Attending the EU-LAC matchmaking event at the European Space Agency (ESA) Industry Space Days organised by Copernicus LAC Panama Centre, was an incredible experience for ITACA Solutions and Alya Space, both led by Réseau Associates. Held at ESA’s ESTEC facility in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, the event provided a unique platform for cross-continental collaboration and knowledge exchange.
The event gathered various LAC entities working in the space and geospatial sectors. ITACA Solutions and Alya Space were honoured to be one of the few companies representing the region, alongside other prominent firms such as SpaceSUR, the Cluster Aeroespacial de Mendoza, ARISE MX, Quiron Digital, Orbital Space Technologies, Procalculo and the Alliance of Brazilian Space Startups. Each organisation showcased its expertise and innovative solutions in fields ranging from disaster risk reduction to satellite technology and geospatial analysis.
The event kicked off with a warm welcome from ESA and Copernicus LAC Panama Centre, followed by one-minute pitch presentations by each LAC entity. This format allowed each company to introduce their capabilities and objectives succinctly. The highlight was the 10-minute matchmaking meetings, where we engaged in stimulating discussions with various stakeholders, including GEODETICCA, EARSC, PLANETEK, Expertise France, and ALSOSpace.
For ITACA Solutions, whose mission is to bridge the gap between science and decision-making by supporting the use of geospatial data for community-based adaptation, these meetings fostered the exchange of ideas on how to leverage geospatial data to tackle pressing global challenges such as climate change and disaster risk management. As noted by Joseph Aschbacher, ESA’s Director General, at the open plenary of ISD2024, opened the event with a presentation outlining the five goals for the European space sector. The discussion on budget allocation, particularly the 30.5% designated for Earth observation, piqued our interest. We are curious about how much of this will support initiatives like ours, which focus on applying geospatial data for disaster risk management (DRM) and climate adaptation.
For Alya Space was a confirmation that we are on the right track as we strive to bring universal data accessibility to the market through our constellation of Earth observation satellites. We are committed to offering accessible, traceable and reliable data to all types of consumers, including working with end-user platforms, such as micro-farmers, so that they have the necessary satellite analysis tools in the palm of their hands to find numerous solutions for their rural production. There were many discussions about the production and distribution of data for solutions in Latin America and in developing countries, and so it was yet another confirmation that, once again, our efforts, in trying to equip academia and government bodies with reliable data, could bring a lot of innovation and regional technological development. Another highlight of the project is female leadership. As the only woman in Latin America to launch a satellite into orbit at the end of this year, we are inspiring many professionals, women and girls to recognise their powers and use them in favour of great solutions. Also to bring about the change so desired in the meetings, when they reveal that there is a lack of actors in Latin American countries - we are here to prove that we do have many untapped talents, and that projects like this can boost their careers and therefore bring more solutions to our world!
The guided tour of ESTEC on the first day of ISD provided a glimpse into where "space magic with human ingenuity begins". It was inspiring to see the state-of-the-art facilities and learn about the projects that are pushing the boundaries of space exploration.
In summary, the ESA matchmaking event was an incredible opportunity for us to engage with global leaders, share our vision, and explore collaborative projects that will drive forward our mission of using geospatial technology to create resilient and sustainable communities. We are excited to continue these conversations and look forward to the impactful partnerships that will emerge from this experience. We encourage other Réseau Associates to participate in these matchmaking events if they get an opportunity.
About the Authors
Dr Laura Canevari is an accomplished climate change adaptation specialist with over 12 years of experience in climate adaptation and resilience building. She is the CEO and Founder of ITACA, a technical assistance service provider committed to accelerating climate adaptation through Innovation Training and Adaptation in Coastal Areas.
Aila Raquel is one of the only female entrepreneurs in the Brazilian space sector, and a pioneer in her activity of Earth observation with nano-satellites, in the search for solutions for disasters (floods and fires), recurrent in several regions of Brazil (Amazonia and Atlantic Coastal), among other global issues.
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