Launch event for KTN Geospatial Insights Special Interest Group

KTN has launched a new Special Interest Group (SIG) to support the geospatial community to accelerate innovation and grow the UK economy.

The SIG was formally opened at GeoBusiness 2019 on the 22nd May.  The new SIG will help stimulate cross sector innovation in the geospatial community.

Part of KTN’s growing portfolio, SIGs are community building groups with a shared interest in a particular area of scientific research or technology.

Andy Bennett, KTN‚Äôs Knowledge Transfer Manager for Space & Geospatial, who is leading the SIG, said: ‚ÄúWe live in a world increasingly powered by data; turning data into information helps us make decisions across all sectors of the economy.”

‚ÄúThis SIG is all about connecting the data holders and data processors with the people that can benefit from the insight geospatial data can provide. From the large imagery data sets provided by earth observation through to sensor data connected through the Internet of Things, the SIG will convene and connect people across sectors to help them identify and overcome their geospatial data challenges and create opportunities to drive economic growth.”

“We are at a geospatial moment in the UK.  The Geospatial Commission has been set up to lead the way and develop the UK’s national Geospatial Strategy,.  The AI and Data Grand Challenge is a key pillar of the Government’s Industrial Strategy. The geospatial community growing at an increasingly fast rate, making this SIG very timely.”

Over the next two years the KTN will be running a series of workshops to raise awareness of the insights geospatial data can bring to key sectors such as infrastructure, finance, agri-food, transport and health.

Oliver Dowden, Cabinet Office Minister for Implementation, said: “The UK is a geospatial world leader, and this initiative will help bring together the broad range of organisations using geospatial data to deliver economic growth, provide outstanding public services and generate savings for the taxpayer.”

The first activity of the SIG is a Geospatial Investment Readiness and Pitchfest Programme, run in collaboration with Geovation, and designed to support companies looking to secure investment, culminating with the opportunity to pitch direct to a number of pre-selected investors. You can join the Geospatial Insights LinkedIn Group here.

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