Latest news with #geospatial
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Woolpert Named to $250M NOAA Contract Supporting National Shoreline Mapping Efforts
The firm will provide a range of geospatial services to support nautical charts, maritime navigation, coastal resource management, and the definition of territorial boundaries. DAYTON, Ohio, June 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Woolpert has been selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide shoreline mapping services under a $250 million, multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract supporting the National Geodetic Survey and its Coastal Mapping Program. Surveying approximately 95,000 miles of United States coastline, the Coastal Mapping Program's mission is to produce a seamless, digital database of accurate and consistent national shoreline data to be used for nautical charting, maritime navigation, coastal resource management, and defining territorial boundaries. Under this contract, Woolpert will deliver a range of geospatial services, including: 'The work being done under this contract is critical to ensuring the accuracy of U.S. shoreline data, which supports everything from safe navigation to disaster response,' Woolpert Government Solutions Market Director Jeff Lovin said. 'We're proud to continue our longstanding partnership with NOAA and the National Geodetic Survey and contribute to this vital work that safeguards coastal communities and supports national resilience.' The contract is underway. About Woolpert Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, and geospatial (AEG) firm with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private, and government clients worldwide. Woolpert is a Global Top 100 Geospatial Company, a Top 50 ENR Global Design firm, and has earned eight Great Place to Work certifications. Founded in 1911 in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert has been America's fastest-growing AEG firm since 2015. Woolpert has nearly 3,000 employees and more than 75 offices on five continents. For more, visit Media Contact Lynn Rossi 312-837-2017 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Woolpert
Entrepreneur
13-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
PhonePe Sells 5% Stake in MapmyIndia for INR 486 Crore
The move triggered an immediate reaction in the markets, with MapmyIndia's stock falling 9.39 per cent to close at INR 1,768.75 on the BSE on Friday You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Digital payments giant PhonePe has sold a 5 per cent stake in geospatial technology company MapmyIndia, netting INR 486.03 crore through an open market transaction. The sale, as per BSE data, saw PhonePe offload 27.21 lakh shares of CE Info Systems, MapmyIndia's parent, at INR 1,786.22 per share, reducing its total stake from 18.74 per cent to 13.74 per cent. The move triggered an immediate reaction in the markets, with MapmyIndia's stock falling 9.39 per cent to close at INR 1,768.75 on BSE on Friday, as reported by Inc42. Despite the dip, the stake was quickly picked up, with more than 12.88 lakh shares acquired by three major mutual funds—Motilal Oswal, ICICI Prudential, and Tata Mutual Fund—at INR 1,785 per share. Motilal Oswal and ICICI Prudential each picked up 4.2 lakh shares, investing a total of INR 150 crore, while Tata Mutual Fund bought 4.48 lakh shares for nearly INR 80 crore. The company works closely with government agencies and private enterprises to deliver location intelligence solutions, including digital twin technology—virtual replicas of real-world environments used for planning and crisis response. The divestment comes during a period of internal transition at MapmyIndia. On April 1, Rohan Verma stepped down as CEO to lead the company's subsidiaries Mappls DT (formerly Vidteq) and Gtropy, both focused on emerging areas like digital twins, defence technology, and GPS-based fleet analytics. These units are expected to play a central role in the company's next phase of growth. Despite recent shifts in leadership and ownership, the company's financial performance has remained strong. For Q4 of FY25, MapmyIndia reported a 28 per cent year-on-year increase in net profit to INR 49 crore and a 34 per cent rise in operating revenue to INR 143.6 crore. Full-year results showed a 10 per cent jump in net profit to INR 147.6 crore and a 22 per cent growth in operating revenue, reaching INR 463.3 crore.
