LatConnect 60, an Australian Earth Observation company, is expanding into the MENA region to deliver AI-powered geospatial analytics for agriculture, climate monitoring, and emissions tracking. Led by CEO & Founder Venkat Pillay, the company leverages advanced satellite technology, including its upcoming SWIRSAT constellation, to provide actionable insights for governments, businesses, and researchers. In this interview, Venkat discusses the company’s vision, strategic partnerships, and the role of EO data in addressing key regional challenges like water scarcity, food security, and carbon emissions reduction.

Venkat Pillay is the CEO & Founder of LatConnect 60 Ltd (LC60 AI), a satellite-enabled Earth Observation company based in Perth, Australia, established in 2019. He leads the strategic vision and growth of LC60 AI, delivering cutting-edge satellite constellations, data analytics, and insights through the proprietary EONET60 platform for industries including agriculture, environmental monitoring and climate assessment.

With over 15 years of experience in satellite missions across Southeast Asia, Venkat has also contributed as a program manager and systems engineer for Canadian and U.S. government satellite programs. He holds multiple patents in UAV-LEO satellite integrated operations and data fusion, granted in the USA, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore, reinforcing his expertise in advanced space technologies.

What motivated LatConnect 60 to expand its presence in the MENA region, and what unique opportunities do you see for satellite-driven solutions in this market?
The MENA region is undergoing rapid technological transformation, with increasing demand for Earth Observation (EO) data to support strategic decision-making in agriculture, climate monitoring, resource management, and sustainability initiatives. Our AI-powered geospatial analytics provide actionable intelligence that aligns with regional priorities such as food security, water conservation, and carbon emissions reduction.
Expanding into MENA allows us to collaborate with governments and enterprises to deliver tailored solutions that address these pressing challenges.

How does LatConnect 60 plan to collaborate with local governments, businesses, and research institutions in the region to maximize the impact of your Earth Observation services?
Collaboration is key to our strategy in MENA. We are actively engaging with government agencies, industry leaders, and academic institutions to integrate our EO capabilities into regional initiatives. We aim to establish strategic partnerships for data sharing, technology transfer, and capacity building. Additionally, we are working on joint research projects to develop AI-driven applications that align with the region’s economic and sustainability goals.

With the upcoming launch of the SWIRSAT constellation in 2026, what new capabilities will it bring to the MENA region, particularly in agriculture, carbon monitoring, and climate resilience?
SWIRSAT will introduce cutting-edge Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR) imaging capabilities, enabling the detection of emissions as low as 50 kg/hr with near-daily revisit times. This is particularly beneficial for monitoring methane emissions in oil and gas operations, supporting regulatory compliance and sustainability targets. In agriculture, SWIRSAT will provide high-precision insights into soil moisture, crop health, and yield prediction, helping farmers optimize resource use. Additionally, its climate monitoring capabilities will aid in tracking desertification, water scarcity, and natural disasters.

How does LatConnect 60’s AI-driven geospatial analytics differentiate itself from other satellite-based EO service providers in terms of accuracy, cost-efficiency, and data integration?
Our AI-powered platform integrates multispectral, SAR, SWIR, and GNSS-R datasets, delivering superior accuracy in environmental and industrial monitoring. By combining our proprietary AI algorithms with high-resolution imagery, we can provide real-time, automated analytics that reduce data processing time and costs. Furthermore, our API-driven architecture allows seamless integration with existing business workflows, ensuring that organizations can derive insights without extensive technical expertise.

How can your Agri Data Analytics and AG60 mobile application help farmers in MENA overcome challenges such as water scarcity, soil degradation, and climate variability?
Our Agri Data Analytics solution and AG60 mobile application provide real-time, satellite-derived insights on soil moisture, crop health, and vegetation stress. This enables farmers to optimize irrigation schedules, detect early signs of drought stress, and improve land-use efficiency. Additionally, by integrating cadastral data, we support precision agriculture strategies tailored to smallholder farmers, helping them increase productivity while conserving resources.

The MENA region is investing heavily in sustainability and carbon emissions reduction. Can you elaborate on how CQuest 60 and eMission 60 support these initiatives through accurate carbon and methane emissions monitoring?
CQuest 60 leverages high-resolution satellite imagery and AI-driven analytics to quantify carbon stock in forests and agricultural land, enabling organizations to track deforestation and participate in carbon credit markets. eMission 60 provides near real-time methane plume detection, allowing industries to identify and mitigate emissions efficiently. These solutions directly align with sustainability goals set by regional governments and international frameworks such as UN REDD+ and OGMP 2.0.

Given the region’s evolving regulatory landscape, how does LatConnect 60 ensure that its data and analytics comply with local environmental policies and international frameworks like UN REDD+ and OGMP 2.0?
Compliance is a top priority for us. Our analytics platforms are designed to align with global and regional regulatory frameworks, ensuring that organizations meet reporting standards and sustainability commitments. We work closely with regulatory bodies in MENA to adapt our solutions to specific compliance requirements, and our AI models are continuously updated to reflect changes in environmental policies.

What challenges do you anticipate in deploying and scaling satellite-based solutions across MENA’s diverse industries, and how do you plan to address them?
One of the main challenges is raising awareness and ensuring end-users fully understand the value of satellite-driven insights. To address this, we focus on education and capacity building through training sessions, webinars, and hands-on demonstrations. Additionally, some industries require customized data processing solutions, so we provide tailored API integrations to ensure seamless adoption. Connectivity and data infrastructure can also be a hurdle in remote areas, which we mitigate through cloud-based platforms and partnerships with local technology providers.

What role do partnerships with space agencies, environmental organizations, and commercial enterprises play in LatConnect 60’s long-term strategy for the region?
Partnerships are central to our growth strategy in MENA. By collaborating with space agencies, we can enhance satellite data accessibility and contribute to regional space initiatives. Environmental organizations help us align our solutions with sustainability goals, while commercial enterprises enable us to scale deployment across key industries. These collaborations foster innovation, drive market adoption, and maximize the impact of EO analytics in the region.

Looking ahead, what key milestones and innovations can we expect from LatConnect 60 over the next five years in the MENA market?
Over the next five years, we plan to:

• Launch the SWIRSAT constellation and expand its applications for agriculture, climate monitoring, and emissions detection.
• Strengthen our presence in MENA through partnerships and local offices.
• Enhance our AI-driven analytics to provide even more precise and automated insights.
• Develop new products that integrate space-based data with IoT and ground sensors for a holistic monitoring approach.
• Support regional governments and industries in achieving net-zero targets through advanced EO capabilities.

We are committed to driving innovation in the MENA region and look forward to playing a key role in its space-based digital transformation.

You can also view LatConnect 60‘s profile on Space Marketplace.

Alex Cresniov, Founder of SpaceTech in Gulf

About the author: Passionate in the Space industry with significant expertise in Policy Making, Global Socio-Economic Assessments, and DeepTech Analytics.

Email: [email protected]