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
Musk denies awareness of Grok sexual underage images as California AG launches probe

Fischer said SkyFi used to have a harder time convincing satellite imagery providers to hand over access to their data. Now, he said, onboarding new ...

Jan 15,2026
Inside Iran, Protesters Urge Trump to Act: 'If Nothing Happens, It's a Catastrophe' | TIME

... intelligence might somehow be monitoring Starlink, the satellite internet system that circumvents the state's blackout. Trump, meanwhile ...

Jan 15,2026
When water becomes land; Why Parker Island is first in Save Crystal River's island restoration plan

“We feel like we can get started on Parker Island and show proof of concept,” Moore said. Parker Island satellite image. A view of Parker Island from ...

Jan 15,2026
UK's Open Cosmos beats Thiel-backed Rivada to European satellite licence

A UK satellite company has won a highly contested satellite spectrum ... intelligence. The award by the small European country gives the ...

Jan 15,2026
SANSA Uses Earth Observation Satellite Imagery to Observe Western Cape Fires

SANSA leverages open-access and commercial satellite imagery to support wildfire detection and monitoring, as well as the assessment of fire origins ...

Jan 15,2026
Monitoring Maize Yield Variability over Space and Time with Unsupervised Satellite Imagery ...

Here, we compute task-agnostic random convolutional features from satellite imagery and use linear ridge regression models to predict maize yields ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellite stocks continue to surge amid geopolitical concerns, with Rocket Lab ... - Sherwood News

... intelligence capabilities, their own eyes in the sky to understand what's going on, to make sure that they have the proper preparedness.” Satellite ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellite Cloud Imaging Service Global Research Report 2026 - GlobeNewswire

Diagnostic Imaging Imaging Services Satellite Satellite Operator Satellite Technologies Satellite Technology Small Satellite ... Commercial Satellite ...

Jan 15,2026
SkyFi: $12.7 Million Series A Closed To Broaden Access to Satellite Imagery And Analytics

In 2025, SkyFi said it launched custom-built platforms for commercial satellite partners including Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence), ICEYE US, and ...

Jan 15,2026
IonQ Hires Katie Arrington for CIO Role - Via Satellite

Latest News. Imagery and Sensing Europe Gets Ready for a New Polar Satellite Constellation ... satellite, communications, and spectrum ...

Jan 15,2026
Gale Force Winds Over the Great Lakes

More Blogs and Imagery · Contact us. Gale Force Winds Over the Great Lakes ... The following plot shows the ASCAT from EUMETSAT'S MetOP-C satellite.

Jan 15,2026
Navy Has A Plan To Attack Embarrassing Rust Caked On Its Warships - The War Zone

An image of a rust-streaked USS Dewey last year sparked Trump to demand ... Anti-Satellite Capabilities · Launch Vehicles · Show More... Nuclear.

Jan 15,2026
RTX provides Blue Canyon satellite for interstellar mission

LAFAYETTE, Colo., Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A Saturn-200 minisatellite, developed by Blue Canyon Technologies—RTX's (NYSE: RTX) small satellite ...

Jan 15,2026
Trump wants to slash funding for federal climate and weather research. Congress is about to ... - CNN

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite image ... The budget request also sought to cancel weather and climate satellite ...

Jan 15,2026
Physics Professor Gerard Fasel and Seaver Students Present Solar-Terrestrial Interactions ...

... Satellite image of the aurora borealis from the International Space Station.

Jan 15,2026
The visible close-up satellite image of Jamaica shows clouds bringing overcast skies ... - Threads

Weather Jamaica (@weather.jamaica). 69 Views. The visible close-up satellite image of Jamaica shows clouds bringing overcast skies &/or isolated ...

Jan 15,2026
SkyFi raises $12.7M Series A to expand satellite imagery and AI analytics | SkyFi | Julian Sirakov

... commercial satellite and analytic partners, 2025 was a massive ... satellite imagery and AI analytics | SkyFi skyfi.com · 96 8 Comments · Like ...