RNZ News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Fast track or slow track? The data problem that could hurt development
"I think inevitably the lack of information does mean a slow track," Simon Upton says. Photo: VNP/Louis Collins The government's fast track for building big infrastructure will be a slow track if New Zealand does not get its head around its hotchpotch of datasets about what is all around us. This warning about "globs" of siloed data hurting development is coming from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. It follows years of failed attempts to unlock billions of dollars of growth from getting a better grasp on everything geospatial - that is, what is in the physical environment and how it interacts. "It's a place-based thing", said commissioner Simon Upton. "If you want to know about where you're going to farm something or where you're going to build something, you need to put together a whole lot of place-spaced or geospatial information, and that's currently held in all sorts of dispersed places." The three-decade struggle with the Resource Management Act had showed up what was at stake. But though this law was in for another overhaul, the key data piece was still missing. "The reason I think that the current moment really is a critical, is that this government is the second government in a row that's trying to completely upend the resource management system and do it all differently." The gap would bog down the government's controversial fast-tracking of big projects, Upton said. "From what I can see, the fast-track process still requires people to pull all the information together and so the panels that are looking at this, they're going to have to give people the time to pull that together and then analyse it. "I think inevitably the lack of information does mean a slow track. "The time has come when we need to be able to 'federate' or pull together that dispersed information so that people can make good decisions." His new report lists a whole raft of shortcomings in the geospatial system: It was "plagued" by duplication, overlaps and significant gaps, was poorly accessible, lacked leadership and was dispersed across scores of councils, agencies, catchment groups and other community bodies. "Without robust environmental information we won't be able to judge if costly actions and mitigations undertaken are making a difference," the 19-page report said. Upton has campaigned for a joined-up - or "federated" - system for years. In a 2022 report, he pointed out how the info gaps around land use, and water quality and use - at many of the 1500 water monitoring sites, for example, only a few types of measurements were made. "Compared with surface water, groundwater is even less well understood." In the marine ecosystem, "luck has driven much of what we know. For example, the early discovery of large submarine volcanoes in the Kermadec Arc, north of New Zealand, was largely the result of serendipitous mapping". The country has tried to get serious about geospatial before, with little to show for it. Over 15 years ago, the first national geospatial review said a massive jigsaw of joined-up datasets constantly being added to, would be worth billions to the economy. So the government set up a geospatial office, its job was to set up the technology, policies, standards and human resources for networks of "open, accessible and interoperable" data. But by 2014, the office (NZGO) was writing a 40-page report about the bureaucratic indifference and fragmentation that had derailed attempts to set up a Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) framework by 2014. RNZ got the report under the OIA. "Despite a review and reset in July 2013, low attendance and low engagement in ... governance groups was ongoing and meetings were frequently cancelled," Land Information NZ told RNZ in an OIA response to questions about the fate of a system that was promised to deliver billions in benefits. The geospatial effort dragged its feet for a host of reasons. "Organisations tended to participate in the national SDI for their own ends rather than because Cabinet has directed them to, or to deliver a public good", agencies "didn't have the resources to participate if they didn't get direct benefit"; or they found it "difficult to understand let alone explain to others" so could not get a budget for it. It did not help that it lacked "identifiable measures towards a defined 'end game'". By 2017 the NZGO "was effectively disestablished". The geospatial strategy still exists, but orphaned and without a champion, multiple geospatial industry players told RNZ. Simon Upton put his shoulder to the uphill push years after this drawn-out (2006-17) and failed attempt - he was not in the country at the time it was going on. "But I'd make this observation," Upton said. "This is not sexy stuff. This is scarcely a vote-winning territory, talking about data. "It is not something that is likely to enliven government officials or politicians. "This is really the the engine room stuff." But the government wanted to do spatial planning, so a big job was there to be done, he said. "If you want to do it differently and do it successfully, you are going to need much better information."
