Space Intelligence provides high quality, accurate maps of habitat, forest canopy cover and carbon stock through time, supporting the creation, development, verification and monitoring of nature-based solutions. We create these maps using the unique combination of our strong scientific heritage in mapping ecosystems (and carbon therein), alongside our efficient, proven cloud-based system.
We support nature-based solutions projects from origination through to ongoing monitoring and reporting. Our maps of canopy cover reveal historical trends in deforestation, to identify opportunities for restoration activity. Our habitat and carbon maps provide baseline information for developing new nature-based solutions project sites. Our forest monitoring service provides updates to provide assurance of no reversals, and that carbon remains locked in forests.
Our solution also supports sustainable finance, for example through the monitoring of sustainability-linked financial product performance and the provision of data for climate and nature-related financial disclosures.
The co-founders of Space Intelligence – Dr. Murray Collins and Professor Ed Mitchard – met whilst measuring the biomass and carbon stocks of Africa’s tropical forests back in 2009. Murray was measuring thousands of rainforest trees for the Government of Gabon’s Climate Change Department.
Meanwhile, Ed was working on his PhD, looking at the same problem from space. Specifically, he was developing cutting-edge techniques to use satellite remote sensing data to quantify woodland cover and forest biomass across Africa. Sharing a mutual interest in satellite mapping of the world’s forests, Murray moved to Edinburgh after finishing his PhD, to work on satellite imagery with Ed.
Upon finishing his postdoctoral fellowship, Murray won the RSE Enterprise Fellowship which provided business training for new entrepreneurs and laid the foundation for what would become Space intelligence. Working together for a decade, Murray and Ed have developed their extensive knowledge of environmental technologies, notably satellite assessment of land cover change and forest carbon quantification. Murray and Ed started to get an increasing number of private contract requests, which were rapidly and organically growing – they made a decision that they didn’t want to pass on this opportunity, and so they founded Space Intelligence.
The company has grown rapidly in the past 18 months, serving a growing number of nature-based solutions projects and clients. Today, we provide accurate, trusted and consistent information to support nature-based solutions and sustainable finance globally, including helping with validation and verification of carbon credits.
Dr Murray Collins, CEO & Co-Founder
Professor Ed Mitchard, Chief Scientist & Co-Founder
Dr Alexis Moyer, Head of ESG & Spatial Finance
Carol Blackwood, Head of Strategic Operations
Heather Shepherd, Business Development & ESG Support Officer
