VeneToStars 2025: Supporting the Blue & Space Economy

VeneTo Stars Challenge 2025: Supporting the Blue & Space Economy. Objective VeneTo Stars is a Space Data-driven challenge promoted by the Veneto Region in Italy and open to young European residents. The initiative aims to foster innovative ideas that leverage Space Data and Technology to support the growth of the Blue and Space Economies, while also facilitating connections between young European innovators and local enterprises in these sectors. The combined opportunities offered by the Space and Blue Economies, along with Italy’s extensive expertise and capabilities in these fields, have the potential to significantly impact the national economy. The Veneto Region stands out in Italy for its leadership in sectors such as the fishing supply chain, maritime transport of goods and passengers, and shipbuilding. The Space Economy has long been recognized as a sector of entrepreneurial excellence in the Veneto Region, recently securing major public contracts from the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Most regional companies operating in the Space Economy focus on the “upstream” segment. However, initiatives like the ESA BIC, participation in the IRIDE project, and the Veneto Digital Agenda’s emphasis on space data are increasingly driving the development of the “downstream” sector....