated requirements.
Understand the Competition Rules: Familiarize yourself with the Participation Agreement.
NASA MSI Exchange: Institutions known as Minority-Serving Institutions, eligible for funding under 20 U.S. Code § 1067q, include Historically Black Colleges, Hispanic-serving, Tribal, Alaska Native-serving, Native Hawaiian-serving, Predominantly Black, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving, and Native American-serving Nontribal Institutions.

5. Judging Criteria:

Stay Informed: Ensure your submissions align with these criteria.
See judging criteria here

6. Utilize Available Resources:

Leverage NASA Resources: Incorporate NASA's tools, applications, and research into your proposal where relevant.
Stay Connected: Join the Wildfire Slack Workspace for announcements, resources, and to connect with other participants.
See NASA Resources here

7. Compliance:

Adhere to Competition Guidelines: Ensure that all submissions and participation are in compliance with the provided guidelines.

Note: It's essential to keep track of deadlines and adhere strictly to all guidelines and requirements.

Good luck to all participants!

COMPETITION CONSISTS OF TWO PHASES

In Phase One, participants will submit a short 5-page white paper and a 2-to-3-minute video of their idea. From the submissions, roughly 6-9 semi-finalists will be selected to present their ideas to a panel of judges who will score their presentations in a business startup pitch format. Up to three (3) winners will be chosen to proceed to Phase 2.

SUBMISSION CLOSED

Registration Process

In Phase Two, up to three (3) winners of Round 1 will be invited to participate in the NASA MSI Incubator, DOWNLOAD The Incubator Syllabus HERE. This multi-week program offers virtual and in-person workshops and a live demo day. Participants will gain insights into forming a startup, product market fit, raising capital, giving an engaging pitch, and more. The program culminates in an in-person Wildfire Week and Demo Day, where participants may connect with industry stakeholders and showcase their progress live at an NASA MSI Incubator Demo Day in June 2024.

Registration Process

BACKGROUND

NASA Background. At NASA, there is no ambiguity in our mission: we reach for new heights and reveal the unknown for the benefit of humankind. Doing so however, doesn’t just require groundbreaking technologies, it requires visionary people - people who are unwilling to quit despite the most difficult of circumstances. Naturally, this environment lends itself well to collaboration with entrepreneurs and the startup companies they found.

Challenge Background. The MSI Space Incubator Competition debuted in summer 2022 as a first-of-its-kind NASA innovation program that brought together diverse scholars to advance Agency goals for improving its future science missions. This year, the program will continue to engage under-represented academic institutions that can help NASA take significant strides forward in the area of new technologies to enable operational agencies in wildland fire management. The NASA MSI Incubator Wildfire Climate Tech Challenge also includes advising from NASA experts as part of a multi-week program for selected awardees to help align their ideas with NASA needs and aid the selected teams on a variety of topics including business acumen, business plan development, customer discovery, investment preparation, how to write effective proposals for NASA, pitch preparation, and more.‍

Image courtesy of: NASA

Climate Change and Wildfires. Climate change continues to cause longer fire seasons and more severe wildfires.
The number, severity, and overall size of wildfires has increased, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, through contributing factors including extended drought, the build-up of fuels, past fire management strategies, invasive species targeting specific tree species, and the spread of residential communities into formerly natural areas. The impacts of wildfires are not equally distributed. Various factors relating to structural racism and discrimination influence the severity of wildfire exposure and effects. This has caused marginalized and vulnerable communities to bear a disproportionate burden of the impacts of climate change, including wildfires. NASA researchers are finding innovative ways to use Earth data to improve the way we manage and adapt to growing wildfire threats.

NASA's Earth Science Division (ESD) is prioritizing improvements in the prediction, management, and the understanding of overall impacts of wildland fires within the United States and around the world. The Wildfires program area uses Earth observations to help communities manage the impacts of fires. The program provides applications and tools to arm decision-makers with the information they need to act.

The Equity and Environmental Justice Program supports the use of Earth data, tools, and capacity building resources to better understand the injustices and inequities of disadvantaged communities and help give decision-makers the information they need to advocate for policy change.

NASA possesses unique geospatial assets and modeling capabilities that provide partners with data, mapping, and imagery to help to provide situational awareness and inform decision-making before, during, and after a wildland fire.

How can you utilize NASA tools, applications and research to gain a deeper understanding of wildfires throughout their lifecycle and create a climate tech business that aims to mitigate impacts on human health and the environment, especially on communities who disproportionately bear these consequences?

