Mapping the world's forests from space is possible thanks to Edinburgh firm - now it's expanding

An Edinburgh-based satellite mapping specialist is raising millions of pounds in funding as it looks to address the “dual climate and biodiversity crises”.

Space Intelligence, which provides nature mapping data and insights derived from satellite imaging, is furthering its mission of ending deforestation and enabling mass restoration of trees. It has already produced maps across more than 600 million hectares of land in seven countries, and aims to be covering some 35 countries by early 2025.

The company, which was co-founded by scientists with 40 years of experience and research in remote sensing and now employs more than 50 people in Edinburgh, has raised series A funding with the round led by new investors AzurX Space Ventures (ASV) with participation from Intercontinental Exchange. It will be completed in two tranches of share allocation. The expectation is that the total fundraising will be in the region of $7 million (£5.4m).

Murray Collins is one of the founders of Edinburgh's Space Intelligence. Picture: Andrea Thomson Photography

The fresh funding will be used to expand Space Intelligence’s library of mapping data and insights on global forest cover and will support the development and financing of forest carbon projects, as well as nature impact monitoring across corporate supply chains.

Co-founder and chief executive Murray Collins said: “To address the dual climate and biodiversity crises, it’s critical that investment in forest conservation and restoration scales through mechanisms such as the carbon markets and that rigorous compliance with rapidly emerging legislation like the EU Deforestation Regulation is ensured.

“Stakeholders across these initiatives need accurate, independent data on land and forest cover that they can trust. While satellite data is now abundant, there is a significant lack of accurate insights consistently available across space and time that enable confident decision-making and reporting. We’ve built an audit-grade dataset by taking a science-led approach to mapping the world’s forests, and this funding will help us accelerate the production of datasets across more regions and time periods,” added Collins, who founded the venture alongside Ed Mitchard.

Anna Hazlett, co-founder and chief executive of ASV, a UAE-based space and technology investor, said: “Investing in space-based technologies, particularly through innovative companies like Space Intelligence, is essential for harnessing the full potential of satellite data in addressing global environmental challenges. As space domain experts, we recognise the critical role these technologies play in driving sustainable development and providing high-accuracy insights for resource management and climate change mitigation.”

ASV is the venture arm of AzurX, a key player in the Middle East’s private space and satellite professional services sector. Founded by “space champion” Hazlett, AzurX collaborates with cutting-edge space companies, providing high-tech access and support for commercial and government space enterprises.

A spokesman for Space Intelligence said the accuracy of nature mapping was critical, adding: “To scale nature financing to the level needed, stakeholders need to have confidence in the data that underpins claims and compliance. The challenge is that there is a large spectrum of accuracy and reliability of geospatially-derived nature insights in the market, with risks that impact is being misstated.”

What is deforestation? Deforestation causes, why it's bad and links to climate change and global warming