While in our first article we introduced several crucial points about opportunities in the space sector as well as the role that cloud technology can play in it, we thought it would be even better illustrated with some very real use cases from the OVHcloud ecosystem­–or universe if we stick to starry metaphors.

Copernicus satellite data

First up, we wanted to highlight Werum, one of the longest-established independent software companies in Germany, who set up a Copernicus long-term archiving service with OVHcloud. The service includes level 0 and auxiliary data from Earth observation satellites: Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and Sentinel-3. Since its launch in October 2020, around 220 million data records, weighing over 9 petabytes, have been loaded into OVHcloud’s Public Cloud Archive solution. About 110 terabytes will continue to be added monthly!

The correct provisioning and choice of storage solutions and volumes was key in the success of this project. The archive operation in the cloud was extended after the first project phase and will continue to provide the European Space Agency’s (ESA) user community with large amounts of data from the satellite missions beyond 2022.

Smarter farming

Second is another German example, but this time in conjunction with a member of OVHcloud’s Startup Program, Green spin and its application Mofato. In this instance, it is the agriculture sector that takes advantage of the concrete benefits.

To know when to sow and harvest or how much fertilizer is required, Mofato optimizes farmers’ work by providing recommendations at the field level. Furthermore, its algorithms, which analyze satellite images and meteorological data from the past 15 years, are not just useful to farmers, by limiting soil pollution; they are also good for the planet.

As co-founder Sebastian Fritsch stated, scalability and a hybrid cloud approach were key, “We migrated our infrastructure to OVHcloud dedicated servers, which we now complement with Public Cloud instances. These allow us to run calculations in parallel, to show our recommendations to our users faster, and to upscale more easily. “

Real time atmosphere analysis for telecommunications

Amongst other drastic changes to our planet, global warming is causing increased temperature and cloud coverage, evaporation, as well as atmospheric instability. But we can get help from the skies. A bit like meteorological stations or automated observation towers, a Startup Program member from France measures these indicators gathering, in real time, high precision and high-resolution data.

As Miratlas’s CEO states, “In the face of the rapid developments of climate and technological challenges, we are convinced that improving our understanding of the atmosphere is a key enabler for direct to earth free space optical telecommunications.”

The startup needs to store high volumes of data and process them in a secure and sovereign way. With an eye to the future of new space, the Miratlas team joined OVHcloud at VivaTech 2022 where they shared their long term ambitions to develop technology that will allow highly efficient laser communication between space and earth.

Ecological transition

And it’s not just OVHcloud who likes to shout about the space sector’s opportunities. Throughout the year, our partners, customers, and startups have acknowledged our humble contribution, which makes us especially proud.

Such is the case of Kermap, who raised a first round of 1.2M€ in 2022. This recent member of France’s major tech program DeepNum20 is also using satellite imagery, processed by intensive calculations performed by GPU instances, to map the evolution of rural fields as well as urban settings day after day, year after year.

For those fully committed to the ecological transition, Kermap’s tool will provide the necessary metrics to confirm their efforts, from farmers to city mayors. As the startup stated, when describing their efforts to grow from a European perimeter to a global scale, “This technical feat was made possible in part by our partnership with OVHcloud to produce, manage, and distribute our data in a secure, reliable, and sovereign digital environment.”

In conclusion

Space technology is a passionate geek’s dream come true, stimulating and enlightening, innovating today on the edge of tomorrow. It can also be a force for good, as all these stories have highlighted. Indeed, adopting the new frontiers of space and technology is beyond an exciting challenge. The positive impact can be felt back here on Earth, providing hope and enthusiasm to many communities for climate change solutions. These examples were but a few of the existing use cases and as all things “tech”, acceleration is around the corner. OVHcloud’s founder, Octave Klaba, recently invested in quantum and space startups, mirroring the company’s efforts to highlight and support the growth of these ecosystems globally. Pardon the pun, but you should watch this “space”.

