About

ESA EO ATLANTIC REGION INITIATIVE

ESA’s Earth Observation (EO) Atlantic Regional Initiative is designed to catalyse innovation and accelerate the uptake of EO data and services across the Atlantic region in support of the Blue Economy. At its core, the initiative recognises that building a sustainable ocean economy depends on access to timely, accurate, and actionable marine intelligence—something EO technologies are uniquely positioned to provide.

The Blue Economy framework aims to balance economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental stewardship. Yet achieving this vision requires a deep, continuous understanding of our oceans and coasts—something that is often constrained by the high cost, inaccessibility, or lack of coherence of traditional monitoring methods. EO, by contrast, offers scalable, cost-effective, and wide-reaching capabilities that can deliver the insights needed for informed decision-making at all levels, from local fisheries to international marine governance.

ESA has identified innovation clusters as key intermediaries in this effort. These clusters are well-positioned to connect regional needs with global EO capabilities, foster cross-sector collaboration, and stimulate investment in digital marine solutions. By mobilising stakeholders - including SMEs, research institutions, public authorities, and international funders - the initiative strengthens the Atlantic EO ecosystem while ensuring that regional actors are co-creators of the solutions they use.

Key components of the initiative include:

• Needs Assessment and Capability Mapping: Identifying market-driven innovation priorities and cataloguing existing EO capabilities across Atlantic innovation clusters to match local challenges with technological opportunities.
• Synergies and International Partnerships: Exploring collaboration pathways with non-European space agencies and funding programmes to promote transatlantic knowledge exchange and joint innovation.
• Strategic Roadmaps and Investment Readiness: Developing cluster-specific roadmaps that support long-term EO adoption and scalability, including the formation of consortia ready to pilot EO-based demonstrators in real-world marine sectors.
• Demonstrator Development: Two flagship innovation priorities will be selected for co-design and demonstration using ESA’s Green Transition Information Factories (GTIF) and associated EO tools. These demonstrators will validate EO service models that can be scaled across other regions and sectors.

By combining regional innovation leadership with ESA’s EO expertise, the Atlantic Region Initiative aims to create a lasting impact supporting clusters in becoming both beneficiaries and contributors to a more intelligent, resilient, and sustainable maritime future.

For more information on the ESA Atlantic Regional Initiative please click here.

MSE International

MSE International is a leading research and technology organisation dedicated to driving innovation, investment, and sustainable growth across the marine and maritime industries. Based in the UK, MSE works at the intersection of research, industry, and policy, supporting the commercialisation of new technologies and facilitating high-impact collaborations across the Blue Economy.

With a strong track record in designing and delivering complex, multi-partner projects funded by both public and private sources, MSE acts as a trusted innovation broker for the marine sector. Its core capabilities span project and consortium management, technology transfer, funding acquisition, and strategic stakeholder engagement. MSE also offers deep expertise in areas such as supply chain mapping, market analysis, training, event delivery, and communications.

The organisation maintains a rich network of industry, academic, and governmental partners and is internationally recognised as a key node in the global innovation ecosystem. MSE is an active member of the BlueTech Cluster Alliance and the European Cluster Collaboration Platform, contributing to international dialogues on marine innovation, digitalisation, and sustainability.

As a founding partner of the EO4MI project, MSE International plays a central role in convening regional stakeholders, identifying innovation priorities, and supporting the uptake of EO data and services across Atlantic-facing sectors. Its work helps ensure that EO-enabled solutions are aligned with the real-world needs of businesses, regulators, and communities working toward a more resilient and productive maritime future.

For more information on MSE International please click here.