Jan 15,2026
Starlink reportedly made free in Iran - but protesters are taking huge risks by using it - BBC

The satellite technology has become a vital communications lifeline ... On Tuesday, Iranian intelligence forces said they had seized a large ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellite Confirms Hit on Ammunition Depot in Occupied Crimea in Early January - Militarnyi

Satellite imagery has confirmed a strike by Unmanned Systems Forces drones on a Russian ammunition depot in temporarily occupied Crimea in early ...

Jan 15,2026
SkyFi raises $12.7M to turn satellite images into insights - Yahoo Finance

A satellite image purchased through the SkyFi platform | Image Credits:SkyFi. There are thousands of satellites orbiting the Earth, ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellite Launches
Free Starlink access for Iran seen as game changer for demonstrators getting their message out

SpaceX's Starlink has dropped fees to help Iranian demonstrators share protest details globally, activists say.

Jan 15,2026
Sidus Space: Launching Into High-Margin Satellite Data Services Market (NASDAQ:SIDU)

mechanick/iStock via Getty Images ... If this trend is anything to go by Sidus should achieve further cost savings in the production and launch of ...

Jan 15,2026
SkyFi: $12.7 Million Series A Closed To Broaden Access to Satellite Imagery And Analytics

... satellite imagery and built-in geospatial analytics across ... In 2025, SkyFi said it launched custom-built platforms for commercial satellite ...

Jan 15,2026
Is Starlink helping Iranians break internet blackout, and how does it work? - Al Jazeera

The satellite communication service from SpaceX is one of the few ways that images ... Trump envoy announces launch of 'phase two' of plan to end ...

Jan 15,2026
Airbus Plans Space Radio Access Network Demonstrator With Tech Partners - Via Satellite

Imagery and Sensing Europe Gets Ready for a New Polar Satellite Constellation ... Then, Airbus plans to launch an in-orbit demonstration that ...

Jan 15,2026
Hide-and-Seek in Orbit: China Expands Military Space Capabilities | Aviation Week Network

Credit: Zorazhuang/Getty Images. A Long March 6A rocket took off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province, China, on Jan. 13 ...

Jan 15,2026
UK's Open Cosmos beats Thiel-backed Rivada to European satellite licence

Musk bows to pressure over Grok creating sexualised AI images · Google ... launch two satellites as part of the Ka-band constellation “in the ...

Jan 15,2026
Musk denies awareness of Grok sexual underage images as California AG launches probe

Fischer said SkyFi used to have a harder time convincing satellite imagery providers to hand over access to their data. Now, he said, onboarding new ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellite Data Exposes a Hidden Flood Threat Endangering 236 Million People - Gizmodo

... Launches Investigation Into Grok's ... NASA's MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on the Terra satellite captured this image of ...

Jan 15,2026
Orbital Paradigm's Capsule Transmitted Data Despite PSLV Rocket Failure - Via Satellite

Imagery and Sensing Europe Gets Ready for a New Polar Satellite Constellation ... India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) suffered a launch ...

Jan 15,2026
SpaceX launch recap: Live updates from Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral - Florida Today

The Falcon 9 will deploy a payload of 29 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. No Brevard County sonic booms should occur. After soaring ...

Jan 15,2026
MBRSC releases new MBZ-SAT images showcasing UAE landmarks

... images captured by the “Mohamed Bin Zayed Sat” (MBZ-SAT), marking the anniversary of the satellite's launch and highlighting its advanced ...

Jan 15,2026
Despite forecast, SpaceX launches Starlink satellites - Spectrum News 13

CAPE CANAVERAL SPACE FORCE STATION, Fla. — Even though the weather did not look promising, SpaceX was able to launch its Starlink mission on ...

Jan 15,2026
New OroraTech thermal sensors leverage Kepler lasers to bypass downlink delays for wildfires

OroraTech announced that four of its SAFIRE Gen4 sensors were onboard on the Kepler Communications Tranche-1 satellites launched Jan. 11.

Jan 15,2026
U.S. Space Force switches rockets for upcoming GPS satellite launch - Spaceflight Now

The next Global Positioning System satellite is switching from a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket to a SpaceX Falcon 9, a spokesperson for the ...

