T-TeC 2026 by Leonardo and Telespazio

The #T-TeC 2026 (Telespazio Technology Contest, 7th edition) is an open-innovation contest run by Leonardo and Telespazio, part of the Leonardo Group in Rome, for university students, PhD candidates and young researchers anywhere in the world. Cash prizes run up to €10,000 (about ₹10.9 lakh) for the best prototype. The 2026 call closed on 20 February 2026 and the winners were honoured on 5 May 2026, so this page is a guide to a recurring contest and not an open call. The organisers' pages we read do not give the date of an eighth edition.

What the program offers

The contest has two categories. The Idea category is for projects in the early stages of development, and its winner received €5,000 (about ₹5.45 lakh). The Prototype category is for more mature projects with working or advanced prototypes, and the prizes in the 2026 edition were €10,000 (about ₹10.9 lakh) for first place, €6,000 (about ₹6.54 lakh) for second and €4,000 (about ₹4.36 lakh) for third. Special mentions were also given.

Money is not the only reward. At the committee's discretion, and depending on the type and maturity of each project, strong entries can be offered pre-incubation places at ESA BIC Turin, ESA BIC Lazio (with Technology Transfer Lazio) or ESA BIC Brindisi. In the 2026 results, the prototype winner also received a three-month pre-incubation at Thales Alenia Space in Turin, and the runner-up was offered pre-incubation with Leonardo. Leonardo may also fund one promising proposal to build a Proof of Concept demonstrator, possibly with the Space Business Catalyst of Thales Alenia Space.

Who can apply

The contest is open to students, PhD candidates and young researchers from universities worldwide, either as individuals or as teams. A call summary on a partner site says a simple declaration of student or researcher status is enough and that a professor as mentor is recommended but not required. The same summary says the project should not already be part of a similar incubation programme.

For an applicant based in India, nothing in the organisers' pages we read limits entry by country. This makes the contest a fit for a Master's or PhD student, or a young researcher at an Indian university, who has a space-technology idea or a working prototype. It is not meant for a company applying as a company, and it is not a fit if your work is outside space technology. A practical tip: keep proof of your student status handy.

How to apply

Projects must fit one of three themes about sustainability in space and on Earth: space exploration, extra-terrestrial exploitation and in-orbit servicing; space domain awareness, meaning protection of space and ground infrastructure; and positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions for Earth and other celestial bodies, including emerging space-based connectivity. You choose the Idea or Prototype category depending on how far your work has come. The pages we read do not describe the submission portal, file format or language, so follow the instructions on the Telespazio contest page when the next call is announced.

How applications are judged and what happens next

After the deadline a jury reviews the submitted projects and selects the winners. The 2026 results note that the top prototype stood out for its maturity, technological depth and alignment with the strategic interests of the Leonardo Group. No scoring table is published on the pages we read, so treat that as a hint, not a rule. In the 2026 edition the call was launched in January, closed on 20 February, and the awards were presented at the Italian Space Agency headquarters in Rome on 5 May 2026.

About Leonardo and Telespazio

Leonardo is an Italian aerospace, defence and security group, and Telespazio is a space-services company in the Leonardo Group. They run #T-TeC to promote technological innovation in the space sector among young students and researchers. The seventh edition received 23 proposals, with 9 universities taking part for the first time. Since 2019, 84 universities have been involved, and 25 countries are represented. Across seven editions, 526 students and young researchers have taken part. Winning institutions in 2026 came from Italy, Spain, Jordan, Tunisia and Nepal.

Things to check before you apply

• This edition is closed. Watch the Telespazio contest page for the next call; the organisers have not published a date on the pages we read.
• The pages do not say how or when prizes are paid, whether the awards ceremony must be attended in person, or who owns the intellectual property. Ask the organisers before you commit.
• Pre-incubation places are offered at the committee's discretion and are held in Italy, so ask whether you would need to travel before accepting.
• The prizes are paid in euros. Indian recipients of foreign money should check the tax and foreign-exchange treatment with an adviser before applying.
• Prize money is a contest award, and the pages we read mention no ownership stake being taken.