Portugal launches calls to select SMEs to participate in an International Copernicus Roadshow

Copernicus is the European Earth Observation Flagship Programme that provides free and open access geospatial data not only in Europe but across the Globe. The programme relies on satellite imagery as well as in-situ data to produce added-value services and products which can benefit many different sectors of our society such as Agriculture, Forestry and Infrastructure Management. These capabilities are relevant in many regions of the World, namely in Africa and South America, which still not make full use of the possibilities offered by this world class Programme. In addition, SMEs that develop downstream applications based on Copernicus data, often struggle to consolidate international networks to be able to collaborate with new partners and offer their services to new potential costumers abroad. In order to tackle this gap, as part of the activities funded by the Framework Partnership Agreement on Copernicus User Uptake – FP-CUP (*), the Portuguese Space Agency together with the AIR Centre will organize in the upcoming months four events in Africa and South America to promote the use of Copernicus and the internationalization of EU SMEs that resort to Copernicus data for their business. This initiative will support the participation of up to 40 EU SMEs (10 different SMEs per encounter for a total of four conferences) in events taking place in South Africa, Brazil, Cape Verde and Nigeria. The Portuguese Space Agency will open a total of four calls to select companies that will receive financial support to attend and engage in these events in person. The first call is expected to open in September 2021 and will select 10 SMEs with the most innovative proposals with a focus in South Africa. The following calls will open every 3-4 months during 2022.

Figure 1. Countries where local events will take place, South Africa, Brazil, Cape Verde and Nigeria.

If you wish to receive more information when the different calls open, please register here. (*) This activity is funded by the European Commission under FPA no.: 275/G/GRO/COPE/17/10042