UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 · first published 14 June 2023
The UK Geospatial Strategy 2030, published by the Geospatial Commission (part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology), updates the 2020 strategy and sets direction to 2030. It establishes three missions: embracing enabling technologies (AI, cloud, remote sensing), driving wider use of geospatial applications across the economy, and building confidence in the geospatial ecosystem. It is primarily a strategic framework document rather than a procurement policy note, so it does not change specific contract award criteria or weightings. However, it signals where public sector investment and procurement reviews will focus — including a review of how aerial photography is collectively procured, a roll-out of the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR), and a commercial Earth Observation (EO) pilot. For SMEs in location data, mapping, remote sensing, AI, or related digital services, this document identifies the sectors and programmes most likely to produce publicly funded contracts and innovation competitions over 2023–2025. It does not directly bind all public sector buyers, but sets the strategic direction for Geospatial Commission-led spending and coordination across central government.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
The strategy is a strong signal of where central government geospatial spending will flow through 2030 — NUAR, earth observation, population movement data, land use, transport, health, and property are all named as priority areas, and several procurement reviews and innovation competitions are explicitly flagged. SMEs that already work with location data, AI, remote sensing, or sector-specific geospatial applications are well-placed to bid for pilots and competitions the Geospatial Commission runs or coordinates. The Geovation Accelerator Programme — which has backed 150+ startups and helped raise £170 million — is an immediately actionable route for early-stage geospatial SMEs seeking funding and public-sector connection.
1. Monitor and respond to Geospatial Commission-led procurement opportunities in the priority areas named in this strategy: NUAR (underground infrastructure), EO data, population movement data, transport, land use, property, and health. Sign up to Find a Tender Service alerts filtered to these categories.
SMEs providing geospatial, location data, remote sensing, AI or mapping services — The strategy explicitly names these as funded programme areas with concrete delivery milestones through 2025, and the Geospatial Commission has previously run open competitions (e.g. £5m Transport Location Data Competition) in exactly these areas.
2. Apply to the Geovation Accelerator Programme (run by Ordnance Survey and HMLR). Applications are open to geospatial and property startups and offer funding, mentoring, and direct public-sector connections.
Early-stage geospatial or property-tech SMEs and startups — Geovation has backed 150+ startups who have collectively raised over £170 million and created 2,500+ jobs — it is the main named innovation pathway for early-stage geospatial businesses in this strategy.
3. Engage with the Geospatial Commission's upcoming remote sensing market review (due by end of 2024) by responding to any call for evidence or consultation. Use this to position your firm in the review of collective procurement of aerial photography.
SMEs in Earth Observation, drone, aerial photography or remote sensing — The strategy commits to reviewing how aerial photography is collectively procured for the public sector 'with a view to exploring future access models' — this is a direct opportunity to influence a procurement structure that could open or close market access for SMEs.
4. Track the Geospatial Commission's population movement data market assessment (due summer 2024) and consider submitting evidence to any associated consultation; ensure your privacy and security credentials are clearly documented ahead of likely public sector procurement in this area.
SMEs providing population movement data, mobile location analytics or privacy-preserving data products — The strategy notes that real-time aggregate population movement data is relevant to over 40% of risks in the National Security Risk Assessment and signals growing public sector demand — a market assessment typically precedes a procurement or framework.
5. Download and read sector-specific Geospatial Commission reports as they are published (transport mobility, property ecosystem, health sector — most due by end of 2024), and use them to align bid language and use-case evidence with the government's stated priorities.
SMEs working in transport, property, land use or health with geospatial or location data capabilities — The strategy flags these sectors as explicit programme areas with reports due in 2023–2024; these reports typically set the framing used in subsequent procurements and innovation competitions.
6. Engage with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding calls for geospatial research and development, which the Geospatial Commission has committed to help coordinate and direct.
SMEs with geospatial data science or AI capabilities — The strategy states: 'We will work with public sector partners, such as UKRI, to drive coordination and direction in public sector funding for geospatial research and development' — UKRI grants are a realistic route for SMEs that cannot yet win large public contracts.
7. Watch for the summer 2024 publication of the Data, Digital, Diversity Training pilot evaluation, and position training or upskilling services around the identified gaps; engage with the Government Geography Profession as a potential customer.
SMEs in the geospatial skills and training sector — The strategy commits to publishing an evaluation of the skills pilot and to working with universities to embed geospatial into data science courses — a positive evaluation will likely trigger further procurement of training services.
Every rule below quotes the official document verbatim.
The Geospatial Commission holds the budget for the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) — the public sector's largest investment in location data — covering 5,500+ public sector organisations. (Public sector organisations across the UK covered by the PSGA with Ordnance Survey.)
