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
Snow or rain? hybrid AI deciphers surface precipitation phase from satellite observations

By integrating real-time 3D atmospheric physics fields from the AI-driven FuXi model with operational geostationary satellite observations through a ...

Feb 16,2026
UB scientists selected for NASA satellite mission to map Earth's ice sheets and ecosystems

Led by the University of California San Diego, EDGE will be the first global satellite imaging laser altimeter system.

Feb 16,2026
NYT: Satellite Images Reveal China's Nuclear Expansion in Sichuan

Experts estimated that explosive tests are being conducted in closed facilities with robust barriers, visible even in satellite imagery.

Feb 16,2026
Assessing strategic risks after the expiration of New START

Anti-satellite tests, reversible jamming, or cyber interference ... “Bloomsbury Intelligence and Security Institute” is the trading name of Bloomsbury ...

Feb 16,2026
Satellite images from China show expansion of secret nuclear weapons facilities in Sichuan: Report

Geospatial analysis of satellite imagery taken between 2022 and 2026 has identified a significant expansion of secretive nuclear weapons ...

Feb 16,2026
North Korea's new Congress to reset arms goals as gaps seen in 2021 plan - Reuters

... intelligence be prioritised for modern warfare. ... A later attempt to launch another reconnaissance satellite in May 2024 failed when the rocket ...

Feb 16,2026
Manipur's Vanishing Forests: Satellite Data, RTIs Undercut BJP's Poppy Narrative As Spark ...

Using satellite imagery and right-to-information records, our investigation contradicts ruling party claims that poppy cultivation drove ...

Feb 16,2026
Axa platform enhances satellite imaging - Insurance News - insuranceNEWS.com.au

Planet, founded by former NASA scientists, is one of the biggest commercial satellite image providers, boasting the “largest commercial Earth-imaging ...

Feb 16,2026
Earth's Radiation Fingerprint - Universe Today

Understanding it requires measuring radiation escaping from every corner of our planet, but current satellite observations face a fundamental trade ...

Feb 16,2026
SkyFi raises $12.7M to turn satellite images into insights - MSN

A satellite image purchased through the SkyFi platform | Image ...

Feb 16,2026
Oil And Gas Companies In Kuwait: 2026 Outlook - Farmonaut

How Farmonaut's Satellite-Based Mineral Intelligence Supports Energy Exploration. At Farmonaut, we harness satellite data, Earth observation, and ...

Feb 16,2026
Satellite imagery shows new construction and upgrades at several nuclear-related ... - Facebook

Satellite imagery shows new construction and upgrades at several nuclear-related sites in China's Sichuan province, including facilities analysts ...

Feb 16,2026
Analysis: Taiwan's Formosat-8 signals a shift beyond silicon to space power - digitimes

In the final days before the Lunar New Year, a series of high-resolution satellite images began circulating on Taiwanese social media.

Feb 16,2026
Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing's efforts to expand its arsenal ...

... satellite images. "Commercial satellite imagery from May 7 provided the first definitive evidence that dismantlement of the test site was already ...

Feb 16,2026
Report: Pentagon weighs cutting ties with Anthropic over military AI limits - Ynet News

... intelligence gathering and battlefield operations. ... While Claude has previously been used for satellite imagery analysis and other intelligence ...

Feb 16,2026
US Pushes Fisheries Tech At APEC Amid China Rivalry - Maritime News

The Trump administration is promoting artificial intelligence ... Perry said U.S. companies were developing technologies including satellite vessel ...

Feb 16,2026
Endgame for Barker's wastewater pond issues becomes clear - Newsroom

Satellite image: Google Earth. Business news in association with. Barker's has a new plan to get itself out of a wastewater pickle. The French-owned ...

Feb 16,2026
Satellite Map - Earth View - App Store - Apple

Discover the world in a whole new way with Satellite Map - Earth View! View high-definition 3D satellite imagery, navigate detailed maps, ...

Feb 16,2026
Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing's efforts to expand its arsenal ...

In the lush, misty valleys of southwest China, satellite imagery reveals the country's accelerating nuclear buildup, a force designed for a new ...

Feb 16,2026
Pentagon: U.S. targets sanctioned tanker in Indian Ocean tied to illicit Venezuela oil

... satellite imagery and surface-level photos, which revealed that at least 16 tankers left the Venezuelan coast in violation of the quarantine.

Feb 16,2026
Satellite Launches
See SpaceX Falcon 9 colorfully light up clouds on predawn Starlink launch - Florida Today

... satellites into low-Earth orbit. Next, another Falcon 9 will similarly send up Starlink satellites on Wednesday, Feb. 18, from Launch Complex 40 ...

Feb 16,2026
Boomtime at Bohai: China ramps up submarine production

Commercially available satellite imagery in early 2026 (see Image 3, 4 ... If, as suggested by available imagery, China launched a Type-094 ...

Feb 16,2026
Satellite and Space Projects Newsletter February 2026 - Fieldfisher

... satellite imagery provider, has expanded its ... Open Cosmos launches first two satellites in new LEO constellation: Open Cosmos has launched ...

