Planetek Italia and Involve Space join forces to deliver stratospheric Earth-observation intelligence

The commercial joint venture agreement combines Involve Space’s persistent stratospheric observation capabilities with Planetek’s geospatial analytics, artificial intelligence and multi-source data integration expertise.

Como, 8th October 2026 — Planetek Italia and Involve Space today announced the signing of a commercial agreement aimed at developing and bringing to market a new generation of Earth-observation and geointelligence services based on stratospheric platforms. The agreement was presented during a ceremony organised on the occasion of the 77th International Astronautical Congress.

The collaboration combines Involve Space’s stratospheric balloon platforms and flexible data-acquisition capabilities with Planetek’s expertise in Earth-observation data processing, artificial intelligence, advanced analytics and the delivery of operational geospatial services.

Under the agreement, the two companies will jointly develop and commercialise solutions covering the complete value chain: from mission planning and stratospheric data collection to processing, information extraction, alert generation and delivery within customers’ operational environments.

Planetek will transform the data acquired by Involve Space into application-ready geospatial products, analytics and actionable intelligence, also integrating them with satellite, airborne and other complementary data sources. The resulting services will address civil, governmental and defence requirements, including environmental monitoring, emergency management, infrastructure surveillance, maritime awareness, border monitoring and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance applications.

Stratospheric platforms can provide persistent observation over an area of interest, rapid deployment and frequent data acquisition. Combined with satellite coverage and Planetek’s analytics capabilities, they introduce a new operational layer between spaceborne and airborne systems.

“This agreement enables a genuinely disruptive value proposition for our civil and military customers,” said Massimo Zotti, Head of the Government & Security Strategic Business Unit at Planetek Italia. “We are moving beyond the traditional delivery of imagery towards an integrated service capable of observing an area persistently, recognising relevant events and rapidly delivering actionable information. By combining satellites, stratospheric platforms, artificial intelligence and multi-source analytics, we can give decision-makers the right information at the right time, with a level of flexibility, responsiveness and continuity that was previously difficult to achieve. This is not simply an additional source of imagery: it is a new way of designing and operating Earth-observation services.”

“The most valuable innovations in Earth observation are no longer defined by a single platform, but by the ability to combine different layers of data collection and intelligence into one operational picture,” observed Jonathan Polotto, CEO of Involve Space. “The stratosphere has long been an underutilised domain despite its unique potential. With Planetek, we have the opportunity to transform that potential into scalable services that expand how governments and organisations monitor, understand and respond to what is happening on Earth. This partnership is about turning a promising technology into a practical capability.”

The partnership will also support the development of repeatable and scalable solutions that can be configured for different operational scenarios and deployed across multiple geographic markets.

The new stratospheric data, products and analytics developed through the collaboration will be commercialised by Planetek through Imagery Pack, its flexible subscription-based offering for accessing Earth-observation data, value-added products and specialist support through a unified credit model.

About Planetek Italia

Planetek Italia is a Benefit Company within the D-Orbit Group, specialising in Geoinformatics, Space systems, and Earth Observation. Since 1994, the company has been turning the complexity of Space into accessible knowledge. Across the entire space value chain — from upstream missions to downstream applications — it develops solutions that unlock the potential of geospatial data, enabling users to better understand our planet and make informed decisions.

https://www.planetek.it/

Media Contact

Antonio Buonavoglia, +39 0809644200 - buonavoglia@planetek.it

About Involve Space

Involve Space is an Italian aerospace company operating in stratospheric balloon technology, with the mission of developing innovative platforms for Earth Observation, defence, testing and research. Founded in Como in 2021, the company has carried out numerous commercial missions and introduced proprietary solutions such as Stratostats® and Stratorelay®, enabling Earth Observation applications aligned with satellite standards and, in some respects, capable of delivering a superior level of accuracy and timeliness. Backed by international investors and European development programmes, Involve Space combines economic growth and social responsibility, pursuing a model of accessible, low-environmental-impact innovation with global expansion ambitions.

For media inquiries and interview requests:

paola.v@involvespace.eu