Space Apps 2021 Recap

We did it! After kicking off our live Welcome to Space Apps premiere, thousands of people across the globe came together from October 2-3 for Space Apps 2021!

We had over 28,000 registrants from 162 countries and territories, making this the largest virtual Space Apps event in our ten-year history. Together, the Space Apps community tackled 28 challenges and created 2,814 projects!

Ten International Space Agencies

In 2021, we celebrated our tenth year of Space Apps by collaborating with nine other space agencies - our biggest collaboration yet. We were joined by the Australian Space Agency, Brazilian Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, National Space Activities Commission of Argentina, National Space Science Agency of Bahrain, Paraguayan Space Agency, and South African National Space Agency.

Global Impact

Through the support of our international space agency partners, we were able to reach and represent more countries and territories around the globe than ever before. For Space Apps 2021, the countries with the most registrations were India, Egypt, Brazil, Peru, and Mexico, which was similar to Space Apps 2020 where India, Egypt, and Brazil led registrations. Each year, our goal is to engage people from all over the world in Space Apps, and this year we are so excited to see tremendous growth in participation from Peru and Mexico!

Collaboration

Space Apps is for everyone! This year, we had over 4,500 teams made up of individuals from across the globe working together to tackle issues related to space and Earth science. Space Apps celebrated diversity and collaboration and provided an opportunity for everyone — including those who have never “hacked” before — to participate. In years past, most successful solutions have come from teams made up of individuals with a variety of skill sets, different backgrounds, or a wide-range of experiences.

During the challenge, participants and teams were assisted by our amazing Local Leads. The Local Leads supported 323 Local Virtual Events from cities around the globe by helping participants prepare and connect with teammates before and during the Space Apps Challenge weekend. Our Universal Event — which had 3,597 registrants — served those who wanted to participate but did not have a local event in their vicinity, allowing us to be more inclusive and encourage participation.

Space Apps Community Support

The Space Apps community extends beyond those participating in the challenge. It also includes the 159 subject-matter experts (SMEs) from NASA and partnering space agencies and the 50 Space Apps Ambassadors who engaged and supported our Space Apps participants. SMEs and Space Apps Ambassadors volunteered their time to help answer questions about the 28 challenges, provided encouragement and guidance during the event, and are also judging the project submissions. Every year, we are amazed by the dedication and support from our SMEs and Space Apps Ambassadors!

In celebration of this year’s theme, the Power of Ten, we have 10 Global Offers from our Space Apps Global Collaborators to help increase accessibility and advance participant projects. These organizations offered FREE tools for participants to use, such as free domains, virtual white boards for team collaboration, APIs, and more! We had more offers than ever from Adobe XD, GoDaddy Registry, Google, IBM, Meteomatics, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Teams, Miro, Planet, and Tableau.

This year, we had 13 Amplification Collaborators who helped us spread the word by sharing Space Apps with their diverse communities. Our Amplification Collaborators include the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact, AnitaB.org Systers, Black Girls Code, Coding Temple, Founders Institute, Gener8or, GEN Space, National Center for Women & Information Technology, SHE, Sustainable Space Summit, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education's Center for Professional Learning, and Women of Mena in Technology.

What’s next to come for Space Apps 2021?

Our Global Nominees have been announced! Of the 2,324 projects submitted for judging, 360+ were selected as Global Nominees and will be evaluated by our Global Judges. These judges will select the Global Finalists in November. Stay tuned! Our 10 Global Winners will be announced in December on our socials, so make sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

A Big Thank You to Everyone in our Space Apps Community!

Every year, we are blown away by the energy and hard work that is devoted to solving some of the toughest challenges on Earth and in space. To all of the participants, our space agency partners, Local Leads, SMEs, Ambassadors, and our Global and Amplification Collaborators, we can’t thank you enough! Thank you for making this the biggest virtual Space Apps event in our ten-year history and for being a part of our 10th annual event. We hope to see you all at the next Space Apps, October 1-2, 2022!

Check out the NEW 2021 Space Apps by the Numbers!