Geospatial FM

Lucy Kennedy, co-founder and CEO of Spottitt (https://spottitt.com/), starts by observing that, every year, £260B of avoidable damage and disruption happens to the UK's utility systems. Things like water, sewage, power and fibre networks. This is £2,000 for every kilometre of linear infrastructure in the country. This episode is a story of entrepreneurship helping utilities to reduce these losses. Spottitt does this with a service that essentially enables satellites to write directly to a utility company condition monitoring database. Generally speaking, each utility operates an enterprise asset management system (EAMS). It is an exhaustive record of every powerline span, every pipe segment, every cable. As far as relational databases go, these are amongst the largest and most complex in any country. Against each element of, say, a gas utility network, the organisation will record details in the EAMS. Examples include when it was first installed and by whom, plus nature of the asset like grade of steel and pipeline diameter. Damage reports and repairs are also recorded. The entire life of a pipeline segment is stored here, including details of periodic condition inspections.This is where Spottitt can save these companies money. A constellation of earth observation satellites covering the whole country day and night can powerfully augment a utility’s condition assessment teams on the ground. There are only so many kilometres of rail that a condition assessment crew gets to in a day. Leveraging a camera from space can help them, but it is not easy. Satellite imagery is hard to get, and harder to analyse. Very few people know how. Spottitt’s service removes the complications that utilities face with data from cameras in space. An example is their new SaaS offering, Spottitt Metrics Factory. In essence, this allows satellites to write things like condition assessments directly to the Enterprise Asset Management System of a utility. In the past, such updates required an expensive team of remote sensing analysts. Now it is a devops pipeline, for pipelines.Finally, Lucy proposes to hire a product manager as part of Spottitt’s next round of expansion. You can study this: Fundamentals of Product Management at Stanford Continuing Studies (https://continuingstudies.stanford.edu/courses/professional-and-personal-development/fundamentals-of-product-management/20233_BUS-62-W). This video demonstrates the capabilities that the course gives students: https://youtu.be/v2ShyibwTMk.So that’s enough summarising. Listen up as Lucy walks us through how to be a successful geospatial entrepreneur or, perhaps more importantly, how it depends on hunger. THE GEOSPATIAL INDEXThe Geospatial Index is a comprehensive listing of all publicly traded geospatial businesses worldwide. Why? The industry is growing at ~10% annually. For only $58,000 to start, this growth rate is $5,000,000 over a working life.This channel, Bluesky account, newsletter, watchlist and podcast express the view that you are serious about geospatial if you take the view of an investor, venture capitalist or entrepreneur.You are expected to do your own research. This is not a replacement for that. This is not investment advice. Consider it entertainment.NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYERNOT YOUR FIDUCIARYNOT INVESTMENT ADVICEBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/geospatialindex.bsky.socialWatchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/123255821/Newsletter: https://www.geospatial.money/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gpQUsaWxEBpYCnypEdHFC

I summarise some stats and emerging stories from running The Geospatial Index for a year.Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geospatialindexWatchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/123255821/Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/london-mapup/Newsletter: https://www.geospatial.money/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5gpQUsaWxEBpYCnypEdHFC

Mobeen Hanid is a GIS Manager in the UK. He’s been in the profession since 2017 and fields my questions after interviewing me in the previous episode. He mentioned an amazing shipping map: https://www.shipmap.org/. Really recommend playing the video there, some great demonstrations of the power of maps.THE GEOSPATIAL INDEXThe Geospatial Index is a comprehensive listing of all publicly traded geospatial businesses worldwide. Why? The industry is growing at ~13.8% annually. For only $11,600 to start, this growth rate is $5,000,000 over a working life.This channel, Threads account, newsletter, watchlist and podcast express the view that you are serious about geospatial if you take the view of an investor, venture capitalist or entrepreneur.You are expected to do your own research. This is not a replacement for that. This is not investment advice. Consider it entertainment.Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geospatialindexWatchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/19805134/ Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/geospatialindex Newsletter: ⁠https://www.geospatial.money/Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/london-mapup/NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYERNOT YOUR FIDUCIARYNOT INVESTMENT ADVICE

Mobeen Hanid interviewed me. We talked about a number of items:Excel limited the number of COVID patients recorded in the UK at one point by 16,000: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54423988Globaia.org by Felix Pharand: https://globaia.org/anthropocene.

