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
Oil tanker U.S. seized has faked its location before, data shows | The Seattle Times

... satellite imagery and photographs. U.S. officials did not publicly name the vessel, but one official told the Times that it was a ship called the ...

Dec 11,2025
GEO satellite refueling a priority for national security, commercial markets, new analysis finds

The market impact could be significant in a sector where a single GEO satellite can cost several hundred million dollars to build and launch. After ...

Dec 11,2025
Ivory Coast • Abidjan considers new satellite intelligence systems

Abidjan considers new satellite intelligence systems ... Since the middle of the year, Ivorian security officials have been studying the possibility of ...

Dec 11,2025
China starts list of government-approved AI hardware suppliers: Cambricon and Huawei are ...

... image for illustrative purposes only. (Image credit: Huawei). China ... satellite image showing the Chinese carrier Fujian. Chinese Navy base 3D ...

Dec 11,2025
Satellite image of the oil tanker that was just seized by the U.S. government off the coast of ...

Satellite image of the oil tanker that was just seized by the U.S. government off the coast of Venezuela. The vessel, identified as the Skipper,.

Dec 11,2025
Satellite image shows seized oil tanker at oil terminal in Venezuela | Video | waaytv.com

Satellite image shows seized oil tanker at oil terminal in Venezuela. Dec 10, 2025; 5 mins ago; 0 · Facebook · Twitter · WhatsApp · SMS · Email ...

Dec 11,2025
Satellite image shows seized oil tanker at oil terminal in Venezuela - YouTube

Satellite image shows seized oil tanker at oil terminal in Venezuela. No views · 4 minutes ago ...more. WAAY 31 News. 163K. Subscribe. 0. Share.

Dec 11,2025
the oil tanker seized by the U.S. today. It repeatedly spoofed its location, and carried millions ...

Christiaan Triebert (@trbrtc). 45 likes. Using shoreside photos, satellite imagery, and AIS data, we examined SKIPPER — the oil tanker seized by ...

Dec 11,2025
L3Harris satellite-jamming system approved for export to close U.S. allies - SpaceNews

L3Harris satellite-jamming system approved for export to close U.S. ... intelligence satellites. L3Harris said Dec. 10 it has completed an ...

Dec 11,2025
Oil Tanker U.S. Seized Has Faked Its Location Before, Data Shows - The New York Times

A satellite image captured on Nov. 18 shows the tanker docked at the country's José oil terminal while its transponder showed that it was elsewhere.

Dec 11,2025
U.S. Seizes Tanker Off Coast of Venezuela, Trump says - USNI News

Google Maps satellite image 2025. The U.S. seized a tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday during a meeting ...

Dec 11,2025
Iridium to Provide Satellite IoT to HD Hyundai Construction Equipment in Asia

Iridium Communications will integrate global satellite IoT connectivity with HD Hyundai Construction Equipment's Hi MATE vehicle monitoring system ...

Dec 11,2025
Wherobots launches RasterFlow to provide foundations needed to apply AI models on ...

Spatial intelligence company Wherobots today announced the launch of a private preview of RasterFlow, a satellite image preparation and inference ...

Dec 11,2025
New gamified tool helps defend satellite supply chains from cyber threats - News and events

UniSA researchers have developed an innovative gamified approach to strengthen the cyber resilience of satellite cyber supply chains.

Dec 11,2025
American-Made Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drone Clones Being Tested By Marines

But the fact that LUCAS can be equipped with a satellite datalink means that it could hunt for and find targets of interest over great distances ...

Dec 11,2025
RELEASE: California Support for Crop-Based Biofuels Undermines Clean Fuels Program

Recent empirical studies—leveraging satellite imagery, econometric techniques, and improved datasets—show that biofuel-induced land-use change is ...

Dec 11,2025
Why Embracing Emerging Tech Is No Longer an Option for Utilities - TRC Companies

Advanced analytics, modern geospatial software and satellite imaging now enable utilities to detect wildfire hazards and risks in near real-time.

Dec 11,2025
Satellite tracking helps map massive rupture of 2025 Myanmar earthquake - Phys.org

How satellite technology enabled research. "We used two primary satellite technologies: Optical Image Correlation (using Sentinel-2 satellites) to ...

Dec 11,2025
Kongsberg and Helsing Invest in Intelligence Constellation for Europe - Via Satellite

European defense tech firms — Norway's Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Germany's Helsing — plan to build a multi-sensor satellite constellation.

Dec 11,2025
Global Forest Watch - World Resources Institute

Big tech was vital because GFW 2.0 would not just rely upon advances in satellite imagery. It also relied upon cloud computing. There was no other ...

Dec 11,2025
Satellite Launches
Charlie Puth Joins Complaints About SpaceX Rocket Launch Noise - Forbes

... Images). Getty Images. Key Facts. Puth tagged Musk in the post, stating ... SpaceX's website says Starlink satellites were launched at 3:40 a.m. ...

Dec 11,2025
SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from California on 160th Falcon 9 flight of the year | Space

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 27 Starlink satellites launched from Vandenberg Space Force Station in California on Dec. 10, 2025.

Dec 11,2025
Italian Carrier ITA Airways to Adopt Viasat's Iris Air Traffic Solution - Via Satellite

Launch Arianespace Targets First Mission for Amazon Leo in Early 2026 ... Artist rendition of Iris satellite-based communication system. Photo ...

Dec 11,2025
American-Made Shahed-136 Kamikaze Drone Clones Being Tested By Marines

Beck also told us that Griffon has been “flying these airplanes very frequently” and have been launched pneumatically and from trucks. There are ...

Dec 11,2025
3 foreign satellites among 9 launched by Kinetica 1 - Chinadaily.com.cn

... satellites were deployed into orbit. In October, the ninth Kinetica 1 mission placed HS-1, Pakistan's first hyperspectral imaging satellite, into ...

Dec 11,2025
Science experiment payloads on Nuri-launched satellite show normal operation in early tests

SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Yonhap) -- The Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) has secured early-sta...

Dec 11,2025
Rocket Lab completes final tests on reusable 'Hungry Hippo' fairing ahead of 1st Neutron ...

A Chinese Long March 4B rocket launches the Yaogan 47 satellite to space from Jiuquan Satellite ... images showing various white shapes of galaxy ...

Dec 11,2025
Planet Reports Financial Results for Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026 - 01net

... satellites were launched to orbit aboard a SpaceX launch vehicle. ... imaging satellites. Planet provides mission-critical data, advanced ...

Dec 11,2025
Satellite pics reveal madcap despot Kim Jong-un building luxury PALACES 'for Putin and Trump'

... satellite images, a flurry of new building work on three sumptuous mansions, each occupying 139930 square feet, has been underway since October ...

Dec 11,2025
Planet Reports Financial Results for Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026 – Company Announcement

Successfully Launched 2 High Resolution Pelican Satellites and 36 SuperDove Satellites ... imaging satellites. Planet provides mission-critical ...

Dec 11,2025
Wherobots launches RasterFlow to provide foundations needed to apply AI models on ...

Wherobots launches RasterFlow to provide foundations needed to apply AI models on satellite image datasets ... images for inference; deploy an ML ...

Dec 11,2025
Watch Rocket Lab launch Korean disaster-monitoring satellite today - Space

Rocket Lab will launch a Korean disaster-monitoring satellite today (Dec. 10), and you can watch the action live.

Dec 11,2025
Iridium to Provide Satellite IoT to HD Hyundai Construction Equipment in Asia

Iridium Communications will integrate global satellite IoT connectivity ... Launch Arianespace Targets First Mission for Amazon Leo in Early 2026.

Dec 11,2025
Kongsberg and Helsing Invest in Intelligence Constellation for Europe - Via Satellite

Latest News. Imagery and Sensing Umbra and Italy's E-GEOS to Co-Develop ... Kongsberg's first satellite, Arvarker 1 N3X, launched in March 2025.

Dec 11,2025
Umbra and Italy's E-GEOS to Co-Develop Geospatial Intelligence Solutions - Via Satellite

The companies previously signed a reseller agreement in 2024 which gave e-GEOS non-exclusive global distribution rights to Umbra's SAR imagery. “Our ...

Dec 11,2025
China launches new TJS satellite, commercial Kinetica-1 lofts 9 spacecraft - SpaceNews

Eastern (1508 UTC) Dec. 9 from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China. ... No images or further information was provided, as is typical for ...

Dec 11,2025
The scramble to launch data centers into space is heating up - The Verge

Bloomberg via Getty Images ... The US-based company, Aetherflux, announced on Tuesday that it plans to launch its first data center satellite ...

Dec 11,2025
MatrixSpace launches portable counter-drone radar - GPS World

Photo: shironosov/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images · Swift, RugGear ... ESA's HydroGNSS satellites launched to scout for water · Photo: VBOX ...

Dec 11,2025
China Just Launched Their Most Advanced Aircraft Carrier With Electromagnetic Catapults

... launched its third aircraft carrier since 2012. ... It also brings an upgraded arsenal, which satellite imaging shows to include advanced missile ...

Dec 11,2025
NASA's loses contact with MAVEN Mars orbiter on the far side of the Red Planet - Space

... satellites. MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and ... A Chinese Long March 4B rocket launches the Yaogan 47 satellite to space from Jiuquan Satellite.

Dec 11,2025
EO-MSI
Planet Reports Financial Results for Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026 – Company Announcement

... PlanetScope data in support of the agency's Earth science mission. In ... SuperDove constellation over time. Bedrock Research : In November ...

Dec 11,2025
Planet Labs (PL) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript | The Motley Fool

We also launched 36 super doves, which would join our broad area monitoring fleet. We have successfully contacted all 38 satellites, and they're now ...

Dec 11,2025
Is the Pacific Northwest ready for a wave of climate migration? - KUOW

Jason Dove Mark threw a bucket of scraps to the chickens and checked for eggs – slim chance in November – before he and his big, friendly mutt, ...

Dec 11,2025
Planet Reports Financial Results for Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026 - Business Wire

... PlanetScope data in support of the agency's Earth science mission. In ... SuperDove constellation over time. Bedrock Research: In November ...

Dec 11,2025
Next-Generation Satellite Imagery Tasking - Vantor

WorldView 2D upgraded tasking system eliminates uncertainty with automated validation, transparent pricing, and 70-80% fulfillment rates.

Dec 11,2025
Spot these three Salish constellations this winter - UBC News

... constellation in modern astronomy. Salish-speaking communities ... In the Salish worldview, the sky reflects the earth, so patterns in the ...

Dec 11,2025
Space Business Review November 2025 - Aviation - United States - Mondaq

(Intuitive Machines) announced a definitive agreement to acquire satellite manufacturer Lanteris Space LLC (formerly Maxar Space Systems) in a ...

Dec 11,2025
Space Robotics Market to Reach USD 10.1 Billion by 2032, Growing - openPR.com

Maxar Technologies - 8.9%: Known for satellite robotics, high-resolution imaging, and lunar payload delivery systems supporting global space missions.

Dec 11,2025
Spacechips drives imaginative new AI-enabled satellite applications - TimesTech

Spacechips drives imaginative new AI-enabled satellite applications ... BlackSky quickly delivers first very high-resolution images. LEAVE A ...

Dec 11,2025
SAR
Nvidia-backed startup runs powerful AI model in space, says it is here to observe Earthlings

It's processing satellite imagery from observation firm Capella Space to detect lifeboats from shipwrecks and track forest fires in real time. The ...

Dec 11,2025
Portuguese Air Force turns to Iceye for SAR satellite | Electronics Weekly

The Portuguese Air Force turns to Iceye to procure its first satellite, building its ISR defense capabilities from space.

Dec 11,2025
Goodwin Advises General Catalyst as Lead Investors in ICEYE's €150 Million Series E Fundraising

Goodwin advised General Catalyst on leading ICEYE's €150M Series E, valuing the SAR satellite leader at €2.4B to accelerate sovereign systems and ...

Dec 11,2025
Family Office Co-Funds Satellite Innovator | SWFI

ICEYE is known for its leadership in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite systems. It has secured new financing, led by General Catalyst, ...

