Our team is driven by the purpose of delivering the highest quality nature data and digital monitoring systems to reduce risk in, and increase the integrity of, financial mechanisms which must greatly expand funding for forest conservation and restoration.
Founded in 2017, Dr Murray Collins (Co-founder, CEO) and Professor Ed Mitchard (Co-founder, Chief Scientist) established Space Intelligence after meeting while measuring the biomass and carbon stocks of Africa’s tropical forests in 2009. They have spent years developing cutting-edge technologies to use satellite remote sensing data to quantify forest biomass.
Led by Chief Scientist Professor Ed Mitchard, one of the world’s foremost experts in forest mapping, our proprietary algorithms and products have been created by a world-class team of scientists.
>50 Staff
from over 11 countries
>100 Scientific papers
Published by senior team on Satellite data, ML/AI and forest ecology
13 PhD
qualified staff
Over a billion acres mapped
and work across 35 countries
Our Team
Leadership Team
Dr Murray Collins
Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder
Interdisciplinary PhD from the London School of Economics and the Institute of Zoology, ZSL.
Murray has published peer-reviewed papers on mapping forest biomass, deforestation and forest degradation using satellite radar data, quantifying emissions from protected forests worldwide and REDD policy. He is also an expert in climate legislation, particularly forests; co-authoring on the 3rd and 4th Global Climate Legislation Studies (GLOBE 2013/2015).
Read moreProfessor Ed Mitchard
Chief Scientist & Co-founder
PhD on using satellite remote sensing to quantify woody cover and biomass across Africa from the University of Edinburgh
Ed is a world expert in Satellite mapping of land cover change and forest properties. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed papers, won over £4million in research funding and has advised governments including Gabon, Cameroon, Colombia and the UK on land use monitoring methods.
Read moreCarol Blackwood
Chief Operating Officer
MA (Hons) in Geography and MSc in GIS from the University of Edinburgh.
Geospatial professional with a background in remote sensing, forestry and GIS. Carol’s career began in Belize, measuring hundreds of trees and has included positions with the Forestry Commission and at EDINA, helping develop products for geospatial web services for education. She joined Space Intelligence in early 2021 and was quickly promoted to the management team.
Read moreMapping Science Team
Dr Paula Nieto Quintano
Head of Science
PhD in Forest Carbon from the University of Edinburgh.
For her PhD she set up a long-term fire experiment in the Republic of Congo to understand the floristic composition, carbon storage and woody cover and their association with fire. Previously, she has worked as an environmental consultant, as a researcher, and as a GIS and remote sensing analyst at Ecometrica.
Read moreDr Thom Brade
Senior Mapping Scientist
PhD in tropical woodland ecology from the University of Edinburgh.
For his PhD he analysed long-term woodland measurement data to assess the constraints on trees and woodland structure in southern Africa. He also established a plot network for the observation of tropical cyclone damage in Mozambique and assessed the impacts of community forestry on land cover change in Tanzania. Previously he has worked as a GIS analyst at Ecological Australia.
Read more Dr Sophie Flack-Prain
Reporting and Insights Lead
PhD in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences from the University of Edinburgh.
Sophie is an ecosystem modeller with an interest in quantifying human impacts on forest dynamics. Her academic research utilised process-based models to understand carbon and water dynamics across tropical and subtropical forests and crops. More recently, she has focused on using machine-learning to generate carbon baselines and opportunity maps as part of wider natural capital assessments.
Read moreDr Alexis Moyer
Customer Solutions Lead
PhD in Glaciology from the University of Edinburgh.
Alexis has expertise in combining remotely-sensed and field-based data to provide solutions to complex environmental sciences research questions. Previously, she worked as a hydrologist for an environmental consultancy in Edinburgh.
Read moreHeather Shepherd
Solutions Support Officer
Hons Degree in Criminology from Edinburgh Napier University.
Heather supports the team with their communication and business administration as well as having a keen interest in climate finance and the innovative application of satellite imagery to ESG performance.