Jan 15,2026
Open Cosmos Awarded Liechtenstein Spectrum Filings for LEO Broadband Constellation

Imagery and Sensing Europe Gets Ready for a New Polar Satellite Constellation ... It has selected Rocket Lab as a launch provider and the satellites ...

Jan 15,2026
Elon Musk reportedly makes Starlink accessible during Iran protests - Florida Today

SpaceX's internet satellite service Starlink, powered by rocket launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida, is reportedly accessible in Iran amid ...

Jan 15,2026
US-China AI race extends to space-based data centers - Nikkei Asia

... satellite images. alt A Starcloud satellite equipped with an Nvidia chip is inspected before launch. (Nvidia). Starcloud plans to launch a ...

Jan 15,2026
SpaceX set to launch Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral | FOX 35 Orlando

SpaceX's Starlink network includes thousands of satellites. BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying Starlink ...

Jan 15,2026
Fact-checking Trump's claims about inflation and US economic growth - BBC News

You can also get in touch with BBC Verify if you've got a question about how we verify video posted online or work with satellite imagery. You can ...

Jan 15,2026
EO-MSI
SkyFi: $12.7 Million Series A Closed To Broaden Access to Satellite Imagery And Analytics

In 2025, SkyFi said it launched custom-built platforms for commercial satellite partners including Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence), ICEYE US ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellite Cloud Imaging Service Global Research Report 2026 - GlobeNewswire

Significant market acquisitions, such as Advent International and British Columbia Investment Management Corp's $6.4 billion acquisition of Maxar ...

Jan 15,2026
SkyFi Secures $12.7M Series A - Payload Space

Image: Satellogic/SkyFi. Sign up for our ... “Analytics companies, even satellite providers, have built these Ferrari ...

Jan 15,2026
SkyFi raises $12.7M to make satellite imagery as easy as ordering an Uber

The company launched custom-built platforms for major satellite operators, including Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence), ICEYE US, and Planet, ...

Jan 15,2026
FCC approves 7,500 additional Starlink Gen2 satellites for SpaceX - SatellitePro ME

SatellitePro ME addresses all aspects of the satellite industry ... Satellogic secures seven-figure monitoring deal · OQ Technology brings ...

Jan 15,2026
SkyFi Secures $12.7 Million Series A Funding to Advance Access to Satellite Imagery and Analytics

... satellite imagery, providing actionable insights that enable ... Maxar Intelligence, ICEYE US, and Planet to deliver on-demand access to ...

Jan 15,2026
Inside Trump's $11 billion health plan to replace "neo-colonial" USAID - Axios

The new program aims to boost U.S. influence and interests in developing nations without the NGOs delivered services through USAID.

Jan 15,2026
Satellite internet provider Starlink now offering free service inside Iran, activists say

American Legion Baseball · AP Winter Olympics · Outdoors · Arts & Entertainment · TV Listings · Videos · Church Services · Events · Local Events ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellogic secures $30 million contract - MSN

Under the terms of the agreement, Satellogic will deliver multiband optical imagery captured by the satellite constellation. The constellation is ...

Jan 15,2026
SAR
Eos Energy Sparks Retail Buzz After New Battery Storage Platform Launch - Stocktwits

Ryanair CEO Reportedly Rules Out Equipping Aircraft With Starlink Even As Airlines Embrace Musk's Satellite Wi-Fi. Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary cited ...

Jan 15,2026
SkyFi: $12.7 Million Series A Closed To Broaden Access to Satellite Imagery And Analytics

... satellite imagery and built-in geospatial analytics across commercial and government use cases. ... ICEYE US, and Planet to provide on-demand access to ...

Jan 15,2026
Orbital Paradigm's Capsule Transmitted Data Despite PSLV Rocket Failure - Via Satellite

Government/Military Swedish Armed Forces Sign Sovereign Satellite Deals with Planet and Iceye · Launch. Orbital Paradigm's Capsule Transmitted Data ...

Jan 15,2026
Indian rocket crashes with 16 satellites on board | heise online

Among them were the Indian Earth observation satellite EOS-N1, the British-Thai Earth observation satellite Theos-2, and an Indian satellite designed ...

