OBSERVER: How the EU Space Programme is boosting space entrepreneurship
OBSERVER: How the EU Space Programme is boosting space entrepreneurship
evan
Wed, 31/07/2024 – 18:53
According to the latest Earth Observation (EO) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Market Report from the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), global revenues in the EO and GNSS markets are expected to grow significantly over the next decade, with global EO revenues rising from €3.4 billion in 2023 to almost €6 billion in 2033 and GNSS market revenues increasing from €200 billion in 2023 to €500 billion in 2033.
Within this upbeat context, entrepreneurs and space enthusiasts have the opportunity to grow their ideas into businesses in a booming market, and the European Commission is keen to help them thrive. This is why it has created CASSINI, the EU’s space entrepreneurship initiative. Through prizes, funding schemes, anchor customer contracts and entrepreneurial support instruments, the Commission aims to foster an ecosystem which supports space entrepreneurs across Europe. In today’s Observer, we’ll look at three European companies—SciDrones, EOMAP, and Geomatys—that have achieved remarkable success, and the many ways in which the European Commission and the Copernicus, the flagship Earth Observation component of the EU Space Programme, have supported their journey.
A New Space era
The space industry has undergone a significant transformation globally, with Europe playing a key role. Traditionally, the sector had been dominated by government customers, but in recent years there has been a shift towards greater private sector involvement, leading to the emergence of a New Space era—a commercially driven space industry propelled by highly innovative private companies. SciDrones, EOMAP, and Geomatys are three EU-based start-ups thriving in this changing landscape.
SciDrones is a startup company based in Greece which was founded in 2021 by a team of coastal mapping experts. With expertise in remote sensing, geoinformatics, and unmanned aerial system (UAS) technologies, the founders set out to leverage their years in research to address the growing demand for accurate coastal data monitoring. SciDrones specialises in mapping and quantifying emerging coastal phenomena using sensors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, and specialised spatio-temporal visualisations.
Founded in 2005, Geomatys is an IT development company specialised in spatial information processing. With a focus on improving decision making through access to geospatial BigData, Geomatys is dedicated to creating transparent and new Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software. The company’s philosophy revolves around providing open-source solutions which aim to democratise geospatial technologies and promote knowledge sharing.
Since its inception in 2006, EOMAP has become a world leader in optical remote sensing of marine and freshwater environments. With several overseas subsidiaries, the company provides data and space-based software solutions. It has helped both industry and governments successfully complete hundreds of projects related to the practical management of coastal zones and wetland ecosystems.
Founded and developed by dedicated Earth Observation experts over the years, these three companies have all relied on several sources of EO data throughout their journeys, including to a large extent those provided by Copernicus.
Copernicus – essential data and services for EO companies
With its breadth and depth of information, Copernicus data continues to revolutionise the field of Earth Observation. By providing open, free and easy access to data to governments, researchers, businesses and the public alike, Copernicus enables a wide range of stakeholders to use its wealth of data for multiple applications. EO companies in particular benefit greatly from Copernicus’ open access model, using its data to develop innovative solutions for environmental monitoring, disaster management, urban planning, and agriculture, and more. This accessibility not only encourages innovation, but also fosters a global community committed to understanding and protecting our planet for future generations.
’We use a variety of different satellite resources,’ Thomas Heege, CEO of EOMAP, said at a recent online conference of the EU Space Networks. ’Of course, the largest contribution we have today from public free satellite data resources is from Copernicus, and that’s an important role that Copernicus plays.’
Similarly, Dorian Ginane, Project Lead at Geomatys, spoke about the role Copernicus plays in the development of their services and reflected on the impact of open data on their business. ’Around 2020, we decided to combine Geomatys’ skills in spatial data processing with the possibilities offered by the many available open data sources (including Copernicus) to create thematic solutions.’
By combining Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 data, EOMAP provides measurements of water turbidity. Left images: river sediment inputs into the northern Adriatic Sea, 31 October 2018. Right images: turbidity levels assessed by EOMAP’s EO processing system. Credit: EOMAP
An extra helping hand: the role of EU-funded projects
Another way in which EU initiatives have supported these companies’ success is through research funding programmes. By providing financial support, expertise, and networking opportunities, EU funding initiatives such as Horizon Europe stimulate breakthroughs in technology, product development, and market penetration.
