DUBAI, 23rd October, 2026 (WAM) — DIFC Innovation Hub and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), today announced significant progress in the Geospatial Accelerator, the inaugural programme under the Space for Earth Labs platform, marked by the selection of several international scale-ups.
The platform has been established by DIFC Innovation Hub in partnership with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) and Relm Insurance to connect space and Earth Observation (EO) technologies with artificial intelligence, commercial expertise and industry demand. It will strengthen the space sector’s contribution to the national economy and supports the objectives of the National Space Strategy 2030, positioning Dubai at the forefront of the converging space and AI economy.
Based at the DIFC Innovation Hub, Space for Earth Labs provides a single point of entry for companies seeking to apply space-derived data to commercial and public-sector challenges. The Geospatial Accelerator, was launched at the Dubai Airshow in November 2025. The programme attracted 73 applications from 24 countries of which 63 were assessed as valid and 45 progressed to interview.
This led to the selection of ten scale-ups including AtlasAI, FlyPix AI, Geospatial Insight, GHGSat, Latitudo40, Little Place Labs, SatSure, SparkGeo, Stellaria and V-Nova. These firms will now be matched to three UAE public sector organisations: FADA (part of EDGE Group), Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure – National Maritime Centre (NMC) and The Dubai Civil Defence General Command, along with two private sector organisations: Buro Happold (a professional services firm), and Liva Insurance, part of Liva Group. Together, they will develop proof-of-concept pilots (PoCs) across maritime and infrastructure, insurance and risk, the built environment, public safety, and geospatial intelligence.
Each use case pairs a scale‑up with a real operational challenge faced by a UAE entity, translating space and AI innovation into applied solutions across maritime safety, insurance, the built environment, and public safety.
Through the Geospatial Accelerator and Space for Earth Labs, Dubai is building the marketplace that connects frontier space and AI technologies with institutional customers and serious investors. At present, Earth Observation (EO) contributes an estimated USD 440bn to global GDP while the broader AI-in-geospatial market is forecast to grow at 19.5 per cent annually through 2028. Major technology companies have also dedicated capital to AI-enabled environmental applications, including AWS, Google, Microsoft and Nvidia.
Mohammad Alblooshi, Chief Executive Officer at the DIFC Innovation Hub, said: “The Geospatial Accelerator demonstrates how Dubai can turn frontier technology into economic opportunity by bringing together space, artificial intelligence, finance and industry around real-world challenges. DIFC established this initiative because our role extends beyond financial services: we are building the platforms, partnerships and investment ecosystem that enable emerging technologies to move from innovation and proof-of-concept to commercial scale, whilst supporting the innovation objectives of the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33).”
Saeed AlMansoori, Director of the Remote Sensing Department, MBRSC, said: “Through the Geospatial Accelerator, MBRSC is helping create a direct pathway to translate Earth Observation data into actionable insights that address real operational priorities across the UAE. By working closely with government and industry partners, we are expanding the practical use of space-derived data across sectors, demonstrating its wider value and supporting the objectives of the UAE National Space Strategy 2030.”
Joseph Ziolkowski, CEO and Founder, Relm Insurance, said: “The value of this programme is that it connects space and AI companies to real operational problems, where innovation ultimately has to earn the trust of the institutions adopting it. Insurance can be a powerful enabler of that trust. As these technologies move from proof of concept into real-world deployment, they need an insurance partner willing to understand the technology, the use case, and the evolving risks, while also being flexible enough to build coverage around them. Relm’s role is to provide that support, giving innovators and their customers greater confidence to test, adopt, and ultimately scale solutions that can have meaningful real-world impact.”
As a real outcome-driven platform dedicated to SpaceTech scale-ups, the initiative advances the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) which aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy over the next decade and consolidate its position among the top three global cities.
Selected scale-ups will present their proof-of-concept solutions at the Dubai AI Festival in October 2026 further amplifying the programme’s innovations to a global audience including top venture capitalists, enterprises, government agencies and ministries.
Source: Emirates News Agency