Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)

We Are Better Together

Our Commercial Innovation Center (CIC) is a first-of-its-kind, online development and test platform that provides a secure, virtual, open ecosystem and test sandbox for developers and researchers. We do it by harnessing the combined powers of commercial remote sensing, unclassified open datasets, cloud technologies, in a secure development ecosystem fueled by new, emerging, and seasoned tools, services and data to create solutions that keep our nation safe. The Riverside Research CIC is the place where commercial subject matter experts come together securely to collaborate and create the best commercial solutions to real world scenarios before they're integrated and deployed in the field.

Together, we win

It’s not as much fun to play in the sandbox by yourself, right? We know from experience that it’s the collective work of many people with diverse experiences and backgrounds that create the most effective solutions. By design, the CIC encourages partnerships, increases data accessibility, integrates app development, and facilitates the creation of transition-ready prototypes. Because of our unique position as a nonprofit in the defense space, we can provide the neutral environment where collaborative innovation thrives. As demonstrated on this video, capitalizing on all commercial sensors available improves our progress towards persistent observation.

Access to rich datasets

Data is the one thing that is guaranteed to continuously grow and change. Technology entrepreneurs’ success revolves around access to these data and developing improved AI and machine learning tools creating integrated and advanced applications for businesses in support of (United States Government) USG needs.

Capella Space Active RF
Capella Space Active RF
the CIC encourages partnerships, increases data accessibility, integrates app development, and facilitates the creation of transition-ready prototypes
the CIC encourages partnerships, increases data accessibility, integrates app development, and facilitates the creation of transition-ready prototypes

Advanced tools and applications

Technology innovation in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented and virtual reality present significant entrepreneurial opportunities, yet all require geospatial data for development. Early-stage entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and innovators will now have access to the large datasets that are traditionally only available to large, established industry players. Such datasets are often too costly for early-stage entrepreneurs and researchers to acquire, and even if the datasets are made available, they are often not packaged in a manner that allows innovators to work with the data—they are overwhelmingly unwieldy and non-standardized. The CIC data environment seeks to solve that problem, allowing researchers and entrepreneurs new opportunities for experimentation, testing, and training.

The CIC pairs this data with tools and services to streamline development timelines by ensuring flexible licenses are available for your R&D activities within the CIC ecosystem. As new tools and services become available, we negotiate with the vendors for early and shared access amongst our CIC participants to the latest and greatest capabilities from established vendors in the remote sensing market. This visual shows a few or our early integrators, and as new vendors are integrated, we’ll let the community know!

CIC Data Search and Discovery
CIC Data Search and Discovery

Your all-access pass

The CIC supports and enables industry, scientific, academic, and governmental R&D activities by facilitating access to commercial remote sensing data. Riverside Research integrates the hardware, software, processes, data, tools, internet accesses, demonstration capabilities, and other IT infrastructure required to execute CIC participant SIBR projects and meet R&D objectives. Our CIC offers:

  • Exposure to diverse and emerging data and data types for more data scientists
  • Increased interaction between content providers and new application developers; enables cloud-hybrid, multi-INT applications
  • Lowered entry barriers by eliminating the need for a user-developed system
  • Integrated orchestration-to-analysis workflow
  • Timely teaming, technology, and tipping
  • Accelerated access and use of commercial remote sensing solutions and innovation
Right where you want it

Right where you want it

Are you looking for a cloud-hosting environment where you can easily access commercial data for development and test—all from one place to safely develop, load, and test capabilities?

Our trusted, unclassified, virtual development platform provides access to R&D-licensed commercial remote sensing phenomenologies (e.g., EO, radar, IR, RF), connects emerging and established vendors with shared application tools and services, and facilitates GEOINT, MASINT, and Multi-INT research and development. The CIC includes:

  • An ecosystem of commercial data providers (CDPs)
  • A network of application developers
  • Common R&D data and COTS/GOTS tools (e.g., loading, discovery)
  • Common testing data (curated, tagged)
  • Robust DevOps environment
  • Hybrid cloud-ready infrastructure
  • Protected intellectual property and data rights
  • Maturing secure data fabric
CIC mission, vision & values

CIC mission, vision & values

Mission: Provide data scientists and algorithm developers with a virtual development and test platform and access to new and diverse commercial remote sensing data to develop algorithms, tools, and services.

Vision: Work in the Nation’s interest to offer proven expertise and experience in commercial remote sensing to solve problems through innovation, agility, and creative thinking.

Values: Encourage partnerships and connect emerging and established users across USG and industry with shared application tools, services, and diverse commercial constellation data.

Participant Agreements: We offer access to a secure, virtual, cloud-based ecosystem to perform R&D using existing and emerging commercial sources to develop and test algorithms, tools, and services accelerating USG objectives.

Commercial Experts: We offer our commercial experience, data scientists, and phenomenology experts to support efforts using the CIC to perform commercial utility assessments, new sensor development, synthetic data V&V, data value/usability studies, and more.