Feb 16,2026
How Fast Can A Hypersonic Missile Launched In China Reach The US? - BGR

We can assume the missile originates from China's Taiyuan Satellite Launch ... Images. Even if China could send a hypersonic missile at America ...

Feb 16,2026
New tool cuts collision risk in satellite design - The Engineer

Researchers link EO performance targets to collision risk, helping protect orbits while maintaining Earth observation.

Feb 16,2026
Arianespace launches full-power Ariane 64 rocket for Amazon - Aerospace Testing

Europe's heavy-lift launcher demonstrates its maximum-capability four-booster configuration for the first time on a commercial satellite ...

Feb 16,2026
SpaceX launches 29 Starlink satellites behind a passing cold front - Florida Today

SpaceX wasted no time after a cold front brought strong winds and rain to the Space Coast, launching another 29 Starlink satellites as the weather ...

Feb 16,2026
Israeli Forces Bulldozed WWI and WWII Allied War Graves in Gaza - Military.com

Satellite imagery and witness testimony points to the destruction of ... Ottawa launched an investigation into the extent of the damage. New ...

Feb 16,2026
High-resolution imagery for high-accuracy digital elevation models - Innovation News Network

The research investigates the integration of VHR satellite imagery and ... UK Space Agency internships launch young people into space careers.

Feb 16,2026
Lloyd's List Intelligence launches Satellite Intelligence Report to deliver verified maritime ...

Reports combine satellite imagery with radio frequency data and contextual intelligence databases, ensuring vessel activity is verified through the ...

Feb 16,2026
SpaceX launches Starlink 6-103 mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida

Launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching 29 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. Rocket launched at 2:59 a.m. EST on Monday, ...

Feb 16,2026
SpaceX launch LIVE: Falcon 9 rocket launches 29 Starlink satellites - The Lufkin Daily News

Images; Videos; Commented. Articles. LISD board calls for May bond election · AI data center planned on 1,000+ acres at former Southland Paper Mill ...

Feb 16,2026
Inside Europe's space race | BBC News - YouTube

... launch. Subscribe here: http://bit.ly/1rbfUog For more news, analysis ... First Images from the 3.2 Trillion Pixel Camera Vera Rubin Telescope.

Feb 16,2026
Live updates from SpaceX Starlink satellite launch at Cape Canaveral - Florida Today

Will rainfall clear so SpaceX can launch Starlink satellites? ... Radar imagery shows storms and showers ranging from Melbourne northward ...

Feb 16,2026
China's "departure gate" for crewed lunar journeys completes debut launch

New Year on the Frontlines: Three images of post-90s satellite designer · China's commercial rocket SD-3 launches 7 satellites from sea · China's ...

Feb 16,2026
Satellite Imagery Reveals U.S. Shift to Mobile Patriot Deployments in the Gulf

The increased mobility allows field commanders to rapidly relocate the systems to alternative launch sites, thereby reducing their vulnerability ...

Feb 16,2026
NGT clears Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project, cites 'strategic importance'

... Satellite imagery captures the southern ...

Feb 16,2026
Satellite images from China show expansion of secret nuclear weapons facilities in Sichuan: Report

Geospatial analysis of satellite imagery taken between 2022 and 2026 has identified a significant expansion of secretive nuclear weapons ...

Feb 16,2026
LIVE: SpaceX launches Falcon 9 rocket | Ap Video | lufkindailynews.com

Watch live as SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station ... Images; Videos; Commented ...

Feb 16,2026
The Compression Company: $3.4 Million Pre-Seed Funding Raised To Boost Satellite Data ...

These satellites capture increasingly high-resolution imagery used to ... As more sensors are launched into orbit, the volume of data ...

Feb 16,2026
EO-MSI
"BUT IT'S GOLDEN, LIKE DAYLIGHT" NASA shared a breathtaking photo of Earth ...

... satellite sensor sees it. While sunglint can obscure details like ... Neo Maming Saramayo. John Nadera pakita mo ang shot na kapanipaniwala ...

Feb 16,2026
ABS Strengthens and Expands Regional Connectivity Reach Through Strategic Partnership ...

ABS renews and expands HorizonSat partnership to boost EMEA coverage, integrate ground services, and deliver end-to-end satellite connectivity ...

Feb 16,2026
Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing's efforts to expand its arsenal ...

... (ISI) Eros B satellite indicates Chinese preparations for new land-based missile installations on an increasingly strategic island base in the ...

Feb 16,2026
Grandfather: February 15, 2026 - StarDate Online

In the western world, they're part of the constellation Columba, the dove. But in ancient China they were known as the Grandfather. The stars are ...

Feb 16,2026
Satellite internet provider Starlink officially licenced to operate in Viet Nam

Viet Nam has authorised satellite internet provider Starlink to operate after regulators granted licences for low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite ...

Feb 16,2026
Three Key Stocks in Buffett's Portfolio | Intellectia.AI

Constellation Brands Challenges: Constellation Brands, a smaller ... Evercore ISI analyst John Pancari lowered the firm's price target on ...

Feb 16,2026
Grandfather - StarDate Online

In the western world, they are part of the constellation Columba, the dove. But in ancient China the due was known as the Grandfather. ← Previous ...

Feb 16,2026
SSA

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