World Geospatial Industry Council

#HorizonsPodcast | 💬 “You hear a lot of noise online about AI and agents, but none of that matters if your data is a mess. At Sparkgeo, we’ve developed a technology called Prescient Earth. It initially started as an R&D lab but now we’ve realized the most important thing we can do is build data environments for our customers that serve as the foundational layer for future geospatial activities,” said Will Cadell, Founder & CEO of Sparkgeo.

🎙️ In this episode of WGIC’s Horizons Podcast, hosted by Bhanu Rekha, Will shares insights on:
▶ Story behind Sparkgeo’s founding
▶ Supporting tech companies with geospatial data
▶ Helping clients go from “zero to one”
▶ Migrating legacy tech to the cloud
▶ WGIC membership and vision ahead

Watch the full podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MwwL...

#WGIC #Sparkgeo #GeospatialData #CloudMigration #DataInnovation #GeoAI #AI #AgenticAI

1 week ago | [YT] | 0

World Geospatial Industry Council

In this episode of the #HorizonsPodcast, Vattem Narendra Babu (CEO, iSpatial Techno Solutions) and Andy Coote (CEO, Consulting Where) unpack how investors weigh risks and returns in geospatial projects.

They dive into:
▪️ The role of AI, IoT, and geospatial data in sustainable funding and decision-making
▪️ How geospatial insights boost efficiency and accelerate business decisions
▪️ Enhancing oil & gas operations with live data and location intelligence
▪️ Public-private partnerships for environmental monitoring
▪️ “As-a-service” models, risk management, and collaboration in project financing
▪️ Why stakeholder education and early operational buy-in are critical for ROI

This episode of the WGIC Horizons Podcast is part of the Project Funding and Sustainability Committee’s ongoing efforts.

🎧 Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMqVh...

#WGIC #podcast #geospatial #investment #funding #locationintelligence #sustainability #digitaltransformation #smartdata

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 0

World Geospatial Industry Council

#HorizonsPodcast | 💬 “We want to make sure that for security, privacy, and accuracy reasons, we always have the human in the loop. Right now, I feel like AI is more like a useful intern—sometimes very sophisticated, maybe with a master’s or even a PhD. But the critical thinking and subject matter expertise that we humans have cannot be replicated at this point,” said Eve Psalti, Senior Director at Microsoft.

🎙️ In this episode of WGIC’s Horizons Podcast, hosted by Aaron Addison, Eve shares insights on:

▶ AI’s role in the geospatial industry
▶ Lowering the barrier to entry: AI without coding
▶ Assisted coding, LLMs & SLMs
▶ Governance, responsible AI & safety tools
▶ Tackling hallucinations & grounding AI with RAG
▶ Data privacy, deployment & sovereignty considerations
▶ Agentic AI – what it is & how it works
▶ Real-world AI agent applications in geospatial
▶ Workforce preparation & reskilling for AI
▶ Aligning AI with business goals & measuring ROI

🔗 Watch the full podcast: https://youtu.be/vJ0SQ6Z4nv8

#WGIC #Geospatial #GeospatialIndustry #GeospatialInEverything #GeospatialForEveryone #AI #Microsoft #AgenticAI #GeospatialWorkforce #LLM #SLM #DataPrivacy #EdgeComputing

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 0

World Geospatial Industry Council

#HorizonsPodcast | 💬 “We’re able to achieve elevation survey accuracy that was once only possible with other technologies—down to about 10 centimeters. That means we can distinguish between a road and a curb, all from satellite data. It’s highly accurate and perfectly suited to support heavy civil industries like mining and large-scale construction projects. We’ve also been deeply integrated into the AI space for over a decade,” said Andrea Krupa, President of PhotoSat.

🎙️ In this episode of WGIC’s Horizons Podcast, hosted by Bhanu Rekha, Andrea shares insights on:

▶ 30+ years of experience, 3,000+ projects, and a global footprint in 75+ countries
▶ High-accuracy satellite elevation surveys for engineering and construction
▶ Alteration mineral mapping for remote geological site analysis
▶ AI-powered data processing using deep learning for over a decade
▶ PhotoSat’s role in mining, exploration, and civil development
▶ Collaborations with WGIC members and the broader geospatial community
▶ Reflections on the industry’s future and WGIC’s role in shaping it

🔗 Watch the full podcast: https://youtu.be/kMyMxerq9DU

#WGIC #PhotoSat #Geospatial #RemoteSensing #MiningTech #AIinGeospatial #EarthObservation #GeospatialIndustry #GeospatialInEverything #GeospatialForEveryone #HorizonsPodcast

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

World Geospatial Industry Council

#HorizonsPodcast | 💬 “In 2017, we launched the Vexcel Data Program as a private initiative focused on the insurance industry. Since then, it has expanded rapidly, and we are now active in more than 40 countries around the world. What started as a pilot has grown into the largest aerial image collection program in the world,” said Alexander Wiechert, CEO of Vexcel Imaging.