Read moreIsabel Corry
Geospatial Support Officer
MSc Earth Observation and Geoinformation Management from the University of Edinburgh.
Isabel’s background is in Geography and Earth Observation. She holds a BSc in Geography and Information and Communication Systems from University College Dublin (UCD). Throughout her studies, Isabel developed a strong interest in leveraging geospatial technologies, remote sensing, and data analytics to better understand the dynamics of our planet. She is excited to apply the knowledge, skills, and insights she has gained to contribute to the innovative projects at Space Intelligence.
Read moreWill Briggs
Data Scientist
MMath in Mathematics from Durham University.
Will is excited about applying mathematical and statistical concepts in real life situations to solve complex problems. He is passionate about data analytics and data science and keen to get up to speed with the space and remote sensing industry having had experience in data architecture and analytics in financial contexts.
Read moreKinjal Desai
Data Scientist
MSc in Software Systems from Heriot-Watt University.
Kinjal aims to develop and apply her in-depth knowledge of software systems whilst gaining new experiences working with Python, SQL, and data analysis alongside our diverse team.
Read moreDr Euan Mitchell
Senior Mapping Scientist
PhD in Uranium-series isotope constraints on magma generation and differentiation in the central Oregon Cascades from the University of New Mexico.
Euan has worked with lidar data from NASA’s GEDI mission, and followed this up with a six month spell as a researcher at the university working on a potential future spaceborne lidar mission. Euan is excited to apply his knowledge of remote sensing and experience with Python programming and machine learning to help the Space Intelligence team in their important NBS work.
Read moreJoy Christine Nduta Kimani
Data Analyst
BSc in Geomatic Engineering and Geospatial Information Systems from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
Joy embraces tasks that stretch her in new directions and motivate her to discover new things. After earning her degree, she refined her Python skills through a software engineering course at Moringa School and is excited to apply the knowledge and skills she has developed at Space Intelligence. Joy seeks technological advancements so that she may address obstacles with the appropriate tools.
Read moreNived Rajeev Saritha
Data Scientist
MSc Computational Applied Mathematics from the University of Edinburgh.
Nived is very passionate about mathematical and statistical modelling, and has academic research experience in machine learning. He is greatly interested in data science and hopes to put his theoretical expertise to practical use working with remote sensing IT solutions.
Read moreLaura Patterson
Data Scientist
MPhys Astrophysics from the University of Edinburgh.
Laura is keen to improve her programming skills in her role and has an interest in how geospatial data can be used to help the environment. Her research has covered topics such as Active Galactic Nuclei and Post Star-burst Galaxy Formation.
Read moreAnna Fumagalli
Senior Mapping Scientist
MSc in Physics and Astronomy from The University of Glasgow.
Anna is a data scientist with a keen interest in data analytics and machine learning solutions. Having previously worked in software development for the entertainment industry, she's excited to dive into the world of remote sensing and nature-based solutions monitoring.
Read moreDr Magdalena Navarro Torres Arpi
Senior Mapping Scientist
PhD in Computational Biology and Machine Learning from the University of Edinburgh.
Magda enjoys using mathematical and statistical models to solve real world problems and is particularly interested in projects with a positive environmental impact. She works in the production of mapping products to support forest conservation and restoration.
Read moreDavid McLeish
Data Scientist
MSc in Applied Meteorology from the University of Reading.
David has a keen interest in weather and climate, where data has been at the core of his research. In his most recent project, David used high-resolution climate data to investigate how climate change might impact agriculture in the Peruvian Andes. He is excited to develop his programming skills and learn more about the world of remote sensing while perhaps offering a unique weather and climate-based approach to problems.
Read moreJocelyne Wardley
Ecologist
MSc in Conservation and Ecosystem Management from Newcastle University.
Jocelyne has a very keen interest in conservation, especially within the tropics. He recently worked on developing an application to help farmers in Rwanda reforest their local areas using indigenous trees that can benefit them. Jocelyne wants to apply his interest in conservation to climate change and sustainability around the world.
