Latest news with #Spire
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland must build on its growing global reputation
One standout moment was leading a delegation of 16 exceptional Scottish women entrepreneurs to Barcelona, alongside UK Government Minister Kirsty McNeill. This Scotland Office-led mission wasn't just about trade; it was about unlocking untapped business potential. If women-led businesses exported at the same rate as men, Scotland's trade could grow by over £10 billion in just two years. Yet only 2p in every £1 of investment goes to women. That's not just a gender gap but a massive economic opportunity missed. These businesswomen, representing sectors from food and drink to tech and legal services, proved what's possible when ambition meets opportunity. The Barcelona trip reinforced a clear message: in a time of global uncertainty, Scotland cannot retreat from the world but must reach out. We are leading in sectors like digital, AI, advanced manufacturing, space and green energy but are we telling that story boldly enough? I want more people to know about the exciting achievements of brilliant companies like Alba Orbital and Spire, which have made Scotland the top manufacturer of small satellites in Europe. And I want more people to discover our growing strengths in AI and robotics, where the National Manufacturing Institute and Heriot-Watt University's Robotarium are breaking new ground. Scotland's entrepreneurial spark is alive and thriving now. Take co-founders Dr Sally Beattie and Emer Bustard who started Lazy Day Foods in North Lanarkshire after being inspired by their personal experience with food allergies and intolerances and are now exporting to UAE, Europe and North America. Or Jacine Rutasikwa, co-founded the Matugga Distillery in 2018, and was one of the first in the UK to produce rum from scratch. The Livingston-based distillery produces a multi-award-winning range of handcrafted spirits which are distributed across the UK and Europe. Or Leigh Fell, Founder & CEO of Caritas Bioscience, a life sciences company based in Edinburgh focusing on clinical trials and is involved in the oncology field. I love Scotland but returning from holiday made my heart sink Edinburgh firm outguns forecasts after snubbing £1bn takeover approach 'Confusion and uncertainty': Scotch whisky rocked by global upheaval Scots legal giant cites 'resilience and ambition' as latest results revealed These are the shining examples today of a nation that has never stopped inventing. From expanding Scotland's contributions to science and exciting new products in food and drink, these Scots are proving that innovation is in our DNA. The economic performance backs it up: despite global pressures, Scotland's GDP per capita remains one of the highest in the UK outside London. Our export economy is worth £35 billion annually, with the USA accounting for £4.6 billion of that. And we're not standing still. Emerging sectors like green hydrogen, quantum computing and sustainable tourism are already turning heads globally. This momentum will be on full display as Scotland prepares to welcome the 47th US President. As leader of the world's largest economy, President Trump's presence offers a timely opportunity to showcase Scotland's industrial strengths, renew our commercial ties with the US, and drive forward investment and job creation. This is a moment to demonstrate the scale of our export potential and to advance opportunities for stronger trade terms and deeper commercial partnerships. Our recent trade mission to New York laid valuable foundations, and we're already building momentum with further US business visits scheduled for this year and plans underway for participation in Tartan Week 2026. Our goal is clear: grow Scottish exports, attract US investment, and champion Scotland as a global business hub. That message was front and centre when I sat down with one of the most influential voices in global media: The New York Times. I made the case clearly that Scotland is a strategic gateway to both European and global markets. We combine world-class research, skilled talent and a strong entrepreneurial culture. Our time zone, language and legal system make us a natural hub for international operations. And the message is landing. According to the latest EY Attractiveness Survey, Scotland is the top UK destination for inward investment outside London. Investors are drawn to our skilled workforce, innovation ecosystem, and unmatched quality of life. We offer a stable, transparent, and welcoming environment for long-term investment. But we can't stop there. To truly unlock Scotland's global potential, we must tackle trade barriers, improve access to talent, and build on the momentum of the new UK-EU trade agreement. It's a pragmatic step toward rebuilding one of our most important trading relationships and making it easier for Scottish firms to compete across Europe. Scotland's global trade performance is relevant to us all. It's a driver of jobs, prosperity, and investment. With the right policies, we can create an environment that allows our incredible Scottish entrepreneurs to reach new heights. Because when Scotland trades, Scotland thrives. Liz Cameron is chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce
Business Wire
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Spire Global Awarded $1.2 Million NASA Contract Renewal for Earth Observation Data
