We are an interdisciplinary team combining expertise from computer science, geography and business administration. In addition, our start-up is supported by advisors from environmental and climate research as well as digitalization.
The vision of the Geo Engine team is to establish the use of geospatial data in analytics and business processes. We are developing a holistic platform that connects data, abstracts processing and exploits visual feedback. The use cases in companies are thus manifold: as web UI and via Python library for data scientists, as API for process integration and as reports for decision makers.
From university to startup
The foundation for the Geo Engine was laid in the Database Systems working group at the University of Marburg. Prof. Bernhard Seeger did pioneering work in geo data processing here and gained international renown. In the course of his work, a connection to biodiversity research was established. As a result, concrete applications moved more into the focus of the work. In the context of the GFBio project, Christian Beilschmidt, Johannes Drönner and Michael Mattig joined the working group as research associates. From the original development goal of a data access and visualization platform, the VAT system – as a precursor to the Geo Engine – developed into the more comprehensive vision of a virtual research environment. Over time, the system has been used in more and more projects with real-world users: for evaluations of automated biodiversity monitoring (Nature 4.0), in the training program for satellite data processing (Eumetsat Digital Teaching Tool), and in the concept for smart cities (EmergenCity). Publications on interactive data analysis, visualization, and deep learning on satellite data were produced.
Apart from research, geodata play an important role in the economy across sectors. We recognized this potential early on and validated it in start-up contests (Uni-Ideen-Marburg winner, Hessen-Ideen finalist). In particular, at the EXIST program of the BMWi – for the promotion of university spin-offs – we were able to convince the jury with our pitch in 2020 and secure funding totaling €700K. Our EXIST project started in November 2020 and since then Philip Schweitzer joined the team for Business Development. With the founding of Geo Engine GmbH in June 2021, we laid the official foundation for the further development of our shared vision.