Products and Services: We offer access to CIC-based products and services such as synthetic data generation, data tagging, AI/ML V&V, data compression, data geo-registration, and more.

Work With the Commercial Innovation Center
Press Inquiries About the CIC

Commercial Innovation in the News

  • Commercial Imagery
  • Satellite Launches
  • EO-MSI
  • SAR
  • HSI
  • RF
  • SSA
Commercial Imagery
Strategic Autonomy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence - NatStrat

Dependence on algorithms is particularly problematic. When critical national functions, such as satellite imagery analysis, border control, ...

Feb 15,2026
Türkiye's President Erdoğan to visit #UAE, #Ethiopia next week Addis Abeba - Facebook

... satellite imagery analysis, suggested the facility could supply new recruits to the RSF as fighting continues in Sudan. Ethiopian authorities have ...

Feb 15,2026
3 weather systems to bring rains across PH on Sunday (Feb. 15) - Inquirer.net

(Satellite image from Pagasa on February 15, 2026 at 4 a.m.). MANILA, Philippines — Rainy weather is forecast across the country on Sunday due to the ...

Feb 15,2026
GalaxEye to partner with ISRO's NewSpace India to sell its satellite imagery solutions

GalaxEye partners with ISRO's NSIL to offer satellite imagery solutions, marking a milestone in India's private space sector.

Feb 15,2026
Why Wargaming Matters In An Age Of Hybrid Conflict And Artificial Intelligence – Analysis

... satellite image analysis, drone data processing, network analysis of online information environments, and sentiment analysis for intelligence ...

Feb 15,2026
US, China tensions soar as global nuclear balance is on the brink

Isfahan nuclear enrichment facility and nearby tunnels in central Iran. Picture: Satellite image ©2025 Maxar Technologies/AFP.

Feb 15,2026
China's secret nuclear expansion: New warhead facilities detected in Sichuan mountains

Defence News: In the mist-covered valleys of southwest China's Sichuan Province, satellite imagery is revealing a rapid expansion of the country's ...

Feb 15,2026
The intelligence war will now be fought in space. Indian spies are getting ready

Azista demonstrated that its AFR Earth-observation satellite could be repurposed to image the other satellites, effectively turning a spacecraft ...

Feb 15,2026
Deep in China's Mountains, a Nuclear Revival Takes Shape - The New York Times

Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing's efforts to expand its arsenal, just as the last global guardrails on nuclear ...

Feb 15,2026
SpaceX IPO Poses Existential Threat to AST SpaceMobile, Verizon, and AT&T

A neon illustration of satellites and communication nodes including a satellite and Earth. Image source: Getty Images. Starlink DTC. Last month, ...

Feb 15,2026
AXA and Planet form partnership to track natural catastrophes with Earth Observation data

Planet is one of the world's leading providers of satellite imagery and Earth data analytics and currently supplies climate intelligence to a wide ...

Feb 15,2026
SATELLITE SCENE 🛰️: Satellite imagery captures mesmerizing gravity wa... | TikTok

26 Likes, TikTok video from FOX Weather (@foxweather): “SATELLITE SCENE 🛰️: Satellite imagery captures mesmerizing gravity waves dancing over ...

Feb 15,2026
Korean Air validates defence satellite antenna deployment system - APDR

... satellite communication networks. Leveraging its expertise in aerospace ... Discover why assured imagery fulfilment is becoming essential for ...

Feb 15,2026
SATELLITE SCENE 🛰️: Satellite imagery captures mesmerizing gravity waves dancing over ...

SATELLITE SCENE 🛰️: Satellite imagery captures mesmerizing gravity waves dancing over Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.

Feb 15,2026
Luxury or emergency: These VIP bunkers promise to save you from the apocalypse for up to ...

Image Autor. By Kevin Montien. Published On ... Satellite image showing Russian Tor M2 air defense system at the Mozyr oil refinery in Belarus ...

Feb 15,2026
Soil Moisture Sensor Wireless: Top 7 Agriculture Breakthroughs - Farmonaut

Our platform leverages the synergy of satellite imagery, AI, and wireless soil moisture sensors to provide real-time monitoring, AI-based advisory ...

Feb 15,2026
Satellite imagery captures mesmerizing gravity waves dancing over Pennsylvania, Maryland ...

25 likes, 1 comments - foxweather on February 14, 2026: "SATELLITE SCENE 🛰️: Satellite imagery captures mesmerizing gravity waves dancing over ...

Feb 15,2026
Heavy rainfall and severe storms forecast from Texas to the Carolinas this Valentine's weekend

Satellite image of southeastern U.S. and Gulf coast as of 1140 UTC on February 14, ... SPC day 1 Categorical outlook valid through Feb 14 2026 Image ...

Feb 15,2026
Satellite pics show huge changes on Epstein island 20 years after horrific abuse

Satellite images show a 20-year comparison of Jeffrey Epstein's infamous island (Image: Getty). New satellite images have revealed the current ...