Sources

• https://incubed.phi.esa.int/esa-strengthens-its-support-to-start-ups-with-free-cloud-services-from-ovhcloud/
• https://www.asp-public.fr/actualites/pac-2023-lancement-de-lapplication-mobile-telepac-geophotos
• https://www.ovhcloud.com/de/case-studies/werum/
• https://www.ovhcloud.com/en-ie/case-studies/green-spin/
• https://kermap.com/kermap-levee-fonds-2022/

Opportunities and challenges

Of course, many may be captivated by exploration to Mars with Space-X, or recent cosmic pictures taken by the James Webb Telescope, or even space tourism (a market expected to grow to $3B by 2030). In fact, the big headliners hide a wonderful world full of opportunities and challenges, from managing satellite waste to fighting climate change with AI-enhanced satellite imagery. Pushing back the limits of space technology can expand our horizons but also improve our lives back on Earth.

In its latest edition, Euroconsult estimated that the global space economy totaled $370B in 2021. Global trends across the entire space value chain continue to rise year on year. While this includes hardware intensive initiatives such as satellite manufacturing or launch services, it also includes many data-intensive challenges linked to satellite communications and navigation or earth observation, to name but a few.

There are concerns, amid the same economic context that is currently impacting most sectors, of a bubble or even a crash landing (back to Earth), but the recent strengthening of institutions such as NASA in the USA, ESA in Europe or CNES in France, are sure signs of a stable ecosystem. The role of each of these components, from fledging startups to governments, as well as their capacity to interact, remains crucial.

The role of European actors

Strategically, China and the USA lead the investment panorama, while the UK and France are the first in Europe with their own roadmaps. New Space has been identified as a key innovative focal point by European nations to avoid hegemonies from external actors as well as protect Europe and its citizen’s interests. Getting to space is one thing, while making the most of the data that is transmitted back to us is a source of significant added value as well as a competitive advantage at a global scale. As the uses for space data become more diverse, valuable, and plentiful, offering a strong sovereign option from Europe grows in proportionate importance.

To name one example, satellites play a crucial role in the new space ecosystem. While they increasingly clutter our skies, they also provide the means to increase access to internet, improve video streaming, and most importantly transmit data to monitor what is happening on our beloved planet. Accessing, storing, processing, protecting these terabytes of data is a key opportunity which OVHcloud is addressing, notably via its Public Cloud solutions.

Globally speaking, OVHcloud has recently strengthened its partnerships and cloud offering to support the space economy. As the European leader in cloud technology, the company is fully supportive of the European Union´s space ambitions. The European cloud company has signed new partnerships with historical partners such as Italy’s SERCO, with its deep experience in the multiple uses of data from the Copernicus programs. Other key examples of innovation include the application of AI to improve the data provided by Sentinel, such as optical satellite imagery of agricultural land in real time, as well as using cognitive cloud computing to reduce latency and increase fast data delivery to end users on Earth.

Finally, and perhaps not surprisingly, the startup ecosystem is leading this innovative trajectory. Last year alone, venture capitalists (VCs) invested $17B into space projects and OVHcloud, via its Startup Program, has been able to support space startups such as Gisky and EarthPulse. To that effect, a crucial milestone was reached in April 2022, when OVHcloud and its Startup Program became the first official cloud partner for ESA’s Incubed program as well as its 23 Business Incubation Centres. These represent a relevant example of the ongoing efforts to bolster startups and New Space innovation across 70 locations in Europe!

Opportunities are plentiful, as are the related challenges. This means cloud technology’s collaboration with space initiatives at a European and global level become more relevant with every passing year. In our follow-up article, we will share use cases taken from OVHcloud’s ecosystem to highlight precisely how cloud technology’s support to space innovation applies to very real solutions with very real impact.

Sources

• https://www.spacecapital.com/quarterly
• https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/07/travel/space-travel-tourism.html
• https://www.euroconsult-ec.com/press-release/euroconsult-estimates-that-the-global-space-economy-totaled-370-billion-in-2021
• https://incubed.phi.esa.int/esa-strengthens-its-support-to-start-ups-with-free-cloud-services-from-ovhcloud/
• https://www.asp-public.fr/actualites/pac-2023-lancement-de-lapplication-mobile-telepac-geophotos

OVHcloud spoke to three healthtech startups to find out the most important challenges faced by companies wanting to break into the healthcare market, and look at how the right technology partner can make all the difference.

Fragmented regulations

Healthcare is one of the most regulated industries, with large fines and even imprisonment faced by directors of companies that do not adhere to a diverse range of laws that dictate where health data can be stored, how it must be handled and who can gain access.

