OroraTech provides wildfire detection and monitoring services from space using thermal intelligence technology.

OroraTech

OroraTech is a thermal data intelligence company headquartered in Munich, Germany, with the mission to create truth for a net-zero economy and protect our environment. Their leading Wildfire Solution is used by clients all over the globe, monitoring more than 160 million ha of forest. The service will be complemented by multipurpose thermal-infrared sensing nanosatellites with in-space artificial intelligence to improve real-time response and to improve continuous coverage. The first of its kind satellite was successfully launched in January 2022 and will be expanded to a fleet of 100 satellites over the following years. Founded in 2018, the company has grown to an international team of over 80 employees supported by private and institutional investors, the European Space Agency, and the governments of Germany and Bavaria.

European Space Agency

SpaceTec Capital

Clemens Kaiser

Ingo Baumann

Ananda Impact Ventures

APEX Ventures

Bayern Kapital

Findus Venture

ConActivity KG

Earth Science Foundation

Edaphon

Today, let's shine a spotlight on a standout member of OroraTech: Lucas Krempel, our Head of Payload Engineering! 

Lucas came to OroraTech early in our company’s history, in October 2018, and helped design our company’s first thermal sensor. He met our CEO & CTO, Martin Langer, almost 10 years ago while still at university, after learning about a project Martin was leading.

“I saw a flyer for a kick-off event for a student group building satellites. They were just trying to get more students into the project, and I thought it would be cool to maybe get something to orbit. I remember walking in, and Martin was standing all by himself in this large, large auditorium. I thought we were in the wrong place, but Martin just said, ‘no, no, come in!’. In hindsight, that moment really changed my career direction.” 

While being an important part of our team, Lucas also enjoys educational outreach initiatives to ignite a passion for space technology and STEM in young minds. You may have seen our yearly “OroraTech Girls Day," a hands-on demonstration event created by Lucas to get more young women and girls interested in space technology. This mission drives him to volunteer as a financial officer with the Bundesverband studentischer Raumfahrt e.V. - BVSR, an organization devoted to connecting and promoting student space initiatives across Germany. 

“I really believe that students can achieve anything they put their minds to. I like pushing them forward and showing them they have a lot of possibilities. When we show people that anything is possible, we are potentially lighting a fire in the next great innovator of thinking or could change the world.”

We’re incredibly proud to have Lucas on our team. His dedication to education and outreach not only enriches our company culture but also strengthens our commitment to making a difference, both in the realm of space technology and in the communities we reach. 

“My motivation really comes from my team, who are putting so much passion into what they do. We work on problems that are seemingly impossible, but the enthusiasm and knowledge that every team member brings really us together. Its really great to be working on technology for a mission that is bigger than oneself.”

#EmployeeAppreciation #EarthObservation #SpaceDevelopment

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about how there are some things that they simply don’t teach you in grad school - I really want to explore that idea again.

Starting a company in deeptech, your technology is usually incredibly focused. When we started OroraTech we had developed a lot of great technology around our thermal camera, but we did not really understand how to connect it to business here on Earth. But after talking with potential customers, understanding their needs and wants, and connecting with them personally, we realized where we could make a real impact.

Fast forward five years, and now you have many incredible organizations and people around the world using that camera, now strapped on satellites and orbiting the Earth at 7.6 kilometers (4.6 miles) per second.  (We could also say 27.360 kilometers per hour to be more impressive.)

But as time progresses, what your customer base expects from you (and what new customers expect) slowly expands. We built the innovative Wildfire Solution platform to easily translate the sensor data for customers, AI data products on top of that data to give predictive insights, and long-term analytics tools for statistical analysis. 

So the question is: how do you expand the functionality of your technology and find new customers through business development (or in other words, how to cross the chasm, in case you are familiar with the book) without sacrificing your core customer base? We’ve learned a few things over the years:

Create Partnerships, Not Just Customers
Shed your ego and get rid of our own assumptions. We are constantly communicating with our customers about their needs with Wildfire Solution and our other products. Our innovation and feature development is fueled by them, and we follow up constantly about new versions. This was one of the most important things we learned early on. 

Focus First, Then Expand
There are many applications you can build upon thermal data from orbit - things like Land Surface Temperature and urban heat mapping - that we are now expanding on. But our first priority has always been wildfire detection. This focus allowed us to focus on building the best product possible for this exact use case.

