BROOKLYN, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, Nov. 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Radiant Earth Foundation, a non-profit which aggregates open Earth imagery and geospatial data to equip global aid organizations with resources to meet the world’s most critical challenges, is partnering with leading blockchain software company ConsenSys to improve licensing processes for that data. With blockchain technology, information about our Earth can be more accessible to the organizations who need it most.
When disaster strikes, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) need access to the most up to date imagery available. For example, geospatial satellite data can provide critical insights for recovery and clean-up efforts after a hurricane.
To get this data, large philanthropic organizations and small non-profits alike utilize open Earth observation resources, such as Radiant Earth Foundation, or purchase commercially available geospatial data to support their mission. These commercial purchases come with a use license that typically allows for further distribution and sharing with non-profits and other organizations aligned with the same purpose as the original purchase. However, the complexity of the current licensing system itself often creates a barrier to this process and prevents further distribution of this critical data.
Using blockchain technology to create a transparent, immutable record of how the data is shared, Radiant Earth Foundation and ConsenSys have successfully created a proof-of-concept to better track the licensing and payments of geospatial data, in order to reduce friction and quickly provide geospatial information to the NGOs when they need it. The distributed ledger design and cryptographic mechanisms ensure that both the identity of the transacting parties and the authenticity of any transaction cannot be disputed.
“We are pleased to collaborate with ConsenSys on this game-changing technology for the commercial satellite industry. Blockchain will unlock high-resolution commercial data sets to the NGO community, leading to accelerated and improved data sharing between commercial data providers and authorized customers. This is an outcome we are proud to contribute to as we all benefit when data flows securely,” said Anne Hale Miglarese, founder and CEO of Radiant Earth Foundation.
“Ethereum has a unique potential to increase collaboration within a variety of industries,” said Robert Keenan, Product Lead for ConsenSys Solutions. “ConsenSys is excited to be exploring this potential on Earth observation use-cases, especially ones focused on global development.”
The proof-of-concept is built on the Blockchain Business Cloud, a solution provided by ConsenSys’ Kaleido in collaboration with Amazon Web Services to accelerate the process of building and managing an enterprise blockchain network with easy onboarding for future partners.
“This innovative use case is a great example of the kinds of social impact problems that can be solved with blockchain, in ways we might not have foreseen,” said Sophia Lopez, founder of Kaleido. “Kaleido was built to tackle the technology hurdles of implementing a blockchain network, so organizations like Radiant Earth Foundation can focus their energy and resources on fulfilling their mission.”
ConsenSys and Radiant Earth Foundation are now in talks to expand the scope and scale of this use-case to include additional organizations and end-users in the coming year.
About ConsenSys:
ConsenSys is a global formation of technologists and entrepreneurs building the infrastructure, applications, and best practices to enable a decentralized world. The ConsenSys "hub" coordinates, incubates, accelerates, and spawns "spoke" ventures through development, resource sharing, investments and the formation of joint ventures. ConsenSys is dedicated to growing the Ethereum-based blockchain ecosystem through various domains including ConsenSys Solutions, ConsenSys Capital, ConsenSys Labs, and ConsenSys Academy. For more information, please visit www.ConsenSys.net
About Radiant Earth Foundation:
Founded in 2016, Radiant Earth Foundation (formerly Radiant.Earth) is a non-profit organization committed to aggregating the world’s open Earth imagery and providing access and education on its use to the global development community. Radiant Earth Foundation’s open technology platform helps people discover and analyze the vast resources of Earth imagery, improving decision-making and fueling new solutions, discoveries, and innovations for society. Radiant Earth Foundation also offers a robust, integrated community development program to guide people in the use of Earth imagery, geospatial data sets, and tools. Visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Medium, and GitHub.
About Kaleido:
Kaleido, a ConsenSys Enterprise Business, is dedicated to making blockchain radically simple for organizations to adopt so that our societies will fully benefit from decentralized models and technologies. Kaleido is collaborating with Amazon Web Services to offer its Blockchain Business Cloud, an all-in-one SaaS platform built for Enterprise Blockchain. For more information, visit www.kaleido.io
Media Contacts
PR@ConsenSys.net
Louisa@radiant.earth