EarthBlox: Making 'Space' for Everyone
Lead Participant:
QUOSIENT LTD.
Abstract
This project will spearhead EarthBlox's commercial launch. InnovateUK will support our team to address the technical challenges needed to commercialise and ensure global deployment and growth.
The need for satellite data is global, expanding and transcends sector boundaries: it provides all decision-makers with timely intel on spatial-assets. Satellites and planetary-scale data now enable mapping of global changes (from deforestation, urban expansion, continental scale disasters), and modern instrumentation (atmospheric, land and ocean-based) reveal that we live on a fast-changing planet, leading to increased uncertainties and frequency of extreme events (droughts, floods, pressure on natural resources). To adapt and respond to these changes, planetary analyses are required and this is driving an explosive growth in Earth-observation missions (with 684 Earth-observation satellites now in operation, a 250% growth since 2014, Pixalitics 2019). While cloud computing now enables rapid data processing, harnessing the power of global satellite data still requires either coding skills, know-how or a hefty budget.
Our motivation with EarthBlox (Patent filed) is to remove theses barriers to democratise the power of global satellite data and intelligence. EarthBlox's innovation leverages the power of cloud processing without the need for computer coding or high level Earth-observation expertise. It enables the processing of Terabytes of planetary scale geospatial data and the creation and download of actionable insights with unprecedented power and ease. It is "Lego for EO data processing". It offers full flexibility for users: novice users rely on pre-built EarthBlox solutions with simple instructions (workflows); intermediate users customise these workflows for particular needs; advanced users build entirely new workflows. Our prototype, tested in focus groups, already demonstrates how different users can exploit satellite data at the click-of-a-button, while allowing customisation on-a-par with expert users.
This project presents excellent value for money: it builds upon previous investments (totalling circa £500k, the most recent being a Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship, an Innovate UK ICURe award, in-kind support as semi-finalists of the Converge Challenge and SetSquared training in the Space and Satellite sector). It also leverages significant funding/in-kind contributions including: Google's support through its Alpha Commercialisation Programme, UNEP matched funding for this InnovateUK project, and a committed Weareumi loan. We have now been selected to pitch at EIE-invest (postponed to October), the premier technology investor showcase featuring promising innovative, data-driven high-growth companies. All these have traction only if this InnovateUK application is successful.
The need for satellite data is global, expanding and transcends sector boundaries: it provides all decision-makers with timely intel on spatial-assets. Satellites and planetary-scale data now enable mapping of global changes (from deforestation, urban expansion, continental scale disasters), and modern instrumentation (atmospheric, land and ocean-based) reveal that we live on a fast-changing planet, leading to increased uncertainties and frequency of extreme events (droughts, floods, pressure on natural resources). To adapt and respond to these changes, planetary analyses are required and this is driving an explosive growth in Earth-observation missions (with 684 Earth-observation satellites now in operation, a 250% growth since 2014, Pixalitics 2019). While cloud computing now enables rapid data processing, harnessing the power of global satellite data still requires either coding skills, know-how or a hefty budget.
Our motivation with EarthBlox (Patent filed) is to remove theses barriers to democratise the power of global satellite data and intelligence. EarthBlox's innovation leverages the power of cloud processing without the need for computer coding or high level Earth-observation expertise. It enables the processing of Terabytes of planetary scale geospatial data and the creation and download of actionable insights with unprecedented power and ease. It is "Lego for EO data processing". It offers full flexibility for users: novice users rely on pre-built EarthBlox solutions with simple instructions (workflows); intermediate users customise these workflows for particular needs; advanced users build entirely new workflows. Our prototype, tested in focus groups, already demonstrates how different users can exploit satellite data at the click-of-a-button, while allowing customisation on-a-par with expert users.
This project presents excellent value for money: it builds upon previous investments (totalling circa £500k, the most recent being a Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellowship, an Innovate UK ICURe award, in-kind support as semi-finalists of the Converge Challenge and SetSquared training in the Space and Satellite sector). It also leverages significant funding/in-kind contributions including: Google's support through its Alpha Commercialisation Programme, UNEP matched funding for this InnovateUK project, and a committed Weareumi loan. We have now been selected to pitch at EIE-invest (postponed to October), the premier technology investor showcase featuring promising innovative, data-driven high-growth companies. All these have traction only if this InnovateUK application is successful.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| QUOSIENT LTD. | £297,660 | £ 208,362 |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Genevieve Patenaude (Project Manager) |