Insider Brief
- A global competition backed by Taiwan aims to foster space innovation with a focus on technologies that could support lunar missions and commercial space operations.
- The 2025 RunSpace Challenge, open to students, startups, and professionals worldwide, offers cash prizes, training, and potential satellite launch opportunities through collaborations with Axiom Space, HEX20, and others.
- Submissions close June 30, with finalists selected in August and a final review in September, as part of Taiwan’s broader strategy to grow its space industry and global partnerships.
A global space technology competition backed by Taiwan’s government is offering aspiring innovators a potential path to the stars and beyond.
Now in its fourth year, the 2025 RunSpace competition invites students, researchers, startups, and professionals to submit novel ideas for advancing space technology, including projects that may one day support lunar missions. The event is part of Taiwan’s broader national strategy to promote its space industry, and this year features international partnerships with companies including Axiom Space (U.S.), HEX20 (India), Eutelsat OneWeb (France), ispace (Japan), and Odysseus Space (Luxembourg).
The contest, which spans from April to November 2025, is organized under Taiwan’s “Space Industry Promotion & Talent Cultivation Program” led by the Industrial Development Administration and co-sponsored by multiple government agencies. It features three competition categories: an Innovation track for creative ideas, an Implementation track for advanced solutions, and a Sponsor Special Topic hosted by HEX20, which offers participants the opportunity to design a CubeSat payload that may fly on a 2027 satellite launch.
The call for lunar innovation comes as nations and companies alike ramp up plans for permanent presence on the Moon. NASA’s Artemis program, China’s Chang’e missions, and commercial players such as ispace and Axiom Space are all involved in lunar initiatives.
In 2023, Taiwan announced a multi-year roadmap for building out satellite manufacturing, launch support, and scientific payload capabilities. RunSpace serves as both a talent pipeline and a soft-power tool to engage with international partners.
Participants are required to submit a 10-slide proposal by June 30, and finalists will be selected by August for further mentorship and a final review in September. Cash prizes total nearly $10,000 USD, and all finalists will receive exposure to space executives and potential collaborators at the November awards and demo day.
The program also includes training sessions led by companies like ispace and Odysseus Space, helping participants gain insight into commercial lunar operations and emerging markets in Earth-Moon logistics.
“Whether you’re aiming to enhance satellite communication, explore lunar missions, or propose novel space techniques, RunSpace is your launchpad,” the organizers note.
For more information, or to register, click here to go to the official site.
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