The director of CEOI Dr Nicolas Lévêque spoke about how Earth observation can deliver maximum economic and societal benefit at the largest ever space industry event to be held in Scotland.
Space-Comm Expo Scotland 2025, which took place in Glasgow in December, attracted more than 2,000 global leaders from government and business, and showcased the very latest space technology and capabilities.
The high-profile event, held in partnership with ADS Group and supported by UK Space Agency and Space Scotland, aimed to promote collaboration, support investment and drive growth for the UK and global space industry.
Dr Lévêque was part of a panel which discussed how the commercial potential of Earth observation (EO) can be unlocked, focussing on practical applications and market opportunities.
Delegates heard how EO is transforming industries from agriculture and energy, to finance and environmental monitoring, and the role EO data is having in terms of decision-making, efficiency and sustainability.
The session explored how end users are applying EO across sectors, what they need from providers to scale adoption and how industry, investors, and policymakers can work together to overcome regulatory and technical hurdles.
Dr Lévêque’s fellow panel members included Prof Iain Woodhouse, Professor of Applied Earth Observation at the University of Edinburgh, Ken Gordon, the European Space Agency’s Business Ambassador for Scotland and Northern Ireland, June McAlarey, President and CEO of PCI Geomatics and Claire Neil, Principal Scientist at the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The panel chair was Luca Budello, Knowledge Transfer Manager ‑ Geospatial Insights at Innovate UK Business Connect.
Dr Lévêque said: “This was a unique opportunity to sit down with peers in the field of Earth observation to share with wider industries the impact this work can have on many different sectors.
“In particular, it was useful for delegates to hear the economic gains that can be made by utilising Earth observation data, along with the burgeoning and established market opportunities that are open to investment.”
Space-Comm Expo Scotland’s keynote speakers included the UK Space Agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Paul Bate, NASA’s Chief Health and Medical Officer, James ‘JD’ Polk, astronaut David Mackay, and CEO of Space Scotland, Dr Natasha Nicholson.
Topics covered included:
- Creating a thriving space powerhouse for the future
- Inside ESA funding: Where the opportunities (and boundaries) lie
- Space to grow: Investing in innovation, driving the economy
- Unlocking space growth through cross government collaboration
- Turning space data into global business: Lessons from UK successes
- Bridging the skills gap with innovation and collaboration
- Powering the future of UK satellite manufacturing
The next event is Space-Comm Expo Europe, taking place at EXCEL London on March 4 and 5.