There aren’t any global standards around patient data and individual countries constantly update and add new legislation. Some laws are specific to healthcare but others deal more generally with data protection and citizen privacy.

Understanding the market and ensuring your product, data storage and security practices are compliant with the relevant market is probably one of the most important aspects to get right, according to Mariana Caillaud, founder and CEO of Dolipharm: “It’s quite difficult to be a startup in the healthtech industry because the market is complex, fragmented and immature. This makes it difficult to understand and hard to predict.”

Dr Shanil Mantri from UK-based startup Miicare explains that in the UK, all health data is owned by the individual. “Even though citizens don’t have direct access to their data, they have a right to see it. And if they dispute it, they have the right to have it deleted,” Mantri said.

Once a startup has established itself in one country, expanding to another one can be a potential minefield, says Patrick Palacin, co-founder of Germany-based startup iAtros. The company wanted to operate in Switzerland. Although language wasn’t a barrier, the medical system was different.

“We are expanding into Switzerland where they speak German but they use different medication databases, different ICT10 databases and different data privacy regulations,” Palacin said.

iAtros had to adapt around 50 per cent of its product before it could consider the move. “No one size fits all in Europe. You will need to check 28 different sets of regulations for the 28 countries. Healthcare is far more difficult than other industries,” Palacin said.

Security, privacy and trust

The private nature of patient data makes it extremely valuable and a prime target for hackers. According to an article in Forbes from last year, healthcare data was increasingly under attack, with publicly reported hacking incidents affecting more than 31 million patient records in 2020.

Startups must ensure security practices are compliant with all their target markets, according to iAtros’s Palacin. “There is a huge catalogue of regulations for data security and it is different from country to country. Some countries say ISO 27001 is fine for cloud, others want [German privacy regulation] C5 certification. C5 has nothing to do with healthcare but healthcare companies are required to follow it.”

Palacin is hoping an EU-wide regulation for healthcare will be implemented at some point, but for now, it’s much easier to pass on that responsibility to a certified cloud partner. “It would be much easier if you could just host your data with a cloud provider that has this certification.”

Another risk is ensuring the data stored is correct and cannot be falsified, according to Miicare’s Dr Mantri. This is crucial to avoid inaccurate data being used to make a dangerous diagnosis, putting a patient’s life at risk.

“If you create a device that tracks movement, are you sure that data is accurate? If you provide it to a clinician, how confident can the clinician be that it’s correct?,” asked Mantri. “If you make the same mistake in non-healthcare industries they don’t carry the same risks,” he added.

Financing, investments and innovation

With so much attention on healthcare right now, there are plenty of investors, but innovation is the key, according to Dolipharm’s Caillaud. “It’s a good time to raise funding. Post-Covid there has been a wake-up call to improve health and create international solutions.” Caillaud points out that in 2021 venture funding for healthcare set new records, with investments raising almost $40 billion, more than double what was raised the previous year.

“It’s impressive and half the deals represent early stage startup development. This means the investors were looking for the next big innovation,” she said.

Unfortunately, with the market moving so quickly and products evolving at a rapid rate, trying to predict the type of products needed and the legal requirements for providing them is not easy.

How OVHcloud can help

OVHcloud provides reliable and secure cloud environments for innovative businesses. The company’s startup programme has helped thousands of small businesses grow rapidly and has a special commitment to healthtech.

As a member of the OVHcloud startup programme, Palacin said iAtros is impressed with the available level of technical support, especially for healthtech companies. “It doesn’t matter which cloud provider you use, you usually only get basic support,” he said. “It’s very, very cool that OVHcloud can offer such a high level of service to startups.”

OVHcloud has representatives in many countries that communicate daily with startup programme members. That is something the company will keep focusing on and expanding in the coming months and years.

OVHcloud can help you develop specific contracts in different territories to make sure you are compliant wherever you do business. And, as a European company, OVHcloud commits to not transfer any data to the US to ensure our customers are fully compliant with GDPR and other local regulations.

Healthtech is a fast-growing market with lots of opportunities in niche and specialised applications. OVHcloud will keep supporting healthtech companies — it is at the core of the company’s strategy

Do you want to know more?

