Climate change presents one of the most urgent crises of our time, with increasing threats to life, infrastructure, economies, and ecosystems worldwide. Climate change is no longer a distant concern; its effects are being felt now and are projected to intensify if emissions continue unabated. The consequences are severe and irreversible for people today, with rapidly shrinking glaciers and ice sheets, rising sea levels, and more intense heat waves already occurring. Scientists predict even more profound impacts, such as an increase in the frequency and intensity of wildfires, extended drought periods, and stronger tropical cyclones. By 2100, sea levels could rise by up to 6.5 feet¹, displacing coastal communities and disrupting ecosystems. In the U.S., the effects vary by region—wildfires in the West have doubled in area burned, and rising sea levels threaten infrastructure in the Southeast.

Innovative, data-driven solutions are essential to mitigate these growing risks. From the unique vantage point in space, NASA collects critical long-term observations of our changing planet. NASA produces vast amounts of Earth system science data from satellites, radars, and ships, as well as model outputs, offering a wealth of opportunities for innovative thinkers to leverage these sources. The Sustainable Business Model Challenge is designed to identify and foster sustainable business models built around NASA's Earth system science data.

NASA is committed to broadening participation in its solicitations and fostering technology advancements, particularly in applications related to climate change. The Sustainable Business Model Challenge seeks to engage a diverse pool of innovators capable of building sustainable businesses that make use of NASA's Earth system science data or models. The primary goal is to catalyze the creation of business models that address pressing climate challenges and foster long-term, scalable solutions

By engaging new entrepreneurs and fostering innovation, the challenge also serves as a pathway to NASA's SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) program, helping to scale solutions that can make a real difference in the global response to climate change.

This Challenge calls for the submission of innovative business concepts, supported by robust business models, leveraging NASA’s Earth system science resources to enable climate applications with paying customers that can sustain the business. The challenge seeks to move beyond simply building data-driven tools, focusing instead on the sustainability and viability of the associated business model.

The Challenge has four primary goals:

Participants are required to develop a Challenge Submission that includes the following key elements:

Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of global climate innovation experts. Up to 10 winners will be awarded cash prizes of $10,000 each and receive the following additional benefits:

As a core requirement of this Challenge, participants must incorporate at least one NASA climate-related resource, e.g., climate data, projections, or models, into their business model. This dataset should play a critical role in the development of the proposed solution, demonstrating how NASA’s Earth science data can be applied to address specific climate challenges. Participants are encouraged to explore and leverage relevant datasets from NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), Global Climate Change Data Portal, Ocean Biology DAAC, or other related sources listed below. 

Data Infrastructure and Delivery: To address the common pitfalls companies face with data infrastructure and delivery, it's essential to prioritize the development of a robust data engineering strategy. Many companies have struggled to efficiently manage the size and computational demands of commonly used geospatial data (e.g. raster and vector data), leading to challenges in product delivery. Optimal solutions should involve pulling data from NASA on-demand, rather than hosting large datasets internally, to minimize storage and compute costs. Additionally, enhancing API capabilities to effectively deliver tailored data products is crucial, as previous attempts have often fallen short. This approach will ensure that the data is not only scientifically accurate but also practically usable and scalable in real-world applications.

Caution with AI/ML Proposals: Given the complexities associated with AI/ML solutions, it is crucial to thoroughly evaluate how these technologies are implemented within the proposed solutions. Simply saying the solution is AI-enabled or using the latest buzz words will not be an effective approach to winning a prize award. Proposals should clearly describe how they will operationalize and scale AI/ML-generated data while maintaining reliability. It is essential for participants to demonstrate their ability to handle uncertainties and quantify the potential impact of errors, such as false positives and false negatives. This ensures that the solution can transition from a theoretical or research phase to a practical, deployable product that delivers real-world value and meets the customer requirements.