Eurisy Participated at the “Insights for Suppliers and Integrators of Satellite Data and Services” event in the UK

On 3 October 2024, Eurisy participated in the “Insights for Suppliers and Integrators of Satellite Data and Services” event, organised by the United Kingdom (UK) Space Agency, PwC UK and Satellite Applications Catapult, on the Harwell Campus in the UK. The event was organised within the UK Space Agency’s programme Unlocking Space for Business, which supports companies to deliver operational, customer and environmental benefits through the use of innovative satellite data and services. 

During the event, outcomes and key initiatives currently offered/available were presented, including: 

  • Information Hub: a gov.uk website aiming at sharing programme updates,  
  • Insight and Networking Events: including 7 in-person events and 4 industry roundtables, 
  • Exploration Workshops: including 42 tailored workshops aiming at helping end-users exploring and prioritising opportunities,  
  • Learning and Development: consisting of 10 live webinars on identifying, procuring and integrating propositions, as well as 10 summary videos to upskill the workforce.  
  • Government Funding Opportunities: including funding awarded to support new satellite data projects and pilots and 3 showcase (upcoming) events to share project outcomes and learnings.  

During the process, the team engaged 350 unique organisations, including 160 non-space companies, and 27 end-user organisations, with the focus on climate risk, resilience and response, as well as sustainable business opportunities and compliance. For example, the impact of climate on manufacturing, energy, and agriculture, and forward-looking climate models for wind resources.  

Such engagement resulted in:  

  • Catalysed interest from new end-users, as different business units were prompted to discuss potential satellite solutions/applications/launch/? opportunities across the business,  
  • Desire to explore new opportunities, 
  • Supported opportunity prioritisation, 
  • Triggered new relationships, as new suppliers were engaged to explore use cases and potential partnerships. 

The main challenges identified from the discussions with the end-users, and suggestion to address them, were: 

  • Low baseline level of opportunity understanding, therefore, showcasing case studies is necessary to convey that the opportunities are real and concrete, as well as avoiding technical jargon turns out to be crucial. 
  • Missing evidence on ‘Return on Investment’ (ROI), points out that more openness and emphasis on quantified ROI and business benefits is needed. 
  • Challenges to navigate the supplier ecosystem, suggesting thatorganisations must clarify their positioning and role in the market. 
  • Uncertainty if fit for business needs (commercial or regulatory), clear disclosures, audits and contingencies are needed to support decision-making processes.  
  • Foundational challenges, companies should have clear data sharing agreements or platforms which empower users and look to align with ongoing transformation priorities.  

The event was a great opportunity for Eurisy to strengthen its knowledge and commitment to support user engagement in the space sector, and to bridge the gap between space and society.