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.

Advanced tools and applications

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

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
China Is Now Building a Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier - The National Interest

The National Institute for Basic Policy Research (NIPPR), a think tank, believes that recent satellite imagery of work begun at the Dalian ...

Dec 27,2025
Inside Geopolitics | Dec. 27, 2025 | Satellite imagery from Planet Labs indicates that Russia ...

A recent satellite image from Planet Labs indicates that Russia is constructing nuclear-capable Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles ...

Dec 27,2025
Russia likely placing new hypersonic missiles in Belarus | The Jerusalem Post

A satellite image from Planet Labs taken November 16, 2025 shows where U.S. researchers believe that Russia is likely stationing its new nuclear- ...

Dec 27,2025
Tropical Cyclone 09S (Grant) / Invest 96S - Pacific Disaster Center

Animated multi-spectral satellite imagery (msi) depicts deep convective banding persisting over the center of a very compact circulation. TC 09S ...

Dec 27,2025
As seen on satellite imagery, there is a fairly sharp boundary of thick cloud cover vs ... - Facebook

As seen on satellite imagery, there is a fairly sharp boundary of thick cloud cover vs. sunshine looking southward from around I-66.

Dec 27,2025
Jeffrey R. Holland, next in line to lead Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies at 85

Under his leadership, the Provo university worked to improve interfaith relations and established a satellite campus in Jerusalem. The Anti ...

Dec 27,2025
BRIN accelerates AI remote sensing, turning satellite imagery into real-time decisions for ...

BRIN is deploying AI to turn satellite images into fast, precise data for disasters, farms, and industry. The 2026 push stresses user needs, ...

Dec 27,2025
Fig. 3. Dalian-1 Lianli satellite. [IMAGE] | EurekAlert! Science News Releases

Dalian-1 Lianli satellite. Credit. Space: Science & Technology. Usage Restrictions. News organizations may use or redistribute this image, with proper ...

Dec 27,2025
An almost inexhaustible reserve of lithium discovered in Canada - Earth.com

A study shows Geode sensors using ambient seismic noise tomography over direct-to-satellite links to image subsurface structure without explosives.

Dec 27,2025
The 12 biggest space stories of 2025 — according to you

... image of a green. A drained lake, the Trump administration's "Big ... Starlink satellite interference; 4. Sept. 7 blood moon total lunar ...

Dec 27,2025
NASA Satellite Captures Something Strange Blooming in Australia's Brown Desert

These visual changes were revealed through false-color satellite imagery. NASA applied a band combination that mapped shortwave-infrared, near ...

Dec 27,2025
Lightning Strike Map in Yufuin, Kyushu, JP - Tracker & Radar | Spark - WeatherBug

Satellite image of Hurricane Melissa. 2025 Year in Review: Powerful Hurricanes in the Atlantic. Read More. A frame from an automated video of a ...

Dec 27,2025
#geospatialai #space #technology #satellite #uzmaway | Geospatial AI Sdn Bhd - LinkedIn

... satellite data and geospatial intelligence are driving innovation, sustainability, and smarter decisions across industries. It was inspiring to ...

Dec 27,2025
Europe Within Striking Range Now? Russia Activates Uninterceptable Nuke-Capable ... - YouTube

Satellite imagery cited by Reuters shows rapid construction activity consistent with a strategic missile facility, including secured rail ...

Dec 27,2025
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch Italian Earth observation satellite on final Falcon 9 flight of 2025

The Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 satellite undergoes testing ahead of its launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Image: Ministry of ...

Dec 27,2025
China launches satellite to aid in early extreme weather detection

... Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan province, Dec 27, 2025. ... imaging of specific regions in one-minute intervals, allowing ...

Dec 27,2025
Chile Sets 10-Year Strategy to Build Quantum And Biotechnology Industries

... Image: President of the Republic Gabriel Boric Font, the Ministry ... Sifting through the Clouds: Polish Researchers Will Test the ...

Dec 27,2025
Ministry of Environment and Forestry: Number of Hotspots in Indonesia Reaches 192 in Last ...

This data is the result of Terra/Aqua, SNPP, and NOAA satellite imagery accessed on Saturday (12/27/2025) at 11:36 AM WIB. Of the 192 detected ...

Dec 27,2025
Rostov-na-Donu Submarine Confirmed Sunk and Russia Builds Fake Rostov ... - Ukraine Today .org

Suchomimus Satellite imagery confirms the Kilo-class submarine Rostov-on-Don was sunk by ATACMS at Sevastopol, with Russia now building a fake one ...

Dec 27,2025
Can artificial intelligence help with a primary care provider shortage? | WFSU News

Beethoven Satellite Network · Classical 24 Playlists · Television Schedules ... Can artificial intelligence help with a primary care provider shortage?

