Happy holidays! You haven’t missed out because this is the classic review post, but I’ll end with a special offer to keep things spicy. Weird? Yeah, I know.
We’ve discussed a few key areas in geospatial this year: Markets, Tools and Openness. Some of the highlights are linked below. I have tried to round these posts into a general approach I call Modern Geospatial.
You haven’t been left behind; you’re alone because you are way out front.
Markets
Even this year, I would say the geospatial market has started to evolve despite the extreme demands of defence applications. We are seeing climate and insurance applications finding some traction. Earth observation will always be somewhat defence-oriented, but those civil, finance and climate applications open critical new markets, leading to more innovation overall. I would also argue that global logistics will become increasingly important. How many critical logistics channels have been impacted in the last three years? Whether it be stuck vessels, political turmoil, or pandemics, our global supply chains are being tested like never before. Logistics have always been a question of where and how vs cost.
→ What the SPAC: a short discussion on the state of the EO Space SPACS of 2021/2. This notes some notes on revenue generation and partner strategies.
→ Market Mirror: Consolidation options for two of the infamous EO Space SPACs
→ The Geospatial Product Trap: this phenomenon is not limited to #geospatial, but a pattern I often see. People fall in love with technology before problems.
→ Segmentation Violation: a short note on ways to carve up our geospatial market.
→ Fruit Salad: an extension of the segmentation violation note above. I got a lot more pushback on this one ;)
Openness
For no good reason there has been a schism in geospatial between the “open” community and the “proprietary” community. This is ludicrous and counter productive. Every company should have a strategy for openness (code, data, innovation, standards.) Every company or organization should also have a strategy for Intellectual Property or Capital. Fundamentalism on either side of this debate serves no purpose and leads to a silly operational isolationism which ends up lowering the expectations for all.
Hopefully I have made some useful observations in the articles below, highlighting the opportunity for all to embrace openness as a strategy.
→ Strategic Openness: being open is a strategic and competitive advantage. this loaded term is feared by many but should be embraced by all.
→ Data Equity: The most affected by climate changes are least able to monitor and manage those changes. This is a deep techno-inequity that both public-private partnerships and sophisticated business models can address.
→ Capabilities * Capacity = Execution: New capabilities are useless without capacity. This is true in the proliferation of new technologies in enterprise organizations and in developing countries building new organizational capabilities. This is also referenced in Modern Geospatial when we talk about innovation curves.
Tools
Not technical but mental tools, we’ve expanded on our repertoire of models this year. In essence, I have been trying to help larger organizations understand how to create innovative cultures. It is relatively easy for a small company to create and evaluate ideas. But in larger organizations this becomes much harder. These three articles are designed to help those in larger teams create and share ideas.
One key idea is that what is innovative in cone company may not be innovative in another. For change management we need to meet organizations where they are with empathy and an open mind.
In the end innovation and change is hard. While ideas are important the most important ingredient for change is leadership. At some point in a transformation process, the hard work of change needs to be committed to and led. Are you willing to step into that arena?
→ Future History: Write your future history. Write the press release you want to publish next year. Spend some time thinking through the long view and skate to where the puck will be (I live in Canada, so I’m allowed to use that reference).
→ Organizational Focal Length: Companies need to be able to zoom in and out quickly. This becomes harder the bigger the team gets.
→ Finding Strategic Innovation: How to have good ideas, the. execute on them.
North51
One of the best tools for new idea creation is to expose yourself to new concepts from a diverse range of thinkers and leaders. North51 is an event Sparkgeo co-hosts with Gno-Sys in the Canadian Rockies. This is overtly NOT a sales event. That’s not to say that we don’t talk about business or models, just that this event is not designed for sales people to sell. There are very few banners, hardly any swag.
This is an event for ideas and thought leaders. If you want to be challenged and taken to new places by market leaders, then join us. If you want to broaden your network of geospatial innovators in a beautiful location, come and join us.
While its still 2023, its still early bird pricing → https://www.n51.ca/tickets
This event is in Canmore in April, so pack your skis and bring your family. If you love backcountry skiing and you like that picture at the top of this post, ask me about the Executive Dirt Bag Offsite.
Happy Holidays, all!