SPACEBEL SA

Their core work

SPACEBEL is a Belgian software company specializing in space ground segment systems, Earth observation data processing, and geospatial information platforms. They develop software that transforms satellite and remote sensing data into usable services for sectors like agriculture, environmental monitoring, and resource management. In H2020, they contributed ICT and space data expertise to projects applying satellite-derived information to bioeconomy and agricultural development, including digital agriculture solutions for Africa.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

SPACEBEL's H2020 trajectory shows a clear shift from general space information infrastructure toward applied agricultural and bioeconomy data services. Their earliest project (EUGENIUS, 2016) focused broadly on space-based information networks, while their later projects (DataBio and NADiRA, both 2017) applied space and ICT capabilities specifically to agriculture, fishery, and forestry. This suggests a deliberate move from upstream space technology toward downstream applications in the food and land-use sectors.

SPACEBEL is moving from generic space data infrastructure toward targeted Earth observation applications in agriculture and natural resource management, including expansion into African markets.

How they like to work

SPACEBEL operates comfortably in both coordinator and participant roles, having led NADiRA while contributing as a partner in two other projects. With 65 unique consortium partners across 20 countries from just 3 projects, they work in large, internationally diverse consortia — typical for space and ICT Innovation Actions. This broad network suggests they are well-connected and experienced at integrating into multi-partner collaborations.

Despite only 3 H2020 projects, SPACEBEL has built a remarkably wide network of 65 partners across 20 countries, reflecting the large-consortium nature of space and ICT Innovation Actions. Their NADiRA coordination role indicates reach into African partnerships alongside their European base.

What sets them apart

SPACEBEL sits at a valuable intersection: they are a space software SME that can translate satellite data into practical services for agriculture and natural resource management. Unlike pure space technology firms, they bridge the gap between Earth observation infrastructure and end-user applications in bioeconomy. Their coordination of a project targeting African digital agriculture also demonstrates willingness to operate beyond European markets, which is uncommon for a Belgian SME of this size.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NADiRA
  SPACEBEL's only coordinator role and largest funding (€598K), applying digital technology to African agriculture — an unusual geographic scope for a Belgian SME.
• DataBio
  Large-scale Innovation Action on data-driven bioeconomy covering agriculture, fishery, and forestry — directly aligns SPACEBEL's ICT skills with food/land-use sectors.