VIENNA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) ('Spire' or 'the Company'), a global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, was awarded a $1.2 million, two-month task order extension modification from NASA to continue participation in its Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program. The award is an extension to a $6.7 million, 12-month task order awarded in August 2024. Under the task order, Spire will continue to deliver its comprehensive Earth observation data, including GNSS radio occultation, GNSS Reflectometry, and space weather measurements. As one of the original vendors for the CSDA Program, Spire has provided Earth observation data to NASA's CSDA Program since 2018. Spire's data will support U.S. government-funded research with the objective of enhancing global weather forecasting, atmospheric profiling, and climate research. About Spire Global, Inc. Spire (NYSE: SPIR) is a global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, offering unique datasets and powerful insights about Earth so that organizations can make decisions with confidence in a rapidly changing world. Spire builds, owns, and operates a fully deployed satellite constellation that observes the Earth in real time using radio frequency technology. The data acquired by Spire's satellites provides global weather intelligence, ship and plane movements, and spoofing and jamming detection to better predict how their patterns impact economies, global security, business operations and the environment. Spire also offers Space as a Service solutions that empower customers to leverage its established infrastructure to put their business in space. Spire has offices across the U.S., Canada, UK, Luxembourg, Germany and Singapore. To learn more, visit
Business Wire
10-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Spire Global Launches Aircraft Exposure Analytics for Weather-Related Aircraft Risk
VIENNA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) ('Spire' or 'the Company'), a global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, announced the launch of Aircraft Exposure Analytics, an aviation solution that enables users to quantify aircraft-level exposure to hazardous weather conditions using real flight trajectories and global weather alerts. Spire's Aircraft Exposure Analytics combines the Company's global multi-source ground and space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) flight data with Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) alerts to deliver environmental exposure metrics for each aircraft. By overlaying flight paths with real-time and historical weather hazard data, Aircraft Exposure Analytics identifies when and where individual aircraft have flown through conditions such as turbulence, icing, thunderstorms, volcanic ash, tropical cyclones, and more. This insight provides airlines, maintenance teams, OEMs, lessors, and aviation insurers a clearer understanding of how environmental stressors may be affecting asset valuation, aircraft performance, safety, and long-term wear. 'Unlike traditional systems that infer risk based on routing or general forecasts, Aircraft Exposure Analytics uses ground and space-based data to deliver precise, per-aircraft insights,' said Philip Plantholt, general manager of Aviation at Spire. 'By combining real flight trajectories with trusted weather alerts and tying them to verified airframe identifiers, we're offering a high-resolution, data-driven understanding of how weather impacts aircraft condition, updated daily.' Spire's Aircraft Exposure Analytics supports a range of aviation use cases from more precise condition-based predictive maintenance planning to better fatigue monitoring and inspection scheduling. It also helps insurers and aircraft lessors assess environmental wear, maintenance costs, and operational stress in a more transparent and quantifiable way. The platform is available now as part of Spire Aviation's Flight Report, which delivers detailed flight histories, trajectory analysis, event detection, and environmental exposure metrics for a comprehensive view of aircraft operations. About Spire Global, Inc. Spire (NYSE: SPIR) is a global provider of space-based data, analytics and space services, offering unique datasets and powerful insights about Earth so that organizations can make decisions with confidence in a rapidly changing world. Spire builds, owns, and operates a fully deployed satellite constellation that observes the Earth in real time using radio frequency technology. The data acquired by Spire's satellites provides global weather intelligence, ship and plane movements, and spoofing and jamming detection to better predict how their patterns impact economies, global security, business operations and the environment. Spire also offers Space as a Service solutions that empower customers to leverage its established infrastructure to put their business in space. Spire has offices across the U.S., Canada, UK, Luxembourg, Germany and Singapore. To learn more, visit
Telegraph
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Democrats want to blame Trump for the Texas floods. They've learnt nothing
Companies such as PlanetiQ, Spire, and Orbital Micro Systems feed data from satellites to computers for detailed analysis. These private-sector innovations are revolutionising forecasting, often outpacing government capabilities. In fact, many government agencies now rely on data from companies to enhance their own models. Nor is rainfall necessarily related to climate change – another assertion regularly made by the Left. A new paper for the Heritage Foundation by Greek professors Theano Iliopoulou and Demetris Koutsoyiannis using 200 years of global data on rainfall concludes that variations in rainfall have 'no systematic pattern'. However, some regions show more variations in rainfall than others. Texas is one of those states with droughts and heavy rainfalls, and the Guadalupe River has seen past flooding. In 1987, a similar deluge killed 10 teen campers and almost drowned 33 more at Pot O Gold Christian Camp. What is important is to be prepared. Sometimes the forecast gets it wrong, but you can't protect everyone against every risk all the time. Senator Schumer wants to know the effects of budget cuts on future weather forecasting and disaster preparedness. But the real story is that major advances are coming from satellite data and private companies such as Disney. These new technologies often also cost less. The current administration is emphasising the use of new, more accurate technology to improve weather forecasting and disaster response. Blaming political opponents for natural disasters may be convenient, but it distracts from the real issues. The tragedy in Texas was not the result of a failure to forecast, but a question of whether enough speedy action was taken to heed the forecast, including by the local authorities. More will be gained by focusing less on partisan finger-pointing. Nature doesn't care who sits in the Oval Office.
