NASA Beyond the Algorithm Challenge Summary.pdf

NASA Entrepreneurs Challenge 2023 Call for Submissions and Self-Nominations for Judges

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) has contracted with Blue Clarity LLC to implement the NASA Beyond the Algorithm Challenge to advance the Agency's science goals, particularly in computational technologies such as quantum, neuromorphic, and in-memory computing.

Breakthrough computing methods show promise in overcoming processing power, efficiency, and performance limitations of conventional computing methods. Once fully harnessed, these methods could transform many areas of American life. Rapid flood analysis is one such area.

Flood hazards affect personal safety and land use initiatives, directly affecting individual livelihoods, community property, and infrastructure development and resilience. By beginning to apply these new methods in an Earth observation context, NASA is driving American leadership in pushing computing technology frontiers. The challenge asks participants to provide solutions or potential solutions to improve flood water analysis by using one or more unconventional computing methods.

In Phase One, participants will submit a short 5-page white paper and a 2- to 3-minute video of their idea. Submissions will be evaluated per challenge Judging Criteria. Approximately three weeks after the submission deadline, up to 10 Finalists will be selected to present their ideas to a panel of judges at a live Pitch Event in September 2025.

In Phase Two, Finalists will upload any code solutions to GitHub or a similar code repository (if their solution includes code) and present their ideas to a panel of judges at a live Pitch Event.

Up to three 3 winners will be chosen, with each winner being awarded a $100,000 prize. Note that the ownership and use of intellectual property arising from this competition remains with the competitor.

In Phase Three, winners will be invited to attend a "Funding 101" webinar course. Additionally, winners will be contacted 12 months after Pitch Event completion for follow up surveys on further challenge research development and implementation.

Learn more and register for the NASA Beyond the Algorithm Challenge at https://www.nasa-beyond-challenge.org.

Not Planning to Compete in the Challenge, but Interested in Being a Judge? NASA also is recruiting venture experts to participate as volunteers in the judging process. Venture experts must be U.S. based and will be required to have a minimum of two or more of the following:

1. Subject matter expertise in computing focused entrepreneurship.

2. Former experience as a founder of a cutting-edge or disruptive startup with a dual-use business model.

https://www.nasa-beyond-challenge.org/#Judging-Criteria https://www.nasa-beyond-challenge.org

3. Former experience winning SBIR/STTR awards and commercializing the supported technologies.

4. Accreditation and recent experience investing in cutting-edge or disruptive startups.

5. Expertise with venture building from pre-seed through growth stage as a co-founder or early employee.

Self-nominations are requested. The final judging panel will be selected to ensure programmatic balance. Volunteer judges will be required to commit 10-15 hours to the evaluation process in August and September 2025 as well as participate in a training call in August 2025.

Send an email to info@NASA-Beyond-Challenge.org with a subject line to read “NASA Beyond the Algorithm Challenge Judge Nomination” if you are interested in participating in the judging process.

Point of Contact Blue Clarity LLC Email: info@NASA-Beyond-Challenge.org mailto:info@NASA-Beyond-Challenge.org