To find out more about the OVHcloud Startup Program, or to sign up for free credits and technical support, go to https://startup.ovhcloud.com/

It takes more than a good business idea to create a successful business. According to the British Business Bank, the biggest challenges for startups include lack of demand, ineffective marketing, a gap in skills, securing funding, financial management, hiring the right people and time management.

By joining a business ecosystem — like the OVHcloud Startup Program — startups can access a network of people and organisations that can provide the support, expertise and advice to give your business the best possible chance of success.

Since its creation in 2015, the OVHcloud Startup Program has helped more than 2,000 companies, by increasing their visibility to investors and giving them access to other organisations — as well as providing access to technology that could add value.

OVHcloud recently spoke to four people involved in the Startup Program to find out why being part of an ecosystem can be so invaluable.

The connector’s view

Sydney-based French expat Leo Denes is the founder of Australiance and co-founder of Startup&Angels, which between them help startups enter the Australian market, recruit talent, grow their business and meet rights partners/investors.

Speaking about the role connectors play in startup ecosystems, Denes says: “It’s quite magical, because you can really create value for a startup founder by just doing an introduction. The right introduction can lead to solving a huge challenge or create massive opportunities.”

Areas in which connectors can help include business development, capital raising, finding the right talent, and developing partnerships to encourage business growth. They can also share knowledge to help founders make the right decisions for their business.

With their knowledge of the Australian market, Denes and his team help tech companies from Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the US to understand the market, develop a go-to-market strategy, set up Australian entities, and secure their first clients. Startup&Angels also helps startups increase their brand awareness through events, podcasts and social media.

Ecosystems as a game changer

For Alex Hernandez, a French entrepreneur now based in Madrid, the opportunities provided by a business ecosystem like that offered by OVHcloud are the reason his business exists.

“For me the power of ecosystem had been game changing in my life and I wouldn’t be here today without it,” says Hernandez.

As co-founder and sales director of alternative recruitment company, JobGether, Hernandez launched the business in July 2020 after finding a business partner via membership of the French Founders business network.

“The power of ecosystem was the start of my entrepreneurial journey,” says Hernandez, who subsequently joined the OVHcloud ecosystem. Through this, he met companies that became clients and partners.

“When you start a startup for the first time, you have no clue of what’s going to happen. By joining an ecosystem you can learn a lot, try to avoid mistakes others have made, share experiences, grow your network very quickly, and find clients,” Hernandez says.

Saving time

For Bordeaux-based Rita Nazarian, partnership manager at digital invoice collection provider iPaidThat, the OVHcloud ecosystem provided a quicker and easier way to increase the company’s visibility and valuation.

“It’s less time consuming, I can find the appropriate partners and I can easily check who is interested in our technology,” says Nazarian.

JobGether’s Alex Hernandez agreed that time saving is a major benefit of ecosystem membership: “When you set up a startup you wish there were 50 hours in a day because you have so many things to do. Building a network on your own will take a lot of time – by joining an ecosystem you will save a lot of this precious time.”

Startups can be directly linked to the people and organisations they need, rather than hoping to find the right person or organisation by trawling through online networks like LinkedIn.

Saving businesses

For UK-based Yigit Erol, founder and CEO of Fidsy, which provides AI-powered conversational BI, the connections he was able to make through the OVHcloud ecosystem was a major factor in his business surviving during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As a founder you take a leap into the unknown and it’s a long journey with hurdles along the way,” he says.

Starting the company in November 2019, Erol had four investors agreed in principle. However during the first few months of lockdown, all of the investors pulled out, leaving Erol searching for new ways to fund the business.

Once he joined the OVHcloud ecosystem community, he instantly felt supported. “It was almost like holding hands together through this difficult journey,” he says.

Erol was introduced to the community, took part in a few panels and received advice on how he could keep his business afloat. In the end, he didn’t have to give away any equity in his business and now has a product and customers to sell to, with no need to report to investors.

The ecosystem that OVHcloud has created with its Startup Program is crucial to the businesses that are members. And ultimately, it’s the connections that the ecosystem enables that offer the most powerful reason for companies to become involved.

To find out how your business can benefit from the power of the ecosystem,
visit our Startup Program homepage