🎙️ In this episode of WGIC’s Horizons Podcast, hosted by Bhanu Rekha, Alexander shares insights on:

▶ Origins and evolution of Vexcel
▶ UltraCam: Vexcel’s flagship camera and what sets it apart
▶ Microsoft acquisition (2006) and return to independence (2016)
▶ How UltraCam + UltraMap transformed Vexcel’s offerings
▶ Automation and integration: meeting evolving customer needs
▶ Recent success story using the integrated system
▶ Balancing innovation with cost-effectiveness
▶ Vexcel’s journey with WGIC
▶ Vision for the geospatial industry and how to make a meaningful impact

🔗 Watch the full podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AAd-...

#WGIC #VexcelImaging #UltraCam #UltraMap #Geospatial #GeospatialData #AerialImagery

2 months ago | [YT] | 0

World Geospatial Industry Council

#HorizonsPodcast | 💬 “I believe the geospatial industry is currently in a very, very positive movement due to private equity visibility,” said strategy expert Simon Musäus in conversation with Matthew Pennells, Director for Global Community Engagement at Esri and Member of WGIC’s Project Funding and Sustainability Committee.

🔍 Key topics:
▶ Why defense & tourism are driving geospatial growth
▶ How startups can pitch, pivot & stand out
▶ Subscription vs. project funding models
▶ Investor communication hacks
▶ Business tools for SMEs from It Is Your Game

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or strategist, this episode offers practical insights and industry foresight.

🎙️ This episode of the WGIC Horizons Podcast is part of the Project Funding and Sustainability Committee’s ongoing efforts to explore key funding trends in the geospatial sector.

🔗 Watch now: https://youtu.be/2QKLw1Az0og

#WGIC #Geospatial #HorizonsPodcast #GeospatialTech #StartupFunding #DefenseTech #GeospatialInnovation #TechInvestment #PPPs #SmartCities

2 months ago | [YT] | 0

World Geospatial Industry Council

Zaffar Sadiq Mohamed-Ghouse, Vice President & Director, Advisory & Innovation, ‪Woolpert‬ Asia-Pacific, discusses his role as Chair of WGIC’s Policy Committee. He highlights the committee’s objectives, its alignment with WGIC’s mission, and its influential policy reports. Zaffar also outlines current focus areas and shares his vision for shaping policy in a rapidly evolving geospatial landscape.

Access WGIC policy reports: wgicouncil.org/publication/#policy

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 0

World Geospatial Industry Council

💬 “The support we provide for spatial is powerful and rich enough to handle both simple location-enabled services and more sophisticated GIS and traditional spatial applications. We also provide specialized machine learning algorithms that incorporate spatial context along with AI. By combining these two, we can improve model quality and, in turn, enhance prediction accuracy,” said Siva Ravada, Vice President of Development at Oracle.

🎙️ In this podcast episode with Bhanu Rekha, Siva shares insights on:

▶ Oracle’s top geospatial products
▶ Application sectors supported by Oracle Spatial & Graph
▶ Oracle’s strategy for managing complex datasets
▶ Integrating edge computing, mixed reality, spatial computing & AI
▶ Spatial Studio: No-code tool for app developers
▶ Oracle’s role in WGIC and journey so far

Watch the full podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFlIU...

#WGIC #Oracle #Geospatial #SpatialTechnology #AI #EdgeComputing #SpatialComputing #NoCodeTools #SmartMapping #GeospatialInnovation #LocationIntelligence ‪@Oracle‬

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

World Geospatial Industry Council

💬 “We are a data processing powerhouse, with a large and highly experienced team of photogrammetrists and engineers capable of delivering 15,000 hours of geospatial capacity per month. These 15,000 hours span across mapping, ortho, LiDAR, remote sensing, GIS, and CAD. We offer the most valuable manpower, which is often lacking in our industry—having completed over 90,000 projects in a career spanning 34 years,” said Gary Neelayyagari, Vice-President of Soham Software Services.

🎙️ In this podcast episode with Bhanu Rekha, Gary shares insights on:

▶ Overview of Soham Software and its global reach
▶ Implementation of photogrammetry services
▶ Rising demand for LiDAR in modern applications
▶ GIS and remote sensing service offerings
▶ Bridging geospatial and engineering expertise
▶ Benefits of WGIC membership and collaboration

#WGIC #SohamSoftware #Geospatial #GIS #Photogrammetry #LiDAR #RemoteSensing #GeospatialInnovation #SpatialData #GeospatialServices

4 months ago | [YT] | 0

World Geospatial Industry Council

#MemberSpotlight | 💬 “Today, customers are looking for more efficient ways to share data across departments—seamlessly and in real time. At MBS, we help them make that transition by moving solutions from on-premises to the cloud, using industry best practices in data migration and enterprise architecture design tailored to their specific business needs,” said Kathleen Martin, Geospatial Services Practice Lead at Managed Business Solutions.

🎧 Tune in to the full episode here: https://youtu.be/xFcXFMIKQpQ?feature=...

#WGIC #MBS #Geospatial #GIS #EnterpriseGIS #LocationIntelligence #GeospatialSolutions #GeospatialInnovation #SpatialData

4 months ago | [YT] | 0