Ideas should consider the full lifecycle stages of wildland fires:

Pre-Fire (critical information on vegetative biomass and boundary layer conditions)
Active Fire (critical information on vegetative biomass and boundary layer conditions)
Post-Fire (identifying the overarching impact of severe wildland fires on vegetation canopy)

SCHEDULE

PHASE ONE

December 2023

December 11, 2023

Competition Launch

COMPETITION 8 WEEKS

February 2024

February 16, 2024

SUBMISSIONS DUE BY: February 16, 2024 at 5 PM PST (8 PM EST)

5 page white paper
2 - 3 minute video

March 2024

JUDGING 2 WEEKS

March 1, 2024

Semi-Finalists Selected

6 - 9 individuals, teams and organizations

PITCH COACHING

March 14, 2024

Semi-Finalists PITCH EVENT

Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters

For additional information on Mary W. Jackson, the “Hidden Figures,” and today’s Modern Figures

Pitch startup business
Network with venture capitalists

March 15, 2024

WINNERs Selected!

Up to 3 individuals or teams
Winners will be invited to participated in the incubator program

PHASE TWO

NASA MSI INCUBATOR & PITCH COACHING - 13 WEEKS

MARCH 18, 2024 - MAY 31, 2024

INCUBATOR TRAINING
Click here for the Incubator Syllabus

A series of 16 -18 online seminars.
Learn how to start and grow a business. Learn how to give an awesome pitch

March 2024

MARCH 18, 2024

Incubator Launch

June 2024

WILDFIRE WEEK

In-person event
June 3 - 7, 2024

Demo Day & PItch Event

Up to 3 individuals, teams or organizations
Network with venture capitalists
Pitch event

CELEBRATION!

Up to three (3) Winners will receive $100K each

SUBMISSION RULES

Participation is limited to students and/or employees and organizations affiliated with the Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) listed in the NASA MSI Exchange. The Exchange includes Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions, Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Predominantly Black Institutions. Both students and/or employees of MSIs are encouraged to apply. Cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations are welcome. Submissions from any institution not listed on the NASA MSI Exchange will not be accepted. NASA is committed to increasing engagement with MSIs through this competition in order to bring in more diverse perspectives and talent to help address the pressing challenges related to wildfires and climate change. Participants from all backgrounds are urged to apply their expertise to develop innovative solutions that leverage NASA capabilities in this important area. For this competition, some aspect of existing NASA capabilities, assets, or resources must be utilized within your proposal.

Each submittal to the Wildfire Climate Tech Challenge will have two components, a 5-page white paper (includes cover page), and a 2-to-3-minute video. Submittals that do not contain both components will be disqualified.

Click here for eligibility rules and participant agreement for the challenge.

Questions? Post them in Slack (#main channel) or email info@nasa-climate-tech.org

NASA MSI INCUBATOR WILDFIRE SUBMISSION TEMPLATE (Word Doc)

NASA MSI INCUBATOR WILDFIRE SUBMISSION FORM

FAQS

NASA RESOURCES

NASA tools, applications and research can help organizations better manage fires before, during, and after they occur. Whether you’re a researcher, concerned citizen or decision maker, our resources can help you gain a deeper understanding of wildfires throughout their lifecycle. The tools, resources and data available below are valuable aids for managing fire in all its stages. For this competition, some aspect of existing NASA capabilities, assets, or resources must be utilized within your proposal.

Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) Program
Description: ARSET offers online and in-person training, beginners and advanced practitioners alike that cover a range of datasets, web portals, and analysis tools and their application for multiple thematic areas.

Specific relevant trainings:

Program Websites:

NASA Wildland Fires Program
NASA Equity and Environmental Justice (EEJ) Program
EJ Data Catalog:
‍Description: The NASA Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Program’s Environmental Justice Data Catalog is your guide to datasets that may be useful in environmental justice research. Datasets are organized based on their environmental justice indicator (such as disasters, urban flooding, extreme heat, and food availability) and the possible use cases for each dataset.

NASA Technology Transfer Program:
Description: The NASA Technology Transfer program ensures that innovations developed for exploration and discovery are broadly available to the public, maximizing the benefit to the Nation. Browse through thousands of technologies that can give your business that competitive edge everyone is looking for!

Patent Portfolio:
Explore NASA's portfolio of patents made available to the public through our patent licensing program.
Software Catalog:
‍NASA's Software Catalog offers hundreds of new software programs you can download for free to use in a wide variety of technical applications.

Additional NASA resources and tools to help with research and submissions are available HERE.

NASA MSI Incubator

Wildfire Climate Tech Challenge

Up to $300,000 in Prizes