Five startups pitch cutting edge innovations at the Mars Habitat Challenge 2022

12.07.2022 11:00, Tracy Woodley

From an underground tunnel to outer space: The Mars Habitat Challenge invited five pioneering startups to present solutions and business models that could support the creation of a self-sustaining habitat on Mars or other planets. SOHHytec impressed the audience with their onsite production and storage systems for renewable hydrogen, electricity, and heat, and won a proof of concept. The Lausanne-based startup will collaborate with Hagerbach Test Gallery, a unique underground research laboratory and training base.

Last week, the Hagerbach Test Gallery hosted the second Mars Habitat Challenge, a competition and showcase that highlighted innovative solutions that could make life on Mars possible. The journey leading up to this year's event began in May when five startups were selected by a jury that featured experts from the Hagerbach Test Gallery, AMBERG, IMPLENIA, SIKA, ACO, ELKUCH, ROWA, and Mission Earth First: LYS Technologies, Mixteresting, Open ATS, SOHHytec, and Swoxid were chosen to present their innovative solutions within an underground space featuring a network of tunnels and caverns that extends to 5 kilometers in length.

The event on July 5th brought together on-site participants and audience members who joined virtually. Attendees were treated to a tour of the Hagerbach Test Gallery site and an overview of the day-to-day activities conducted there by resident experts. The five startups pitched their visions for interplanetary life and detailed how their solutions could impact human existence on Mars. During the exciting public voting process, 256 votes were cast and SOHHytec was declared the winner. 

The Lausanne-based robotics startup manufactures co-generation systems for the cost-effective onsite generation of renewable fuel (hydrogen and oxygen) and power (electricity and heat) using innovative, patented technology. During their pitch, the SOHHytec team explained how they intend to test and offer their production and storage systems on Mars. “SoHHytec will intend to deploy oxygen and heat in underground conditions and test the capacity of our solution to bring sustainable powering to Mars. We are delighted to be selected one and cant wait to start working at the gallery,” said Saurabh Tembhurne,  CEO of SoHHytec.

Dr. Michael Kompatscher, Director of Hagerbach Test Gallery, added: “Hagerbach is very pleased to help startups to test their technology underground and for this year we are very much looking forward to testing the Hydrogen solution from SoHHytec in our facilities.”



Though only one startup could be crowned the winner, all five startups presented compelling ideas and products. Swoxid explained how their innovative nanoporous, aerogel composite filter is able to render contaminated water safe for drinking by removing and inactivating infectious diseases.

Open ATS showcased how can they produce a 3D-printed vehicle at the gallery and how relevant can this be for good transportation, whether underground or on Mars. Mixteresting and LYS technologies pitched online: Mixteresting presented the audience with their digital mixing master, which enables building materials to be developed ten times faster by using proprietary algorithms and AI within a SaaS application. LYS Technologies aims to transform unnatural environments into natural environments using light, which could be effectively deployed on Mars.

In addition to the startup pitches, Nanja Strecker of ESA Business Incubation Centre Switzerland delivered a keynote speech titled "The ESA BIC Switzerland experience: From Earth to Space and Back." Nanja and her team are passionate about supporting startups with a "space connection" throughout Switzerland.


 
Learn more about the winning startup: