ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team, and the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA), will hold a joint webinar titled “Japan and Europe – working together to create new satellite-driven markets for smart cities” on 24 September.

The webinar will foster strategic collaboration between European and Japanese companies, enabling the development of innovative space solutions in smart city markets, international growth and access to new markets.

Background

Cities and urban areas are currently home to over half the world’s population. According to the UN, nearly 70% of the expected population of 10 billion are projected to be living in cities by 2050. This growth brings significant challenges including:

• Environmental pressures
• Infrastructure needs
• Quality of life issues
• Sustainability

Smart and green cities are addressing these challenges by improving operational efficiency, citizen welfare, and government services in sustainable and innovative ways. Data and information are the core components for the implementation of smart cities solutions – and space-based technologies are playing a crucial role in supporting this transformation

Purpose of the webinar

• To introduce BASS supported services with a particular focus on smart city-related applications such as urban planning, mobility , climate resilience, and infrastructure management
• To introduce CONSEO and JAXA supported solutions for smart city development and urban innovation.
• To promote collaboration between European and Japanese companies by leveraging their respective strengths in smart city markets, ultimately leading to the creation of concrete business projects

Who should attend?

European and Japanese companies providing services for cities and willing to establish international cooperation

Agenda

The webinar will consist of two parts:

Part 1:

Introduction of initiatives led by ESA BASS (Business Applications and Space Solutions) Programme, CONSEO and JAXA to promote the use of satellite-based solutions for smart cities.

• Introduction of the ESA BASS Programme, Rita Rinaldo, Head of Applications Projects & Studies Division, European Space Agency.
• Introduction of JAXA, Yusuke MURAKI Advisor to the Director Earth Observation Program Strategy Office Space Technology Directorate 1, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.

Part 2:

European and Japanese companies will take the stage to present their services, particularly those related to smart city solutions, as well as their proposed models and ambitions for Japanese–European collaboration and their specific cooperation proposals.

European Companies 

• Mohammad Iranmanesh , ConstellR
• Steven Smolders , GIM
• Harriet King,  Valerann
• Juergen Born, Spatial Business Integration
• Kristin Pettersen Grenan, Airmine
• Federico Franciamore, Space4Good

Japanese Companies

• Iain MacInnes, Synspective Inc. (株式会社Synspective)
• Goro Kumasu, Nippon Koei Co., Ltd. (日本工営株式会社)
• Ken Tsutsui, Marble Visions (株式会社Marble Visions)
• Yumiko Nagai, New Space Intelligence (株式会社New Space Intelligence)
• Azuma Takano,  PASCO Corporation (株式会社パスコ)
• Keitaro Asaba, Tenchijin Inc. (株式会社天地人)
• Yuki Homma, SpaceShift Inc. (株式会社スペースシフト) 

Webinar contributors:

• ESA Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) help businesses from all corners of Europe to harness space technology to improve life on Earth. BASS is working with and supporting urban authorities and businesses to find the most effective innovative solutions to the challenges they are facing, and at the same time to help them tap into the global smart cities market. Moreover, through its Space for Smart and Green Cities Taskforce, BASS is supporting international collaboration, partnerships and innovation, paving the way for a more sustainable future, while unlocking the commercial potential in the sector.
• JAXA is Japan’s national aerospace agency, responsible for space exploration, satellite development, Earth observation, and aeronautics research. As the secretariat of the Consortium for Satellite Earth Observation (CONSEO), JAXA supports initiatives that promote innovation, data utilisation, commercialisation, and cross-sector partnerships, helping translate Earth observation capabilities into practical solutions for societal and economic challenges.
• CONSEO (CONSEO) gathers players from industry, academia and governments to shape the future of Satellite EO and realise it through co-creation. Its mission is to deliver recommendation of the overall strategy of EO satellite for the Japanese society. CONSEO actively promotes the co-creation among its members for the establishment of a resilient Satellite EO ecosystem.

All the presentations from the webinar are available for you to view below:

As our urban spaces expand, how do we manage that growth in a sustainable way and keep the health and happiness of the growing population at the top of the agenda?

Last week, the Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) team were in beautiful Ljubljana, Slovenia for the annual Urban Future conference, on a mission to answer that very question. Keen to build on the success of last year’s event in Łódź, Poland, which marked the start of several ongoing collaborations with city authorities and organisations, the team headed to the capital of ESA’s newest member state to establish new connections and strengthen existing links. 

Following a reception in the Castle the previous evening, Rok Žnidaršič, the Deputy Mayor of Ljubljana, set out the vision for the city with a focus on clean air and open spaces to enhance life for both residents and visitors. Nick Appleyard, Head of the Applications and Solutions Department at ESA, also met with ESA’s National Delegation in Slovenia.

“It's great to take the opportunity while we're here in Ljubljana to build that relationship, because we work hand in hand with them to decide the priorities that they have for the development of the civilian economy and the use of space within it,” he said. “We discussed how we might start to move this forward, particularly through the ACCESS programme which includes the BASS team. We have plans to set up a business incubator here in Slovenia over the course of 2026, through which we can support start-up companies at the beginning of that journey, to build the digital services which make use of space and bring it to the citizens and into the economy.”

Pictured from left to right: Dr Kavitha Muthu (Smart Cities Lead for ESA BASS), Nick Appleyard (Head of Applications and Solutions Department at ESA), and Slovenian National Delegates Tanja Permozer and Sabina Koleša.

As part of the agenda at Urban Future, Mr Appleyard and the team hosted a Deep Talk session, discussing the concept of happy cities with entrepreneurs, start-ups and city representatives from all over Europe, and outlining the related funding opportunities available from BASS. When asked what represented happiness in an urban context, the group spoke of the importance of green spaces, social cohesion, safety, community, accessible culture, and clean and effective transportation options.  

During the Deep Talk session, Dr Bahaaeddin Alhaddad, Applications Engineer for ESA BASS, explained how space applications are already playing a big role in improving our cities. Using a wearable device, he went on to demonstrate how the integration of wearable technologies and space data could provide evidence of the relation between routes we take from A to B and our happiness quotient.

“The concept of Smart Cities was actually defined in 2010, but innovations using space technologies and data have been delivering change in our urban areas for many years,” said Dr Alhaddad. “From improved traffic flow and autonomous vehicles to digital twins for enhanced urban planning, water source mapping and air quality monitoring, space is driving change in our cities and the potential of these technologies is huge.” 

BASS supports business innovation with flexible funding opportunities, technical assistance and access to relevant networks across Europe. It has already invested more than €20M in city-related projects since 2010, more than half of which made commercial sales during the pilot stage. In 2023, BASS established the Smart and Green Cities Task Force, bringing together city authorities from across Europe and beyond to identify key challenges and support this innovation. 

“It has been great coming back to Urban Future, catching up with some of our Smart and Green City Task Force members and making new connections,” said Dr Kavitha Muthu, Smart Cities Lead for ESA BASS. “The event is as diverse as ever and our focus theme of Happy Cities is really gaining momentum. It has been a great opportunity to speak to stakeholders and showcase what BASS can contribute to the business ecosystem supporting and improving our cities.”