ESA Φ-lab is organising a two-day forum to bring together major players in the commercial Earth observation sector. Scheduled for 24 and 25 February, the online event will include representatives from industry, public institutions, national delegations and investors.

The Φ-lab Investing in Industrial Innovation Event is both a unique networking platform and a broad-based showcase for the host of activities of the ESA InCubed programme. In the context of the Commercialisation priority of ESA’s Agenda 2025, the event aims to stimulate and develop market-oriented Earth observation (EO) by connecting European companies with not only investors, venture builders and potential customers, but also Delegates from ESA Member States.

The proceedings will kick off with an introduction by ESA’s new Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Simonetta Cheli. Other speakers are expected to include Géraldine Naja, ESA Director of Commercialisation, Industry and Procurement, plus guests from the agriculture, insurance and water management sectors. The programme will feature presentations from a number of activities co-funded by InCubed, together with talks on innovation, institutional support and the commercial end-user viewpoint. There will be numerous round-table discussions and a final session where private investors will give their perspective on EO. The winners of an InCubed video-pitch competition will also be announced.