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The Search for the "GALILEO Master 2005" is still going on!

On May 1, 2004 go-ahead was given for the very first idea competition “Galileo Masters Competition“ all about the European GALILEO satellite navigation system. Following Airbus and Ariane, GALILEO is considered one of the most important and ambitious technology projects of the EU in the years to come. Now, the second launch has started.

This competition awards prizes to the best ideas of application in satellite navigation (including ideas already realized today under the US-originated GPS system). Tinkerers and technology-enthousiastics are called upon to compete with their ideas for prizes to the value of more than 50,000 Euro. This innovation championship is performed by the Anwendungszentrum Oberpfaffenhofen as well as the Messe München International with its SYSTEMS trade fair, under the patronage of the Bavarian Ministry of Economics.

It is anticipated that numerous ideas will mainly be received for the vehicle navigation and positioning systems fields of application already now in the limelight. "But there are also new areas on a good way. Here is still a wide field which needs to be further developed", underlined the patron of this competition, the Bavarian Minister for Economic Affairs Dr. Otto Wiesheu. Experts also expect new applications in the fields of geo-information and mobile communications.

Partner regions of this competition are the most important European high-tech sites such as the Nice region with its telecom valley “Sophia Antipolis“, the Göteborg Region with its “Telematic Valley“ and its “Microwave Road” as well as Munich as the leading IT and media site in Europe.This second competition is carried out in 2005 with new international member regions which are the Czech Repubic (by Czech Space Center), Varese (by ECSA) and Zuid-Holland.

Also, the project is actively supported by well-known companies and institutions: the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (German Aerospace Center), Infineon Technologies, Cobra Automotive Technologies, Galileo Industries, the Fraunhofer Venture Group and Sun Microsystems.

After the closing date each partner region will select from the ideas submitted the five best ideas through an expert team. The regional winners can present their ideas in a “SatelliteNavigationArea” at the SYSTEMS trade fair taking place in Munich from October 24 - 28. From the regional winners the overall winner will emerge - der "Galileo Master 2005". The overall winner will be honoured on October 24, 2005 at the "GALILEO Night" during the SYSTEMS trade fair. The first prize for the winner is to use within an incubator of his region the infrastructure required to realize his business idea.

Authorized to participate in the idea competition are SME’s as well as research institutions, students and private persons. Application for the "GALILEO Master 2005" is through the Internet. Interested persons can inform themselves and/or apply until June 30, 2005 at the latest under http://www.galileo-masters.com or http://www.systems-world.de, and submit their idea there under.