5 startups pitch their innovations at the Mars Habitat Challenge 2021

22.06.2021 15:00, Isabelle Mitchell

From an underground tunnel to outer space: As part of the Hagerbach NXT 50 Festival, the Mars Habitat Challenge invited five pioneering startups to present solutions and business models that help create a self-sustaining habitat on Mars or other planets. ANYbotics convinced the audience with its walking robots and won a proof of concept. The Zurich-based startup will collaborate with Hagerbach Test Gallery, an underground world that provides a unique research laboratory and training base. 

Last week, the Hagerbach Test Gallery celebrated its 50th birthday with a hybrid event: the Hagerbach NXT 50 Festival. The festivities included the Mars Habitat Challenge, which looked for innovative solutions that could make life on Mars possible.

The location for such pitches could not have been more realistic: With its network of tunnels and caverns that create an underground research laboratory and training base for innovative projects based on a circular economy, Hagerbach Test Gallery provides the ideal environment to get the startups and the audience into the mood for an out-of-this-world experience.

The journey to outer space and underground began in May when five startups were chosen by a jury that included experts from Hagerbach Test Gallery, AMBERG, IMPLENIA, SIKA, ACO, MBCC, Siemens, and Mission Earth First (ITACUS, SCAUT, THE HUS, VSH). MOBBOT, NEMATX, YASAI, ANYbotics, and MeduSoil were chosen to present their innovative solutions in a network of tunnels and caverns that extends over a length of about 5 km.



“Life on other celestial bodies in our planetary system must necessarily take place underground because of the high radiation, and it needs to be sustainable and circular since only a few resources—with low weight and self-sufficient operation, as there are no gas stations and power taps—can be transported there. If one works out such solutions, one must comprehensively test them first on Earth. Everything must function once on a planet since repair or maintenance is not that simple, said Felix Amberg, president of Amberg Group AG, which provides global solutions in above and underground construction and owns Hagerbach Test Gallery. “Of course, the innovations can and should be used on Earth—there is no reason not to use the solutions first on Earth. On the contrary—not make use of sustainable solutions down here? In the age of climate change, every possibility in this respect is more than welcome! This strategy promotes innovation for solving our challenges on planet Earth in two ways: Sustainable and circular and underground—a growing global population that lives mainly in urban areas, this is a fascinating perspective.”

The five startups pitched their vision and explained to on-site and virtual audiences how their solutions would make a difference on Mars. In a public voting process, ANYbotics got the most votes and won a proof of concept with Hagerbach Test Gallery. The Zurich-based robotics startup develops walking robots that move beyond conventional, purpose-built environments and solve customer problems in challenging infrastructure so far only accessible to humans.

ANYbotics’ robotic solution currently provides advanced inspection reports by patrolling facilities and monitoring the condition of equipment and infrastructure. But maybe it will be soon be used in different environments—like Mars. “Pitching at the Hagerbach Stollen was a fascinating experience! The unusual environment provided a glimpse of what an underground facility on Mars could actually feel like. We are looking forward to testing our robot’s autonomous navigation software that could one day be used to explore sites on Mars,” said Péter Fankhauser, co-founder and CEO of ANYbotics. 

 

What a great way to finish this week!
We are really happy to announce we won the Mars Habitat Challenge. A special thanks goes to the team, to @venturelab_ch and to everyone who voted for us!#hagerbachnxt50festival pic.twitter.com/s289SeWdMk

— ANYbotics (@anybotics) June 18, 2021