Terra Vision, a German precursor to Google Earth: https://www.dw.com/en/the-billion-dollar-code-the-battle-over-google-earth/a-59433376The incredible documentary on the origin story of geographic information systems, Data for Decision: https://www.nfb.ca/film/data_for_decision/. We can now read brainwaves to recreate music someone hears! https://www.science.org/content/article/hear-classic-pink-floyd-song-reconstructed-listeners-brain-wavesYes, we concluded that the future of GIS is to create The Matrix, for real: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/. I mentioned the investing course I studied: http://www.kennethjeffreymarshall.com/During my summary of working in The Middle East I talked about dehumanisation: https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115045.I also covered how Al Gore flagged an interest in what would later become Google Earth way back in 1998: https://blogs.agu.org/geoedtrek/2011/01/06/did-al-gore-invent-google-earth/THE GEOSPATIAL INDEXThe Geospatial Index is a comprehensive listing of all publicly traded geospatial businesses worldwide. Why? The industry is growing at ~13.8% annually. For only $11,600 to start, this growth rate is $5,000,000 over a working life.This channel, Threads account, newsletter, watchlist and podcast express the view that you are serious about geospatial if you take the view of an investor, venture capitalist or entrepreneur.You are expected to do your own research. This is not a replacement for that. This is not investment advice. Consider it entertainment.Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geospatialindexWatchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/19805134/ Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/geospatialindex Newsletter: ⁠https://www.geospatial.money/Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/london-mapup/NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYERNOT YOUR FIDUCIARYNOT INVESTMENT ADVICE

Kate gives us a whirlwind tour of Speckle (https://speckle.systems/). This is how the architecture, engineering and construction industries will finally leave proprietary file lock ins behind and get on with producing the modern world using an approach to collaboration that, finally, properly utilises the internet. Find community at https://speckle.community/.

THE GEOSPATIAL INDEX

The Geospatial Index is a comprehensive listing of all publicly traded geospatial businesses worldwide. Why? The industry is growing at ~13.8% annually. For only $11,600 to start, this growth rate is $5,000,000 over a working life. This channel, Threads account, blog, watchlist and podcast express the view that you are serious about geospatial if you take the view of an investor, venture capitalist or entrepreneur. You are expected to do your own research.

This is not a replacement for that. This is not investment advice. Consider it entertainment.

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geospatialindex
Watchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/19805134/
Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/geospatialindex
Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/london-mapup/
Blog: ⁠https://www.geospatial.money/

NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYER
NOT YOUR FIDUCIARY
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Gabe Dominocielo is Chief Strategy Officer at Umbra Space, a synthetic aperture radar company: https://umbra.space/. He invited us to look at their open data programme: https://umbra.space/open-data. boxMica is a company using their data for analysis: https://boxmica.com/. It was a wide ranging discussion, Gabe was very generous with his time and insight. It was a privilege to interview him. THE GEOSPATIAL INDEXThe Geospatial Index is a comprehensive listing of all publicly traded geospatial businesses worldwide. Why? The industry is growing at ~13.8% annually. For only $11,600 to start, this growth rate is $5,000,000 over a working life.This channel, Twitter account, blog, watchlist and podcast express the view that you are serious about geospatial if you take the view of an investor, venture capitalist or entrepreneur.You are expected to do your own research. This is not a replacement for that. This is not investment advice. Consider it entertainment.Threads: https://www.threads.net/@geospatialindexWatchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/19805134/ Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/geospatialindex Blog: ⁠https://www.geospatial.money/Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/london-mapup/NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYERNOT YOUR FIDUCIARYNOT INVESTMENT ADVICE

Caitlin Swalec gives us a whirlwind tour of various trackers maintained by Global Energy Monitor (GEM, https://globalenergymonitor.org/). GEM has a series of public, open-source datasets on different parts of our energy system and heavy industry sectors (focused on iron and steel currently). Caitlin manages their Heavy Industry Program. Each Tracker includes an interactive map, summary statistics, dashboards, and comprehensive database of assets for that particular sector/technology. Wil chimes in with some local context from his involvement in an Australian coal seam gas project and working nearby a steel plant in Whyalla, South Australia. An incredibly exciting and rich conversation about a topic important to human survival - sites of greenhouse gas emissions.

A plug for Felix Pharand, creator of my amazing background image in this episode: https://globaia.org/anthropocene.

THE GEOSPATIAL INDEX

The Geospatial Index is a comprehensive listing of all publicly traded geospatial businesses worldwide. Why? The industry is growing at ~13.8% annually. For only $11,600 to start, this growth rate is $5,000,000 over a working life.

This channel, Twitter account, blog, watchlist and podcast express the view that you are serious about geospatial if you take the view of an investor, venture capitalist or entrepreneur.You are expected to do your own research. This is not a replacement for that. This is not investment advice. Consider it entertainment.