Dec 27,2025
Satellite Launches
Over 220 m² surface area: AST SpaceMobile's new satellite is even larger - Heise

... satellites are scheduled to be launched in the next 12 months. Together ... While these primarily cause more and more astronomical images to ...

Dec 27,2025
Soyuz rocket to launch the Aist-2T pair, Iranian satellites - RussianSpaceWeb.com

In the same imaging mode, it could also produce stereo images with a resolution up to 1.9 meters. Multi-spectral and color imagery was reported to be ...

Dec 27,2025
Blastoff! China Launches Yaogan-47 Satellites, Rocket Sheds Tiles - video Dailymotion

China's Long March 4B rocket launched the Yaogan-47 satellite space from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The rocket sheds insulation tiles during ...

Dec 27,2025
Russia likely placing new hypersonic missiles in Belarus | The Jerusalem Post

... satellite imagery. The researchers' assessment broadly aligns with US ... launch point. Pavel Podvig, a Geneva-based expert on Russia's ...

Dec 27,2025
The making of Galileo - The Hindu

Workmen prepare the Galilieo (Giove-B) satellite of the European Space Agency (ESA) on its launch pad at Kazakhstan's Baikonur cosmodrome on ...

Dec 27,2025
Live coverage: SpaceX to launch Italian Earth observation satellite on final Falcon 9 flight of 2025

... imaging satellites on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket Saturday. The Falcon 9 lifted off at 5:21 a.m. EDT (0921 GMT) from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air ...

Dec 27,2025
The 12 biggest space stories of 2025 — according to you

China and NASA avoid satellite collision; 11. Quebec lake suddenly disappears; 10. JWST's first images of comet 3I/ATLAS; 9. Earth's 2nd shortest day ...

Dec 27,2025
Dec 28: Iran's Space Leap, Enemies' Sleepless Night - WANA News

... imaging capabilities, intended to be used for ... “Iran has achieved significant progress in science and technology, and these satellite launches ...

Dec 27,2025
Netanyahu pushes for more strikes on Iran, clashing with Trump's priorities - Al Jazeera

What do satellite images of Fordow show? How Trump rejoined 'team ... launched the war without apparent provocation. Israel's supporters ...

Dec 27,2025
Russia Successfully Launches Soyuz Rocket With Radar Observation Satellite

... imaging. Unlike optical satellites, radar satellites like Obzor-R can operate in all weather conditions and capture data both day and night.

Dec 27,2025
China launches new satellite, boosting meteorological observation capabilities

Among its instruments, the advanced geostationary radiation imager can now complete a full-disk scan of Earth in five minutes -- three times faster ...

Dec 27,2025
Ukraine Now Using Drone Boats To Attack Russian Riverine Targets - The War Zone

With neither side being able to launch a major cross-river attack due to the difficulty of crossing a body of water while under fire from drones and ...

Dec 27,2025
Russian Forces Launched a Massive Strike on Kyiv: One Killed, Dozens Wounded, Fires ...

Russian Forces Launched a Massive Strike on ... U.S. Analysts Identify the “Oreshnik” Ballistic System in Eastern Belarus Using Satellite Imagery.

Dec 27,2025
China launches new meteorological satellite - Anadolu Ajansı

The Fengyun-4 03 satellite was launched aboard a Long March-3B rocket ... Anadolu Images · Energy Terminal · AA Academy · Green Line · Discrimination ...

Dec 27,2025
Loyal Wingman Drone Appears On China's Supersized Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship

Recent imagery indicates that China is now progressing with work on its ... These ships could be used to launch and recover UCAVs like the GJ ...

Dec 27,2025
Blue Origin names Tory Bruno to new national security group | Luxembourg Times

Library image of a Blue Origin launch © Photo credit: 2025 Getty Images/Justin Hamel ... Technicians at satellite manufacturer Airbus work on an SES ...

Dec 27,2025
Tech for Earth as a Living Digital Nervous System - Geoawesome

... launch of the Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite aboard an Ariane 6 rocket. ... SkyScript links satellite imagery and text descriptions in a shared ...

Dec 27,2025
Satellite images suggest new Russian nuclear-capable missile site near Krichev in Belarus

... launch infrastructure. They described what they believed to be rapid construction beginning in early August 2025, with changes visible between ...

Dec 27,2025
Reuters finds out where Russian-made Oreshnik systems may be deployed in Belarus

... missiles at a former air base in eastern Belarus near the city of Krychaw, two American researchers have concluded based on satellite imagery.

Dec 27,2025
Update: China launches new satellite, boosting meteorological observation capabilities

... Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. ... Its lightning imager captures 500 frames per second and can identify ...

Dec 27,2025
HSI
SSA

Questions about Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)