Feb 15,2026
'Very lucky day': NASA, SpaceX ace astronaut launch to the space station on Friday the 13th

Image: Will Robinson-Smith/Spaceflight Now. The launch also ... ULA to launch geosynchronous orbit surveillance satellite for the U.S. Space Force.

Feb 15,2026
Satellite Launches
Deep in China's Mountains, a Nuclear Revival Takes Shape - The New York Times

Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing's efforts to expand its arsenal, just as the last global guardrails on nuclear ...

Feb 15,2026
Southern California sky is lit up by Valentine's Day SpaceX launch - Los Angeles Times

SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket on Valentine's Day to add 24 satellites to its Starlink satellite network.

Feb 15,2026
Does Pakistan have a space agency? It is actually older than Isro - India Today

A Pakistani satellite launched aboard a Chinese rocket in 2025. (Photo ... The EO-2 satellite is designed to provide high-resolution imaging ...

Feb 15,2026
AXA and Planet form partnership to track natural catastrophes with Earth Observation data

Planet is one of the world's leading providers of satellite imagery and Earth data analytics and currently supplies climate intelligence to a wide ...

Feb 15,2026
SpaceX rocket launch dazzles over LA on Valentine's Day - NBC Los Angeles

A SpaceX rocket carried two dozen Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit after a Valentine's Day evening launch from the California coast that ...

Feb 15,2026
WATCH LIVE: SpaceX launches latest Starlink mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base

The Falcon 9 rocket is set to deliver 24 satellites to low-earth orbit, followed by a first-stage landing on a droneship in the Pacific Ocean.

Feb 15,2026
GEOPOLITICS | U.S. Military Utilizes AI Model in Venezuela Operation - Binance

Previously, the U.S. military has used this model for analyzing satellite images and intelligence. ... OpenAI Launches AI Model Powered by Cerebras ...

Feb 15,2026
Google Earth adds old Street View captures to rewind time from the street level - MSN

Last year, Google launched the ability to view historical satellite and aerial imagery, which was previously only available in the Earth Pro desktop ...

Feb 15,2026
Meteosat-11 Satellite Views Of Upside Down Earth And Moon During Post-Launch Test

Meteosat-11 Satellite Views Of Upside Down Earth And Moon During Post-Launch Test ... Amazing R Aquarii, Stephan's Quintet And M104 Imagery Sonified.

Feb 15,2026
ULA's Vulcan Rocket Suffers Familiar Anomaly During Launch of US Military Satellites

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) rocket had a bumpy ride delivering its national security payload to geosynchronous orbit, releasing a cloud of ...

Feb 15,2026
Chinese Forces LEAK American Targets To Iran In Mideast? After Jordan, Now Qatar Base ...

Recent Chinese commercial satellite images have pointed to a reported surge in U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling assets at Al Udeid Air Base in ...

Feb 15,2026
Silently positioned 36.000 km above Earth, satellites of the SBIRS system detect the heat of ...

They do not transmit public images nor do they serve civilian navigation. ... Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, new satellites were launched to gradually ...

Feb 15,2026
SpaceX rocket launch. Where to watch from Vero Beach to Fort Pierce - TC Palm

The rocket will carry 29 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch window is scheduled from 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. ...

Feb 15,2026
Japan plans first space solar power test. Can it beam energy from orbit? - Futura-Sciences

Japan is preparing to launch OHISAMA: a satellite designed to capture sunlight in space, convert it to microwaves, and beam that energy back to ...

Feb 15,2026
SpaceX Florida rocket launch. Where to watch in Daytona, New Smyrna Beach

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. · The rocket will carry 29 Starlink satellites into low-Earth ...

Feb 15,2026
Ukraine war latest: Russians suffering 'crazy losses' in Ukraine, NATO boss says - Sky News

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has addressed world leaders at the Munich Security Conference alongside NATO boss Mark Rutte. Elsewhere, the UK says Russian ...

Feb 15,2026
Musk's AI chatbot Grok gains US market share amid sexualized images backlash, data shows

Vietnam's government has allowed SpaceX to launch its Starlink satellite internet service in the country, state media reported on Saturday. World ...

Feb 15,2026
Govt. school students in Karaikudi launch satellite to detect fungi in atmosphere - The Hindu

Government school students near Karaikudi successfully launched a small-scale satellite to detect fungi in the second layer of the atmosphere.

Feb 15,2026
Head of military's space division warns Russia is considering putting nuclear weapons in orbit - CBC

... launch capacity so the country can have 'assured access to space. ... satellites. "That would be cataclysmic," said Brig.-Gen. Christopher Horner ...

Feb 15,2026
SpaceX's Starlink gets nod for satellite internet in Vietnam | Reuters

Vietnam's government has allowed SpaceX to launch its Starlink satellite internet service in the country, state media reported on Saturday.

Feb 15,2026
SSA

Questions about Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)