Read moreRachel Noach
Data Analyst
BSc (Hons) Mathematics from the University of Edinburgh.
Rachel's background is in mathematical modelling and machine learning, and she's keen to use those skills to aid conservation efforts and mitigate the effects of climate change. Rachel is excited to learn more about remote sensing, and to be working with satellite data given the powerful insights it can yield.
Read moreTom Ford
Ecologist
BSc in Geography from the University of Leeds.
Tom is passionate about how remote sensing and satellite datasets can be applied to quantifying environmental change and creating solutions to environmental challenges. He wants to keep developing his skill set towards both ecology and environmental data science so that he can contribute to the growing field of earth observation.
Read moreAdam Noach
Data Scientist
MSc in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Edinburgh.
Adam is excited to be working on real-world projects and honing his skills as a data scientist. His journey into applications of AI to forest ecology began with his MSc project, using generative models to reconstruct forest canopy structure from aerial imagery. Having previously worked on wet woodlands, in addition to his technical background Adam also has hands-on experience collecting TLS, drone LiDAR and field data.
Read moreRob Webster
Data Scientist
MSc in Earth Observation & Geoinformation Management from the University of Edinburgh.
Rob is a remote sensing and geospatial data scientist with more than 3 years experience working on data products and analytics related to forests and land use change. He has a keen interest in expanding his skills whilst supporting nature-based solutions to problems of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Read moreStuart Brown
Data Analyst
MSc in Satellite Data for Sustainable Development from the University of Strathclyde.
Stuart’s masters degree focused on mapping and predicting environmental hazards using machine learning and earth observation data, with a focus on applying case studies to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He aims to use the computer science and data analytic skills acquired in this degree to help produce high quality products to aid in forest conservation.
Read moreOliver McFarlane
Data Analyst
MSc Earth Observation & Geoinformation Management from the University of Edinburgh.
Oliver is a trained Earth Observation Scientist specialising in large scale ecological modelling. Oliver's MSc project focused on integrating multi-source satellite data with machine learning to estimate carbon stocks in southern Africa. Oliver is keen to leverage his analytical skills and ecological knowledge for conservation efforts and nature-based solutions.
Read moreSelena Georgiou
Data Scientist
PhD in Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences from the University of Edinburgh.
Selena is a remote sensing scientist with a background in hydro-meteorology, physics and atmospheric chemistry. Her PhD involved using satellite and field measured data to map water levels and methane fluxes across the tropical wetlands of the Central Congo Basin.
Read moreDr Georg Kodl
Data Scientist
PhD in monitoring soil erosion and vegetation pattern in the Arctic tundra using UAV, satellite remote sensing and ground sensors from the University of St Andrews.
For his PhD, he investigated scaling biases in satellite systems for monitoring land cover changes in the Arctic. He also researched how seasonal microclimatic variations impact biogeomorphological processes in the Icelandic and Fennoscandian tundra. Previously, he studied geohazards using remote sensing at GFZ Potsdam and worked as a GIS consultant for Integration in Berlin.
Read moreAnna Chirumbolo
Ecologist
BSc in Ecological and Environmental Sciences from the University of Edinburgh.
Anna is completing her MSc in Environmental Monitoring, Protection, and Remediation at the University of Turin. She has experience working as a data analyst for a large digital consultancy and recently visited the Peruvian Amazon to learn more about tropical forest conservation practices. With a strong scientific curiosity for forest ecology, she is eager to apply her knowledge in data analysis and remote sensing.
Read moreOperations Team
Simmone Davidson
Executive Assistant
20 years of experience providing senior manager and executive support across diverse business sectors.
Simmone will be providing executive support to Ed Mitchard and Murray Collins. She has a keen interest in environmental and climate issues and is excited to be part of a growing company that is making a difference.
Read moreKirsty Laughlin
Senior Operations Manager
MMath in Mathematics from the University of Oxford.
