Building Earth Observation Ecosystem in Vienna, Austria: Connecting People, Data and Innovation
2 July 2026
Creating sustainable cities requires more than innovative technologies, it requires strong collaboration between public administration, research institutions, businesses and solution providers.
Funded by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), the Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure (BMIMI), the City of Vienna and operated by UIV Urban Innovation Vienna, the Vienna Geospace Hub is Austria’s innovation lab dedicated to fostering the use of geospatial and satellite data. Its mission is to accelerate urban development by connecting stakeholders and supporting the development of practical Earth observation (EO) applications for cities and regions, making satellite and geospatial data more accessible and applicable to real-world urban challenges.
The Vienna Geospace Hub has launched initiatives to strengthen the EO community and promote collaboration across sectors (e.g. urban development, infrastructure, energy). One of the milestones was the Vienna Geospace Hub Community Kick-off in April 2026, bringing together around 80 participants from SMEs, research organizations, technology providers and public institutions. Beyond organising events, the Vienna Geospace Hub as part of the FIERCE project Ecosystem Building Programme, continuously works to strengthen the ecosystem through networking, knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Current activities include:
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expanding the Community of Practice to foster collaboration around Earth Observation solutions that support sustainable and climate-resilient urban development and the green and digital transformation of cities,
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identifying user needs through direct engagement with cities and developing new innovation projects based on real urban challenges,
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showcasing partner organisations, SMEs, researchers and technology providers to strengthen the local innovation community and increase visibility.
