Neo Space Group Launches Kingdom’s First Earth Observation Data Marketplace

📷SPA

Riyadh, August 6, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Neo Space Group (NSG), a company fully owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced the launch of the Earth Observation (EO) Marketplace, the Kingdom’s first dedicated EO data platform, developed in partnership with UP42.

According to a statement issued by NSG, the platform is designed to meet growing national and international demand for advanced EO and geospatial data solutions. The EO Marketplace will connect Earth observation data providers with value-added service providers, offering geospatial analytics and data processing capabilities.

The marketplace aims to serve government agencies, Saudi companies, and international users, offering access to high-resolution satellite imagery and EO products. Positioned as a one-stop shop, the platform is intended to support developers and service providers with simplified access to digital EO infrastructure.

The platform is expected to support critical applications across several key sectors, including environmental monitoring, infrastructure, energy, real estate, mining, transportation, logistics, and agriculture. The launch is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives, supporting digital transformation and innovation within the Kingdom’s space and technology sectors.

The initiative follows NSG’s acquisition of Berlin-based UP42 GmbH from Airbus, initially announced in December 2024. UP42 operates as a next-generation cloud-based platform for accessing and analyzing EO data.

Neo Space Group CEO Martijn Blanken said, “The launch of the EO Marketplace reflects the Kingdom’s remarkable trajectory of growth and the increasing demand for EO data. Today, more than ever, EO data plays a pivotal role in supporting Saudi Arabia’s transformational Vision 2030 — from infrastructure development and urban expansion to optimized resource management.”

Blanken added that the platform would serve as both a marketplace and decision-making tool for the Kingdom’s vast geography, which spans over 2.15 million square kilometers.

Frank Salzgeber, Acting Deputy Governor for the Space Sector at the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST), said the EO supply chain is entering a key transformation phase, as artificial intelligence begins to intersect with space data. “The market is now at a perfect inflection point,” he noted.

Salzgeber added that the platform is expected to enhance national capabilities and accelerate the adoption of space technologies in Saudi Arabia, in line with national objectives for regulatory compliance, innovation, and infrastructure development.

NSG also acknowledged the support of CST, noting its role in licensing, enabling, and aligning the platform with strategic national priorities.