Customer Success Creates Product Success. 
We developed a team entirely focused on communicating with our customers. Our Customer Success team, led by one of our earliest employees, Camilo Pabón M. , invests directly into relationships with fire agencies and forestries around the world. When our customers succeed, we succeed as well.

The integration of the OroraTech Wildfire solution into our continuous monitoring system is a turning point in the study and management of forest fires in our projects. The high capabilities of this system, which relies on the latest advances in satellite remote sensing, help us to significantly improve the identification of fire events in near-real-time, as well as to forecast their behavior with high precision - Dr. Javier Ruiz-Ramos

(Dr. Javier Ruiz-Ramos is a remote sensing analyst at Permian Global working across all Permian projects supporting deployment of monitoring technology)

#forestfire #monitoring #technology #conservation
#remotesensing #firemitigation #ororatech
Christopher Philipson Hugh Graham James Margrove
https://lnkd.in/gjSEAtxW

🔥 Excitement is building for OroraTech’s International Wildfire Conference 2024! 🔥
From October 1st to October 2nd, 2024 🗓  we will gather in Bavaria , Germany, for an exclusive two-day event focused on the theme "From Detection to Protection: Pioneering Wildfire Solutions." 🛰 🌳 🌳 🔥 🌳 🌳 📡 🚒 

This is not just another conference; it’s a pivotal gathering of leaders and decision-makers from forestry, government, and science sectors worldwide. Together, we’ll tackle the ever-growing challenges of wildfires with cutting-edge innovations in Earth observation 🛰 🌍 and data. 

Our discussions will span topics from wildfire detection and active fire monitoring to wildfire preparedness, risk assessment, fire and damage analytics, satellite technology, and the latest in wildfire management innovations.

The lineup of experts joining us is unparalleled. This is a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of wildfire solutions, surrounded by the best minds dedicated to protecting our planet.

Feeling the buzz already? You’re not alone. This event is designed to be the ultimate hub for the wildfire community, driving meaningful conversations and groundbreaking advancements.

Can’t wait to see the dynamic exchanges and pioneering ideas that will emerge from this prestigious gathering!

#WildfireConference #OroraTech2024 #WildfireDetection #FireMonitoring #WildfirePreparedness #RiskAssessment #SatelliteTechnology #WildfireManagement #EarthObservation #FireAnalytics #InnovativeSolutions

Our goal has always been clear: get our technology into the hands of people who work on wildfires every single day, supercharging their ability to detect and manage them! 

Today, we are thrilled to announce that we are training approximately 3,200 tropical rainforest firefighters at the Rio Cautário Conservation Project in Brazil and the Katingan Mentaya Project in Indonesia on our Wildfire Solution platform. Together with Permian Global, we are securing 296,200 hectares (731,900 acres) of conservation land from wildfire, home to both endangered species of orangutans and some of the last remaining blocks of Amazon rainforest in the Brazilian state of Rondônia.

Click the link below for the full story:
https://lnkd.in/d_wZnz83

Permian Brasil
Rimba Makmur Utama
Dharsono Hartono

 #Conservation #Sustainability #Wildfire #EarthObservation #ororatech #permianbrazil #katinganmentayaproject #riocautario #permianglobal #conservation #tropicalforest #fireprevention

Great discussion at Hitachi Energy’s Panel last week on how innovations in satellite & AI-based technologies help utility operators control the threat that natural disasters pose, like wildfires or severe weather. 
 
Satellite data provides unparalleled situational awareness. But it's not about images or just one set of data.  

Our customers are looking for impactful insights that help them make the right decisions at the right time. Knowing where the fire risk is high helps utilities manage vegetation and prepare resources ahead of time. Knowing where to act first when a fire event is evolving allows for a quick response in the most vulnerable areas. And knowing where power can be restored quickly, with a fast damage assessment after the event, means that customers aren’t left in the dark. 

Our Wildfire Solution is built with this purpose directly in mind. Our AI-powered data products, like Fire Spread simulations and Burnt Area analysis, provide critical knowledge so our customers can combat the threat of wildfires where it matters. 

Last week’s panel also showed me another aspect. By combining the expertise of these earth observation innovators, together we bring the best value to our customers: better threat assessment, faster and most accurate fire location, and accurate spread predictions, with better weather data and fuel models. 

A huge thanks to Jeff Pauska, MBA at Hitachi Energy for organizing, and to Cole Swain, Topher Haddad, and Deven Desai for such interesting conversations! 

#DisasterManagement #Utilities #SpaceTechnology

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