Prior to joining Space Intelligence Kirsty had a wide variety of roles in FTSE100 Financial Services companies, including working on multi-billion pound corporate transactions, project managing the integration of teams and functions post merger, developing product strategy and pricing, and most recently acting as the Business Manager for a senior leader. She is passionate about the environment and excited to work for a company that is focused on driving improvements to our environment and reducing deforestation.
Read moreKate Peggie
Team PA / Office Support
MA (Hons) in History from the University of Edinburgh.
Kate has previously worked in local government, undertaking roles which enabled her to develop comprehensive experience in supporting both senior managers and elected members. She is excited to utilise her skills to support a motivated team who are united by their environmental and climate concerns and their ambition to better the planet.
Read morePhilip Wilson
Senior Product Manager
BSc (Hons) in Computer Science from The University of Edinburgh.
Philip is passionate about developing products for good. With experience across geospatial analysis, medical imaging, video over IP and web services, he brings a well-rounded perspective to Space Intelligence that blends technical expertise, product vision, and people leadership. Philip is excited to collaborate with expert teams to deliver data-driven solutions that empower informed environmental decision-making.
Read moreFinance Team
Deborah Munro
Finance Director
Chartered Accountant - ICAS
Prior to joining Space Intelligence Debbie worked as an accountant in practice, supporting SME clients across a wide range of sectors. She has worked as an auditor with PWC and also has previous experience working within the finance functions of several UK banks.
Read moreTracey McNeill
Finance Officer
25 years of experience working within accounts and finance.
Prior to joining Space Intelligence, Tracey worked for several small to medium sized businesses. She has gained extensive knowledge in payroll and accounts, managing all aspects of financial record keeping. She is looking forward to expanding her skillset and working closely with the Finance Director.
Read moreCommercial Team
Michael Berliner
Strategic Partnerships Manager
Degree in Experimental Psychology, Philosophy and Physiology from the University of Oxford.
Michael manages our relationships with pre-existing clients, and heads up funding and delivery of major R&D work. Comes from a background as a BAFTA nominated film producer, work includes the comedy Adult Life Skills starring Jodie Whittaker.
Read moreCameron Nicol
Head of Revenue
BA (Hons) in Marketing Management from Edinburgh Napier University
Cameron is an experienced B2B marketing leader, with over 10 years of experience building marketing programs and teams. Prior to joining Space Intelligence he was a Senior Marketing Director within Nasdaq where he led marketing for the company's asset management analytics business unit.
Read MoreColeen Caiña
Marketing Officer
BA (Hons) in International Business from Robert Gordon University.
Coleen brings expertise in executing digital marketing campaigns. Her role spans managing Space Intelligence’s social media accounts and website to coordinating events and refining marketing strategies. As a Marketing Officer, she is committed to driving engagement and supporting the company's growth.
Read moreElitsa Marinova
Account Executive
MA (Hons) in Politics and Business and Management from the University of Glasgow.
Elitsa brings 6+ years of client-facing experience in finance. Her career spans analysing financial market data in Argentina to holding commercial roles in sustainable finance and venture capital in London. Elitsa has a proven track record of identifying and closing new business opportunities while nurturing strong B2B client relationships. As an Account Executive, Elitsa is dedicated to widening the company's customer base and driving commercial success.
Read moreSnezhanna Markova
Content Marketing Lead
MA (Hons) in Critical and Cultural Theory from Charles University.
Snezhanna brings 5+ years of experience developing, executing and managing content campaigns in highly technical fields. Her mission is to highlight the team’s expertise through content and make the complex world of nature mapping accessible for all.
Read moreChloe Haynes
Business Development Representative
BSc (Hons) in Geography from the University of Birmingham.
Chloe enjoys building, testing, and scaling go-to-market and growth functions. Drawing on 3 years heading up marketing at a fast-paced B2B SaaS startup, she is excited to apply lessons learned and develop Space Intelligence's community across the voluntary and compliance carbon markets.
Read moreEngineering Team
Ben Ritchie
Head of Engineering
MA in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge.