San Francisco Chronicle
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- San Francisco Chronicle
T.J. Puchyr agrees to buy Rick Ware Racing with plans to build a 3-car NASCAR team
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — One of the founders of Spire Motorsports has entered an agreement to purchase the NASCAR team owned by Rick Ware and is jumping back into the stock car series because he believes the current charters are grossly undervalued. T.J. Puchyr, who in 2018 alongside Jeff Dickerson launched the Spire team to take over the charter that Furniture Row Racing could not unload, told The Associated Press on Thursday he and Rick Ware Racing have a deal for him to take over Ware's organization next season. When Puchyr and Dickerson bought the Furniture Row charter, the market for NASCAR's version of franchise models was essentially dead. Their agency had been hired by Furniture Row owner Barney Visser to sell the charter and when they couldn't find a buyer, the two decided to purchase it themselves for $6 million and launch their own team. That decision jump-started the charter market and the most recent charters sold — when Stewart-Haas Racing went out of business at the end of last season — went for approximately $30 million. Puchyr and Dickerson are largely credited with pumping life and value into an otherwise dormant charter system. Puchyr last year sold his shares of Spire to Dan Towriss, the CEO of TWG Motorsports and head of the new Cadillac F1 team. Puchyr has spent 2025 consulting with various teams, including RWR and Legacy Motor Club. He's watched the market closely and has attended several of the recent court hearings involving NASCAR against 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, who have filed an antitrust lawsuit over the charter agreement those two teams refused to sign last September. There are only 36 Cup Series charters, which guarantee a team entry into every NASCAR race and a steady revenue stream. Puchyr believes they are greatly undervalued and in one of his final deals with Spire, he helped acquire a charter from Live Fast Motorsports for $40 million. 'I am bullish on wanting to build a three-car team. I believe in the France family and the direction of the sport and I want the rest of the shareholders and industry to know that I believe the charters are worth $75 million or more,' he told AP. What about Ware's second charter? In his deal with Ware, Puchyr will keep Ware on board as a partner, also keep Ware's son, Cody, in the No. 51 Ford, and retain all of the current RWR employees. Ware's current second charter is leased to RFK Racing, but Legacy Motor Club made a legal claim that it had entered an agreement to buy that charter next season. A judge did not agree with Legacy, and said Ware has a lease deal with RFK for 2026 on a second charter. Puchyr believes none of the parties can perform to the Legacy-RWR contract — which he said was written by Legacy — and there is no charter available from Ware for Legacy for either lease or purchase in 2026. Ware has filed a countersuit against Legacy. Legacy, a two-car Cup team, is currently owned by seven-time NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson. He has recently taken on partnership from private equity firm Knighthead Capital Management, which alongside Johnson is exploring expansion into several other motorsports series. 'If anybody deserves a pass it is Jimmie and if he wants to sit down and talk about it like men, I'd entertain the conversation,' said Puchyr, who was offended that Legacy sued Ware. 'I don't think Jimmie has all the facts, doesn't understand the deal we had, and they tried to humiliate Rick publicly. We don't do business that way.' Now, Puchyr and Ware are confident the second charter currently leased to RFK will be returned to their team in 2027, allowing Puchyr to expand the organization. He wants to buy a third charter that makes the organization a three-car Cup team by 2027. Can Puchyr build a winning team? Ware has done the second-most charter transactions in the industry only to Spire and at one point held four. Now he's trying to rebuild his organization and win races with his son as the driver, something Puchyr wants to help him achieve. 'I've won at everything I've done at every level and I think we can compete with these guys,' Puchyr said. 'I think we can build it brick-by-brick and it's going to take people, money and time. It's not lost on me that (RWR) is the 36th-place car in the garage, we all see it. But I believe we can make this a competitive organization, even a winner. 'And I believe we can get these charters valued at their true worth.' Ware fields winning organizations in other motorsports series, including NHRA with Clay Millican. A Ware-owned team won the 2024 American Flat Track championship, the 2022 FIM World Supercross Championship and the 2019-2020 Asian Le Mans Series prototype title. Puchyr did not reveal to the AP how much he's paying for Ware's organization, which technically only holds the charter for Cody Ware's car this season and runs Corey Lajoie in a second 'open' car in select races. Once it gets its leased charter back from RFK in 2027, the team will have at least two cars with the focus on purchasing a third. Purchasing charters is not easy at this time as multiple teams have interest but lack the monetary funds to buy them at the ever-increasing rates. Among them is Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has not been able to get his hands on charters to take his Xfinity Series team to NASCAR's top Cup Series level.
