WGIC participated in INTERGEO 2025 in Frankfurt, Germany, bringing together global geospatial leaders to advance innovation, workforce development, and industry collaboration. Over three dynamic days, WGIC hosted panels, Board and member meetings, and a networking reception, all focused on deepening member relationships, fostering awareness, and shaping the future of geospatial industry.
Collaboration is More Important Today Than Ever: WGIC President
WGIC executive leadership and members convened on the sidelines of INTERGEO to discuss strategic priorities, ongoing projects, and upcoming initiatives. The Board meeting, chaired by Executive Director Aaron Addison, brought together WGIC member company representatives from across the globe.
Opening the discussions, President Zubran Solaiman underscored the growing centrality of geospatial technologies in shaping decisions across industries and governments.. Mainstream technology companies such as Nvidia and Amazon Web Services (AWS) are taking a deeper interest in geospatial and geospatial is increasingly becoming a shared utility, connecting industries, governments, and communities to act with clarity and confidence, he said. In this backdrop, no single company can solve the world’s complex challenges alone, and collaboration is key, he reiterated.
Zubran highlighted WGIC’s ongoing commitment to fostering collaboration as it is pertinent to WGIC’s initiatives with the evolving priorities of the global geospatial community. He deliberated on ways to make WGIC more valuable and inclusive. The meetings generated several actionable ideas from the members on expanding the relevance of WGIC.
Following the meetings, participants joined a working lunch and a WGIC reception co-hosted with AI-InfraSolutions, fostering meaningful exchanges and ample networking opportunities among members and partners.
From Data to Decisions in Geospatial Innovation
On October 7, the panel discussion “Data to Decisions” brought together experts from RIEGL, Woolpert, DATADEV, PlanBlue, Bluesky, and Esri. Moderated by John Renard, the panel discussed how geospatial data transforms decision-making across industries.
The discussion attracted over 100 participants, reflecting the growing interest in how advances in data production and processing workflows are transforming the way we generate, interpret, and apply geospatial information. With faster and more efficient capture methods—from terrestrial, mobile g to aerial and satellite-based sensing systems—participants discussed how the industry is achieving new levels of scalability and precision across the value chain.
The lively discussion highlighted how AI-driven information extraction and automation are enabling the creation of product stacks that go beyond visualization to deliver true decision intelligence. The session reinforced a shared vision among WGIC members: turning data into trusted, actionable insights is key to realizing the full potential of the geospatial sector.
Exploring the Future of Earth Observation and Geospatial Workforce
The final day, October 9, featured two standout sessions: The panel, “The Future of Earth Observation,” with speakers from Sparkgeo, Bentley Systems, EOMAP, Wingtra, GeoSolutions, Esri, discussing innovations in satellite data integration and ground-based geospatial applications.
A key discussion during this panel was the emergence of “fake maps,” often AI-generated or altered imagery that challenges how we govern, verify, and trust data. As Earth observation evolves toward operational, real-time decision support, panelists emphasized the critical need for verification frameworks that trace data integrity from pixels to attributes. The session, with an audience of 75+, underscored that transparency and accountability in geospatial data impact every part of our industry.
The panel was followed by a session on “Geospatial Workforce” presented by WGIC Executive Director Aaron Addison, who highlighted the evolving skillsets, challenges, and opportunities shaping the next generation of geospatial professionals.
The session drew over 40 engaged participants and featured a dynamic 15-minute Q&A. Questions ranged from the relevance of current university models amid rapid tech change to how AI is reshaping skills and job availability. Participants also explored how upskilling, reskilling, and flexible talent models can meet the growing demand for geospatial expertise. The discussion reflected a shared sense of urgency and optimism about how academia and industry can collaborate to equip the next generation of geospatial professionals.