For example, Geomatys is currently part of the Horizon-funded FAIR-EASE project, which will facilitates access to integrated use of environmental data. In particular, the project will adapt and operate services that combine data for observing and modelling Earth systems, the environment, and biodiversity. It will also create an Earth Analytical Lab that will offer web-based interfaces, pre-defined processing tools, and on-demand data visualisation services for remote analysis and processing of different types of data.
EOMAP has also played a key role in Horizon-funded projects such as 4S, a project that brought ground-breaking innovations to satellite-based seafloor mapping. One of the objectives of the 4S partners was to develop tools for seafloor mapping and monitoring using Copernicus data. A notable result of this project is the SDB-Online WebApp, an application that allows users to activate the latest satellite-derived bathymetry software from their Internet browsers.
’This kind of long-term support, which the European Commission provides through the Horizon programmes, for example, is very relevant,’ said Heege. He went on to explain that this type of funding also helps innovators and funding providers keep an eye on what is needed to take both science and industry to the next level.
CASSINI: Accelerating Space Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Europe
Finally, another way in which the EU is supporting entrepreneurs across Europe is through the CASSINI initiative. CASSINI is the European Commission’s toolkit to support entrepreneurs, start-ups, and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the space industry over the 2021-2027 period. The initiative is open to all areas of the EU Space Programme and includes a €1 billion EU Seed and Growth Facility, hackathons and mentoring, prizes, a business accelerator, as well as a partnering and matchmaking programme.
At the EU Space Week 2023 in Seville, Spain, EUSPA announced the winners of the CASSINI Maritime Prize, and these were SciDrones, EOMAP, and Geomatys. The CASSINI prize, worth a total of 2.85 million EUR, rewarded the top three innovative commercial solutions that use EU Space Programme data and information to detect, monitor, and remove plastics, microplastics and other debris from our oceans and waterways.
SciDrones’ solution, the Coastal Marine Litter Observatory, transforms coastal cleanup efforts. It integrates technology and environmental management by combining Copernicus data, drone imagery, and AI algorithms. The platform efficiently allocates resources by distinguishing between plastic pollution and natural debris such as driftwood and seaweed. Local authorities can use it to guide clean-up efforts, targeting areas most affected by plastic pollution.
‘The CASSINI Maritime Prize elevates our mission from a mere goal to an imperative: to minimise the impact of plastic pollution on our coastal zones, globally,’ SciDrones founders wrote in a press release.
The marine litter density maps generated by the SciDrones application serve as a valuable decision-making tool for policy makers and scientists. The maps and their spatio-temporal analysis are made openly available to the public and organisations, including NGOs, local authorities, governments, and researchers. Credit: SciDrones
EOMAP won the award for its ‘Eyes on Plastic’ multi-sensor solution, which maps and monitors floating plastic in rivers and coastal areas. The solution combines data from Copernicus satellites, live in situ cameras and crowdsourcing to track plastic pollution in near real-time. Based on EO analytics, AI and cloud-based processing, the app can identify floating debris and plastic.
Finally, Geomatys’ solution is called Ocean Plastic Alert and Tracking (OPAT) and uses satellite images along with meteorological and oceanographic models to detect and track debris at sea from space. The application integrates ocean current and wind models with satellite observations to predict debris drift both forward and backward in time. Such predictive capabilities enable coastal authorities to identify and anticipate the movement of plastic and debris following major weather events which pose a risk to navigational safety.
’Our solution uses satellite data, mainly from Sentinel-1 and 2, forecast data from current models from the Copernicus Marine Service, and surface wind from Copernicus or Météo France. Copernicus was, therefore, essential to the development of our solution,’ adds Ginane. ‘Receiving this award allows us to envisage a more ambitious and faster development strategy, particularly in terms of access to new market segments.’
SciDrones, EOMAP, and Geomatys were the winners of the CASSINI Maritime Prize. The award ceremony took place in November 2023 at the EU Space Week in Seville. Credit: EUSPA
The success stories of SciDrones, EOMAP, and Geomatys illustrate the transformative impact of EU-funded projects and business support instruments on European companies, particularly in the emerging New Space sector. With the space industry expected to continue to grow significantly in the coming years, EU instruments such as the Horizon Europe funding scheme and the CASSINI initiative will continue to provide crucial support to entrepreneurs and companies, enabling them to innovate, compete, and succeed in a dynamic market.
Wed, 31/07/2024 – 12:00