Zawya
05-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
The missed opportunity of not embracing geospatial science in trade area analysis
In the information-rich age we live in, answers to location-based questions have never been more available – and crucial – to a business's success. Yet, many of South Africa's franchises and retailers continue to rely on gut feel or high-level aggregated sales data to guide their decisions on where to open stores and how to optimise their networks. Unfortunately, this approach often leads to lost sales, costly real estate mistakes, and missed opportunities for growth, writes Rochelle Mountany, CEO of AfriGIS. The need for geospatial analysis in trade area decisions is clearer than ever. It's not just about where your next physical location should be – it's about understanding how each potential site fits into a broader network of customer behaviours, traffic patterns, and market dynamics. The problem is, many businesses still overlook geospatial science as a key component of their growth and development strategy. By failing to leverage this tool, they're missing a massive opportunity to optimise their operations and customer experience. Look no further than South Africa's shifting retail landscape. Dozens of stores across the country have recently closed. These closures often stem from a combination of factors, including safety issues and inconsistent municipal services. Frequent load shedding, poor road maintenance, and surging crime rates are making certain neighbourhoods unviable for stores that rely on stability and consistent customer flow. In addition to these environmental challenges, strategic missteps such as failing to correctly identify the customer segment a store is intended to serve have also contributed to closures. These misjudgements highlight the critical importance of understanding not just where customers are today, but where they will be in the future, and how their behaviours and preferences are shaped by their surroundings. Why geospatial analysis matters Trade area analysis is more than just about finding a good location for a new store. It applies to any service-based organisation, whether it's a retail chain, a fast food outlet, or a government department. In fact, public services like health clinics face similar challenges to retail networks when it comes to site planning. For instance, the South African government mandates that health clinics be located within a certain travel radius for underserved communities. Yet, often these clinics are located without any real data-backed understanding of future growth patterns, leading to inefficiencies and gaps in service. In retail, this issue manifests when businesses make location decisions based on outdated assumptions or once-off studies. Planning a store or service location based on static data means you're reacting to the current environment, not anticipating the market's evolution. This is where geospatial science offers real value – through predictive insights that allow businesses to not just react, but anticipate where future opportunities will emerge. The predictive power of geospatial science At the core of effective trade area analysis is the ability to model, forecast, and predict future trends. Without integrating geospatial data, businesses are essentially guessing about where future growth will occur. In the retail world, this means failing to plan for shifts in demographics, consumer behaviour, or commercial development in areas that may seem underserved today but will see population or income growth in the coming years. Geospatial science goes beyond static location analysis. It takes into account factors like local property trends, housing development, consumer behaviour, and competitor movements to create dynamic, adaptable models. By overlaying these data points on a map, businesses can identify high-potential locations that align with their strategic goals. This predictive ability can make the difference between opening a store in a saturated area or identifying an emerging market that could yield higher returns over time. A systematic, live system for smarter decision-making The problem with traditional trade area analysis is that it is often treated as a one-off study – conducted for a few months, analysed, and then shelved for years. In contrast, geospatial science, the likes of which is offered by AfriGIS, provides a systematic, live approach to location planning. With a geospatial analysis platform, businesses can continuously monitor and recalibrate their network strategies, ensuring that their decisions are always based on up-to-date data. This kind of approach doesn't just offer efficiency – it's a game changer for resource allocation. For example, if a flagship store isn't performing as expected, businesses can pivot. By understanding the real-time data through a geospatial lens, companies can reposition resources, potentially converting a flagship store into a mid-tier location and identifying the right place for a true flagship site. By making geospatial analysis a part of your ongoing strategy, businesses can make constant course corrections, rather than waiting five years to realise their initial assumptions were flawed. This proactive, data-driven approach helps ensure that your capital expenditures are allocated where they'll yield the best results. The cost of missing the geospatial edge When it comes to large-scale expansions – whether it's opening hundreds or thousands of new stores – geospatial science is no longer optional. It's an essential tool for ensuring that businesses make the right location decisions. Without accurate, predictive modelling, the investment required to roll out new stores or facilities becomes a huge gamble. A business that attempts to plan for such growth with spreadsheets or basic market research is setting itself up for failure. Geospatial science offers a level of insight and precision that cannot be achieved through traditional methods. It incorporates real-time data, predictive models, and customer behaviour patterns to provide a comprehensive, dynamic view of the market landscape. This is a massive competitive advantage, especially in sectors like retail and services, where location is everything. A more efficient, cost-effective way forward While implementing geospatial analysis may initially seem like a costly or complex undertaking, the truth is that it offers an incredibly cost-effective solution in the long run. At AfriGIS, we've designed geospatial platforms that allow businesses to tap into rich, updated datasets without needing to invest in specialised in-house teams of geospatial scientists. By sourcing, cleaning, and spatially enabling datasets, we give businesses the tools they need to make smarter, data-driven decisions without the need for ongoing, expensive consultancy studies. What's more, this data is continuously updated, ensuring businesses always have the latest insights at their fingertips. With a platform that integrates both current data and predictive models, businesses can confidently plan for future growth and adapt to changing market conditions without the need for costly, periodic studies. In an age where location-based decisions are critical to growth, businesses that fail to adopt geospatial science are leaving money on the table. Whether you're planning the next retail store, healthcare facility, or public service delivery point, ignoring geospatial analysis is a huge missed opportunity. The ability to predict, analyse, and continually adapt your strategy based on dynamic geospatial data isn't just a nice-to-have – it's a competitive necessity. By adopting a live, ongoing system for trade area analysis, businesses can make informed, future-proof decisions that drive growth, optimise resources, and reduce costly real estate mistakes. For companies looking to stay ahead of the curve, the time to integrate geospatial science into your planning is now.