Ben is passionate about creating software that delights users, and empowering development teams to innovate. He has a background in high scale software systems for telecoms and cloud, having held leadership roles in the Microsoft Azure for Operators team. He's excited to learn more about forests, and to help build and grow Space Intelligence's software platform.
Read moreNikolaus Huber
Senior Engineer
MInf (Hons) from the University of Edinburgh.
Passionate about well architected and designed software, Niko enjoys delivering products that enable customers. With a history in high-scale telecommunications backends and engineering management, Niko brings his expertise in high-grade software that works and effective teams.
Read moreLuke Coursey
Senior Front End Engineer
MSc in GIS from University of Edinburgh.
Luke is a front-end engineer and React expert with a strong GIS background and extensive experience building web mapping and analytics tools across multiple industries. With a passion for data visualisation, he enjoys writing and architecting components that facilitate seamless and minimalist user experiences for exploring and analysing geospatial data.
Read moreAlex Mackie
Senior Software Engineer
MSc in GIS from the University of Edinburgh.
Alex is a geospatial data expert with a background in designing and producing environmental information and indicators across several domains. He believes that geography and finance play a key role in solving some of our most urgent problems and is delighted to be helping Space Intelligence's team and customers generate the evidence they need for this.
Read moreStig Viaene
Senior Software Engineer
MSc in Computer Science Engineering from Ghent University.
A software engineer with a passion for data, Stig has helped big and small companies set up the infrastructure and pipelines they need to make the most of their data assets. He is eager to now use those skills to build a more suistainable future for our planet with Space Intelligence.
Read moreHenry Speir
Software Engineer
BSc (Hons) in Mathematics and Computing Science from the University of Glasgow.
Henry is an enthusiastic and fast-learning member of the team. With his solid foundation in mathematics and computer science, a career in software development has always called to him. Having specialised in python development and machine learning technologies, he is thrilled to be in an environment where he will be able to use this understanding while also being supported to learn and develop further.
Read moreSusheel Gajulapalle
Graduate Apprentice, Software Developer
Current graduate apprentice in Software Development at Heriot-Watt University.
He has a keen interest in python programming and is eager to gain knowledge and experience in the industry.
Read moreDr Stephanie Earp
AI Research and Development Lead
PhD in Geophysics and Machine Learning from the University of Edinburgh.
Stephanie is passionate about using machine learning to help provide solutions to real world problems. With prior experience leading the development of innovative machine learning solutions at a startup, she is eager to apply her knowledge and expertise at Space Intelligence.
Read moreDr Harry Carstairs
Research Engineer
PhD in remote sensing from the University of Edinburgh.
Harry is a remote sensing scientist with a particular interest in satellite radar. He developed algorithms for detecting logging in tropical forests as part of his PhD, which also included fieldwork in Gabon and Peru.
Read moreKristian Bodolai
Research Engineer
Hons Degree in Physics from the University of Valencia.
Kristian has a deep interest in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence and works on our codebase, developing deep analytics and satellite analysis platforms
Read moreWietze Suijker
Product Architect
MSc in GIS from Wageningen, Utrecht, Twente and Delft University.
Wietze enjoys creating innovative IT solutions to provide the best earth observation data at scale. As a product architect, he is in charge of developing the ML workflows for our products. Previously, he worked at a Water and IT company as the technical lead for a range of satellite-data-driven projects.
Read more Aisling Hurley
Software Engineer
MPhys in Astrophysics from the University of Edinburgh.
Aisling's research has covered a wide range of topics in physics including, atmospheric physics, and computer simulation in Python. She aims to apply and build upon the knowledge and skills she developed through her degree.
Read moreDr Sol White
Research Engineer
PhD in Earth Observation from the University of Edinburgh.
Sol completed his PhD with a specialisation in applying machine learning to monitor ocean marine conditions and their impact on coastal ecosystems. Before this, he earned a Master’s in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford. He is eager to apply his knowledge and skills to support Space Intelligence’s mission of achieving zero deforestation, driving mass restoration, and tackling the climate emergency.
Read more