Threads: ⁠https://www.threads.net/@geospatialindexWatchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/19805134/ Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/geospatialindex Blog: ⁠https://www.geospatial.money/Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/london-mapup/

NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYERNOT YOUR FIDUCIARYNOT INVESTMENT ADVICE

Synmax is the second geospatial company from legendary energy trader Bill Perkins that I have profiled (the first was app.skyfi.com). Finally I can say we have gotten into spatial finance. Eric Anderson CFA, their CTO, was a very stimulating guest. I especially appreciated his willingness to cover the philosophical side of the AI question towards the end. Eric also had fantastic advice for an apprentice for the final question.

Overall I feel incredibly proud to have gotten to this point with the podcast. I have had a very strong interest in spatial finance since the field emerged a couple of years ago, but always felt the academic version of it was deficient. Yes, environmental implications of finance are important, but I don't see a reason not to simply call this Environmental Finance. So, Synmax is real spatial finance - using remote sensing and spatial analysis to gain a trading edge. What made it all the more meaningful to me was to have this interview with a chartered financial analyst. This is someone who has survived an exam with a 30% pass rate.

More about Bill Perkins: https://spearswms.com/wealth/natural-gas-trader-bill-perkins/. He runs Skylar Capital: https://skylarcapitalmanagement.com/. Eric mentioned Synmax is in the process of acquiring Gas Vista: https://gasvista.com/. They have a nice map animation of ships they track: https://leviaton.com/login/?next=/, a function Eric said Synmax will integrate into their offering.

Where to next? Well, Gabe gave me a SAR image of London in the last episode. Unfortunately it wasn't autographed by Joe Morrison, maybe Luke Fischer didn't ask for one on my behalf after all (check the Skyfi interview for the reference!) But I feel something is building here if I do my homework.

THE GEOSPATIAL INDEX

The Geospatial Index is a comprehensive listing of all publicly traded geospatial businesses worldwide. Why? The industry is growing at ~13.8% annually. For only $11,600 to start, this growth rate is $5,000,000 over a working life.

This channel, Twitter account, blog, watchlist and podcast express the view that you are serious about geospatial if you take the view of an investor, venture capitalist or entrepreneur.

You are expected to do your own research. This is not a replacement for that. This is not investment advice. Consider it entertainment.

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/geospatialindex⁠ Watchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/19805134/ Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/geospatialindex Blog: ⁠https://www.geospatial.money/Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/london-mapup/

NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYERNOT YOUR FIDUCIARYNOT INVESTMENT ADVICE

NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYER

NOT YOUR FIDUCIARY

NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE

There are two major infrastructure investment themes the West today. Fibre to the premises and power network upgrades in response to renewables. The company in this episode offers a software solution that is growing in popularity for those delivering on this infrastructure. Steve Tongish, Chief Marketing Officer of IQGeo, takes us through the dynamics of this business. More on the company: https://www.iqgeo.com.

THE GEOSPATIAL INDEX

The Geospatial Index is a comprehensive listing of all publicly traded geospatial businesses worldwide. Why? The industry is growing at ~13.8% annually. For only $11,600 to start, this growth rate is $5,000,000 over a working life.

This channel, Twitter account, blog, watchlist and podcast express the view that you are serious about geospatial if you take the view of an investor, venture capitalist or entrepreneur.

You are expected to do your own research. This is not a replacement for that. This is not investment advice. Consider it entertainment.

Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/geospatialindex⁠

Watchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/19805134

Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/geospatialindex

Blog: ⁠https://www.geospatial.money

Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/london-mapup

NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYER

NOT YOUR FIDUCIARY

NOT INVESTMENT ADVICE

Luke Fischer, CEO of Skyfi, promises to add a new function to the platform where you can request an Umbra SAR image autographed by Joe Morrison.THE GEOSPATIAL INDEXThe Geospatial Index is a comprehensive listing of all publicly traded geospatial businesses worldwide. Why? The industry is growing at ~13.8% annually. For only $11,600 to start, this growth rate is $5,000,000 over a working life.This channel, Twitter account, blog, watchlist and podcast express the view that you are serious about geospatial if you take the view of an investor, venture capitalist or entrepreneur.You are expected to do your own research. This is not a replacement for that. This is not investment advice. Consider it entertainment.Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/geospatialindex⁠ Watchlist: ⁠https://www.tradingview.com/watchlists/19805134/ Podcast: ⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/geospatialindex Blog: ⁠https://www.geospatial.money/Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/london-mapup/NOT THE OPINION OF MY EMPLOYERNOT YOUR FIDUCIARYNOT INVESTMENT ADVICE