Jan 15,2026
News | IonQ Announces New CISO | Pipeline Publishing

IonQ Capella's Leslie Kershaw Moves to IonQ Corporate Post as Chief Information Security Officer ... satellite, communications, and spectrum ...

Jan 15,2026
Starlink satellites lift off on SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral | Space

An Indian PSLV rocket launches the EOS-N1 military satellite and 15 other payloads on. Indian PSLV rocket apparently fails for 2nd launch in a row ...

Jan 15,2026
'KID' Is The Only Capsule To Survive Failed PSLV-C62 Launch | ISRO News | N18V

... EOS-N1 (Anvesha) were lost, KID's survival offered rare real-world data ... ISRO's PSLV Fails with SPY Satellite | Sabotage? Impact? Future ...

Jan 15,2026
Eos Energy unveils Indensity battery storage system | EOSE Stock News

... Satellite · All Stock Rankings Largest Companies by Market Cap Best ... Eos Energy Announces Indensity™: A Breakthrough in Battery Energy ...

Jan 15,2026
Liechtenstein's spectrum award to Open Cosmos propels Europe in the space ... - Satellite Evolution

The Principality of Liechtenstein has awarded its High Priority Ka-band radio spectrum filings to the space mission company, Open Cosmos, ...

Jan 15,2026
Airbus launches demonstrator to test global 5G connectivity in orbit - Satellite Evolution

ICEYE to deliver sovereign space-based intelligence ...

Jan 15,2026
SRC Awarded $24M Air Force Contract to Develop Next-Generation Embedded Computing ...

SRC Awarded $24M Air Force Contract to Develop Next-Generation Embedded Computing Capabilities. Writer: Satellite Evolution Group. Satellite Evolution ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellite Cloud Imaging Service Global Research Report 2026: $12.34 Bn Market Trends ...

The satellite cloud imaging service market is poised for growth due to rising small satellite ... EOS Data Analytics Inc.; GIS Consortium India Private ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellite Cloud Imaging Service Global Research Report 2026 - GlobeNewswire

L3Harris Technologies Inc. European Space Agency; Telespazio S.p.A.; Planet Labs PBC; BlackSky Technology Inc. EOS Data Analytics Inc. GIS Consortium ...

Jan 15,2026
Where the Tianshan Will Break Next: Strain, Slip, and Seismic Hazard - Eos.org

Chang et al. [2025] use the complete set of available GNSS (satellite-based positioning) measurement data, from 936 stations, to map how the crust ...

Jan 15,2026
India's Space Community Pours Out Its Emotions After ISRO's Back‑To‑Back PSLV Failure

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV‑C62), carrying the EOS‑N1 Earth‑observation satellite and a cluster of commercial payloads, deviated from ...

Jan 15,2026
Satellite Confirms Hit on Ammunition Depot in Occupied Crimea in Early January - Militarnyi

Satellite Confirms Hit on Ammunition Depot in Occupied Crimea in Early January ... Australian company Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited (EOS) has ...

Jan 15,2026
RTX supplies Blue Canyon satellite as NASA Pandora mission launches to study distant ...

A Saturn-200 minisatellite developed by Blue Canyon Technologies, a small satellite manufacturer owned ... ICEYE has signed a multi-million, multi-year ...

Jan 15,2026
HII Wins Role in Missile Defense Agency's $151B SHIELD Contract Vehicle

Top view of Stockholm on a synthetic aperture radar satellite. Sweden Taps ICEYE, Planet Labs for Space Satellite Network. January 13, 2026.

Jan 15,2026
HII Wins Role in Missile Defense Agency's $151B SHIELD Contract Vehicle

Sweden Taps ICEYE, Planet Labs for Space Satellite Network. Finnish defense ...

Jan 15,2026
Open Cosmos Awarded Liechtenstein Spectrum Filings for LEO Broadband Constellation

Government/Military Swedish Armed Forces Sign Sovereign Satellite Deals with Planet and Iceye ... satellite broadband constellation for Europe ...

Jan 15,2026
SSA

Questions about Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)