Geospatial

Missouri is Invested in the Future of the Geospatial Industry

Massive corporations like Boeing, Bayer and Enterprise Holdings, are already part of the geospatial ecosystem in Missouri, delivering solutions for the federal government as well as private industry around the world.

The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) is currently investing $1.75 billion in their new West HQ facility in Missouri. NGA has had a presence in Missouri for more than 70 years.

Rendering of the planned NGA West HQ in St. Louis

According to a report by TEConomy Partners, LLC, a development research firm, St. Louis alone has “10,598 jobs in geospatial and location technology, including 3,700 at NGA and 235 in university research and development.” In addition, “some 53,000 local jobs directly or indirectly depend on the sector, with a total economic impact of $4.9 billion.”

Missouri is Growing the Science of Where

Eight research institutions recently announced plans to join forces to create the Taylor Geospatial Institute, a new entity aimed at expanding St. Louis’ position as a hub of geospatial research and innovation.

Arch Grants recently announced a multi-year commitment to awarding Geospatial Technology companies in an effort to build a pipeline of talent and help grow the Geospatial Hub in St. Louis. The Danforth Plant Science Center also recently announced plans to launch the Center for AgTech and Applied Location Science and Technology (CATALST), in St. Louis.

Cultivation Capital, a prominent venture capital firm, has launched a new investment fund of more than $50 million focused on geospatial technology.

The Geospatial Innovation Center at T-REX, powered by Bayer, is 16,000 sq. ft. of innovative and creative workspace dedicated to connecting and growing our geospatial community. NGA opened its first unclassified innovation center inside T-REX incubator Moonshot Labs. GeoHornet Lab, Harris-Stowe State University’s geospatial hub at T-REX, serves as an operation center for HSSU’s partnership with NGA and as a career path launching pad for geoscience students.

Missouri is Where Geospatial Companies Connect

St. Louis hosted the GEOINT Symposium, organized by USGIF, in 2021 and 2023, and is doing so again in 2025. The conference brings in roughly 4,000 attendees each year and is the largest annual geospatial conference in the U.S.

Reston, Virginia-based Leidos recently partnered with St. Louis-based Gateway Global American Youth and Business Alliance Academies Inc. (GGAYBA) to support its Entry to Executive program to prepare students for entry-level positions in the geospatial industry. The program, which provides training in the fields of geographic information systems and geospatial intelligence, seeks to place students in apprenticeship and internship positions. Other industry partners of GGAYBA include GDIT and Maxar.

NGA has also partnered with LaunchCode, a non-profit that places aspiring programmers in tech apprenticeships and jobs, to facilitate effective workforce development.

Missouri Has Talent for Geospatial

Rung for Women, in partnership with Maryville University and geospatial employers T-Kartor USA, Maxar, and L3Harris, has developed a new Geospatial Analyst Training Program designed to offer the exact knowledge and skills employers are seeking in entry-level geospatial jobs.

University of Missouri Columbia has a Geospatial Intelligence Certificate Program that has received accreditation from the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation. The University of Missouri is also home to the Center for Geospatial Intelligence (CGI), the first academic organization to join the USGIF and the first to exhibit at the annual GeoINT Symposium.

The University of Missouri – St. Louis (UMSL) and NGA formed a partnership in 2021 aimed at preparing students to enter careers in geospatial intelligence. UMSL is also home to the Geospatial Collaborative, which champions research, technological innovation and community engagement to support policymakers.