“Hold the budget for the public sector's largest investment in location data, the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA)”
The Geospatial Commission invested over £1 billion through the PSGA with Ordnance Survey to enable better access to location data for 5,500+ public sector organisations. (Public sector bodies across the UK.)
“We invested over £1 billion, through the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) with Ordnance Survey, to enable better access to location data for 5,500+ public sector organisations across the country.”
By spring 2024, NUAR (National Underground Asset Register) will roll out beyond Wales, London and North East England to remaining regions in England and Northern Ireland. (NUAR programme; relevant to suppliers working on underground infrastructure data.)
“By spring 2024 we will roll out the current, minimum viable product version of the National Underground Asset Register (NUAR) beyond Wales, London and North East England to the remaining regions in England and Northern Ireland”
By the end of 2025, NUAR will be fully operational. (NUAR programme.)
“By the end of 2025 NUAR will be fully operational”
By autumn 2024, the Geospatial Commission will publish findings from its commercial Earth Observation pilot on how the public sector can access and use EO data. (EO (Earth Observation) sector suppliers and public sector bodies.)
“By autumn 2024, following the conclusion of the EO pilot, we will publish key findings covering how the public sector's access to and innovative use of EO data can be supported”
By end of 2024, a review of the remote sensing market will be conducted, including a review of existing collective procurement of aerial photography for the public sector. (Remote sensing and aerial photography suppliers.)
“By the end of 2024 we will conduct a review of the remote sensing market, including a review of the existing collective procurement of aerial photography for the public sector, with a view to exploring future access models”
By summer 2024, an assessment of the population movement data market will be published, covering strategic importance, privacy, security and public sector use. (Population movement data suppliers and public sector users.)
“By summer 2024 we will publish an assessment of the market for data about population movement, including its strategic importance, privacy and security implications, and use in the public sector”
By spring 2024, a review of the PSGA will be conducted to ensure it remains fit for purpose over the remaining seven years of the agreement. (Suppliers and public sector bodies within or adjacent to the PSGA framework.)
“By spring 2024 we will conduct a review of the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) to ensure it remains fit for purpose over the remaining seven years of the agreement, including an evaluation of: the data and services included in the agreement; its delivery model; and the foundations users have in place to make effective use of data provided under the agreement”
By summer 2024, an evaluation of the Data, Digital, Diversity Training pilot programme will be published to assess the value of upskilling geographic experts with digital skills. (Geospatial skills and training providers.)
“By summer 2024 we will publish an evaluation of the Data, Digital, Diversity Training pilot programme to assess the value of this approach to upskilling geographic experts with digital skills”
The Geovation Accelerator Programme (an Ordnance Survey initiative, also partnered with HMLR) has supported 150+ geospatial and property startups, which have collectively raised more than £170 million and created over 2,500 jobs. (Early-stage geospatial and property SMEs and startups.)
“Geovation has built an award-winning Accelerator Programme which has so far kickstarted the business of over 150 geospatial and property startups who have collectively raised more than £170 million in funding to date and created over 2,500 jobs for the UK economy.”
The government announced up to £200 million of investment in the UK Earth Observation sector in November 2022. (UK EO (Earth Observation) sector suppliers.)
“In November 2022, the government announced up to £200 million of investment in the UK EO sector to protect UK talent and industry.”
The Geospatial Commission invested £5 million in private sector innovation to solve major transport sector challenges through product development and testing. (Transport sector geospatial suppliers.)
“We invested £5 million in private sector innovation to solve major transport sector challenges through product development and testing.”
The commercial EO pilot initiated in spring 2023 allows eligible UK public sector bodies to test data and access services until March 2024, with 35 public sector bodies participating. (EO data and services suppliers; public sector bodies.)
“Earth Observation Symposium (co-hosted with ONS Data Science Campus and Satellite Applications Catapult) to launch commercial EO data pilot for 35 public sector bodies”
By summer 2023, findings on geospatial applications for connected and automated mobility and for the property ecosystem were due to be published. (Transport and property geospatial suppliers.)
“By summer 2023 we will publish our findings on how geospatial applications can enable the delivery of connected and automated mobility”
By the end of 2024, a report identifying cross-cutting challenges and opportunities for location data in the health sector will be published. (Health sector geospatial and location data suppliers.)
“By the end of 2024 we will publish a report identifying the cross-cutting challenges and opportunities for location data in the health sector”
This briefing is enkii's interpretation of the official document — the official text always governs.
Source document © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0 via the GOV.UK Content API. enkii tracks every Procurement Policy Note and briefs changes the day they land — see all briefings.