Space Intelligence NbS Screening and Monitoring

Space Intelligence is a nature data company based in Edinburgh, Scotland, founded in 2017 by CEO Dr Murray Collins and chief scientist Professor Ed Mitchard, who met while measuring tropical forest carbon in Africa in 2009. It produces satellite-derived land cover and biomass maps to support zero-deforestation goals and high-integrity forest carbon projects.

Its team of data scientists, ecologists and AI specialists combines open satellite data with tropical ecology expertise to build land cover, above-ground biomass and global screening datasets, reporting more than 3 billion hectares mapped. For the voluntary carbon market it offers NbS project screening, technical due diligence, verification support and monitoring; NbS Project Screening Pro adds baseline, leakage risk and durability risk modules for pre-issuance ARR projects. The same maps power EUDR checks through the ICE Commodity Traceability service and Scope 3 estimates for coffee, cocoa and palm oil.

• NbS project screening: assesses feasibility, risk, performance and impact of pre- and post-issuance projects.
• Screening Pro modules: baseline, leakage risk and durability risk analysis for ARR projects.
• Mapping datasets: land cover, above-ground biomass and Global Harmonised Layers 2026.
• Technical due diligence: independent review support for offtakers, investors and developers.
• Verification and monitoring: map-based evidence for project verification and ongoing change tracking.
• EUDR and Scope 3: deforestation maps for commodities via ICE and commodity-specific emissions estimates.

A Vietnamese reforestation or REDD+ developer can use biomass baselines and leakage analysis to prepare projects for registration. A domestic or regional buyer of forest credits can screen several projects with the same data before signing offtake contracts. A coffee or rubber exporter can use deforestation maps for EUDR due diligence.

Offtakers and investors can screen and compare nature-based projects for feasibility, risk and performance before committing capital, using a consistent mapping basis. Project developers get audit-grade land cover and biomass baselines that support verification. The same data serves EUDR compliance and Scope 3 estimates, so one provider covers carbon, deforestation and supply chain needs.

Carbon credit buyers increasingly require independent geospatial evidence on baselines and leakage, while the EU EUDR obliges coffee, cocoa, rubber and timber supply chains to prove deforestation-free origin. Southeast Asia hosts many REDD+ and ARR projects, as shown by Space Intelligence's Cambodia work, and Vietnam is a major exporter of EUDR-covered commodities such as coffee and rubber.

Founded in 2017 (a 2024 company post says 2018) by Dr Murray Collins and Prof. Ed Mitchard; office at Henry Duncan House, 120 George St, Edinburgh; company number SC595836. Reports more than 3 billion hectares mapped and 15 PhD-qualified staff. Supplies mapping data to ICE's Commodity Traceability service for EUDR; case studies include Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary REDD+ in Cambodia with Everland. Appointed its first CFO in August 2025.