Associated Press
04-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Maxar and Saab Agree Strategic Partnership to Develop Multi-Domain Battlespace Solutions and Advance Europe's Space-Based Capabilities
WESTMINSTER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 4, 2025-- Maxar Intelligence, the leading provider of secure, precise geospatial insights, today announced a strategic partnership with Saab to jointly develop next-generation multi-domain battlespace solutions, with a specific focus on advanced space-based C5ISR systems (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) for the digital battlefield and GPS resilience for autonomous drone systems. These solutions will help Europe accelerate the development of more advanced sovereign space-based capabilities. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Maxar Intelligence and Saab are partnering to develop next-generation battlespace solutions. Using Maxar's industry-leading geospatial intelligence products and its Raptor technology, the two partners will develop new technologies for advanced C5ISR and effective operation of autonomous drone systems in GPS-denied environments. (Graphic: Maxar Intelligence) Through a Teaming Agreement, Saab can access Maxar's geospatial intelligence and advanced mission products like Raptor, as well as draw upon the company's technical expertise. The deal expands on Maxar's existing relationship with Saab, which has most recently focused on deploying Maxar's Raptor product for autonomous drone navigation and operation in GPS-denied environments. 'This partnership will bring together Maxar's industry-leading geospatial intelligence products with Saab's highly advanced defense systems to solve some of the most complex tactical and operational challenges across the battlespace today—from powering more intelligent, real-time multi-domain command and control systems to helping autonomous systems overcome GPS jamming,' said Dan Smoot, Maxar Intelligence CEO. 'The deal also reflects the growing realization that geospatial intelligence can go beyond powering analyst workflows to powering mission-focused software products deployed at the tactical edge.' 'And, most importantly, our partnership with Saab underscores Maxar's deep commitment to supporting our international customers as they continue to build up their sovereign defense capabilities, both in Europe and across the globe,' Smoot continued. The agreement builds on successful joint testing of Maxar's Raptor software product. The technology was tested with Saab in multiple countries, including a demo in real-world conditions where the product demonstrated the ability to accurately extract ground coordinates within an accuracy of less than 2 m. 'Our collaboration with Maxar represents a significant leap forward in our commitment to use information from the Space domain and thereby enhancing the strategic defense capabilities of Europe and beyond,' says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab business area Dynamics. 'By integrating Maxar's high-end geospatial insights and satellite capabilities with our advanced defense systems, we are setting new standards in the effectiveness and reliability of military operations across multiple domains.' Maxar's geospatial intelligence products will also help Saab build more advanced C5ISR solutions through secure access to the most advanced commercial satellite imagery in near real-time. Maxar's global 3D terrain data unlocks unique opportunities for real-time multi-source data fusion, enabling truly joint multi-domain operations, seamless interoperability between autonomous systems and enhanced mission coordination. About Maxar Intelligence Maxar Intelligence is a leading provider of secure, precise geospatial insights. Operating the most advanced commercial Earth observation constellation on orbit, we use the power of very high-resolution satellite imagery and software technology to deliver mission success on Earth and in space. Our secure, AI-powered products and services deliver ground truth in near real-time to keep nations safe, improve navigation, protect our planet, speed up disaster response and more. For more information, visit View source version on CONTACT: Media Contact: Tomi Maxted Maxar Intelligence [email protected] KEYWORD: COLORADO EUROPE UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY SECURITY SATELLITE AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING SOFTWARE NETWORKS INTERNET DATA MANAGEMENT SOURCE: Maxar Intelligence Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 06/04/2025 06:30 AM/DISC: 06/04/2025 06:28 AM