Dec 11,2025
e-GEOS and Umbra Expand Partnership to Jointly Develop SAR Intelligence Solutions

The agreement moves beyond simple data distribution, positioning the companies to integrate their respective satellite constellations into a unified ...

Dec 11,2025
Kongsberg and Helsing Invest in Intelligence Constellation for Europe - Via Satellite

Latest News. Imagery and Sensing Umbra and Italy's E-GEOS to Co-Develop Geospatial Intelligence Solutions · Connectivity UK Regulator Ofcom Approves ...

Dec 11,2025
Space42 plans $600M in capex for its Equatys D2D joint venture with Viasat, outlines ...

... constellation that other operators will seek to join. At its Nov. 25 ... EquatysIceyeSpace42ViaSat Inc. 0 comment. 0. FacebookTwitterPinterest ...

Dec 11,2025
Umbra and Italy's E-GEOS to Co-Develop Geospatial Intelligence Solutions - Via Satellite

... Umbra's constellation. Both entities operate synthetic aperture radar (SAR) constellations. e-GEOS is the exclusive licensee of data for ...

Dec 11,2025
Scientist 'confirms' hidden mega-city underneath Pyramids of Giza - LADbible

Speaking on Jesse Michels' American Alchemy podcast, he explained that satellite operators, Umbra, Capella Space, ICEYE and Italy's Cosmo-SkyMed all ...

Dec 11,2025
Nvidia-Backed Startup Becomes First Company to Train an Advanced AI Model in Space

Interestingly, Starcloud is already testing this by running AI on satellite images from Capella Space. Its next launch in 2026 will carry multiple ...

Dec 11,2025
ICEYE strikes deal with Munich Re unit to expand cat intel | Intelligent Insurer

Blast off: Navium launches Constellation, targets satellite pre-launch risk.

Dec 11,2025
e-GEOS and Umbra team up to deliver innovative geospatial intelligence solutions

... Umbra's agile SAR constellation and imagery. In doing so, Umbra and e-GEOS will deliver unprecedented global coverage, giving users faster, more ...

Dec 11,2025
Nvidia-backed Starcloud trains first AI model in space, orbital data centers - CNBC

Starcloud is working on customer workloads by running inference on satellite imagery from observation company Capella Space, which could help spot ...

Dec 11,2025
SkyFi and ICEYE US Launch "ICEYE US Direct" Platform to Streamline Access to Advanced ...

On-Demand Tasking: Users can directly task ICEYE's SAR satellite constellation for new imagery collection over any location worldwide. All-Weather ...

Dec 11,2025
Raytheon, Amazon to Collaborate on Cloud-Based Satellite Operations - The Defense Post

ICEYE Satellite to Become Portugal Air Force's First Directly Owned Spacecraft. The Portuguese Air Force has signed a contract with ICEYE to ...

Dec 11,2025
Raytheon, Amazon to Collaborate on Cloud-Based Satellite Operations - The Defense Post

Lajes air base, Portugal. ICEYE Satellite to Become Portugal Air Force's First Directly Owned Spacecraft. December 3, 2025. Sknopy's SkyFortress ...

Dec 11,2025
The Constellation of Living Memorials: land, memory, ecology and conservation

The Constellation of Living Memorials: land, memory, ecology and conservation ... Ana Corina Sosa acepta el Premio Nobel de la Paz en lugar de su madre,.

Dec 11,2025
Geothermal Startup Fervo Attracts New Investors Including Google - Bloomberg

ICEYE SAR Satellite over the US. Satellite Startup Iceye Raises at $2.8 Billion Valuation As Europe Boosts Defense Spending. Tencent-Backed Fintech ...

Dec 11,2025
Norway and Germany Team Up for European Sovereign Satellite Constellation by 2029

Notably, Finland's ICEYE has capitalized on this urgency, securing contracts for the sale of eight radar satellites to various European countries.

Dec 11,2025
Kongsberg, Helsing team up for European satellite-intel constellation - Defense News

Finland's ICEYE has been one of the most visible beneficiaries, selling at least eight radar satellites this year to European countries seeking a ...

Dec 11,2025
HSI
SSA

Questions about Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)