A record number of visitors attended the tenth anniversary edition of GEO Business, the UK’s largest geospatial event.
Held at ExCeL London from 5-6 June, GEO Business showcased cutting-edge geospatial technologies, ground-breaking innovations, and an insightful education programme.
Welcoming 4,300 total attendees, an 8% increase compared to 2023, the packed-out event served as a platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and exploration of emerging trends.
Praneeta Apidepally, Director at Techwave comments, “The atmosphere at GEO Business 2024 was electrifying. It was fantastic to see some incredible new technology and have insightful, open discussions with everyone.”
William Rees, Chartered Land Surveyor, WD Rees & Sons echoes this, stating: “If you’re in the geospatial industry, [GEO Business] is a must as it’s a focal point to meet for both social and business.”
A “must attend” event
The successful show brought the geospatial community from all parts of the world together, fostering collaboration and unlocking new opportunities for growth.
Holger Kessler, Senior Stakeholder Manager at AtkinsRéalis, highlighted the value of face-to-face interactions: “It was superb to see so many friends and colleagues at GEO Business – and also to make such great new connections.
“Meeting people face to face at conferences and workshops is absolutely essential to build trust and collaborations and also to generate new ideas and innovation.”
Also in agreement was Shirish Payasi, Director of Networked Industries at Tata Consultancy Services, who dubbed the expo a “must attend event.”
“Discover the latest solutions from leading geospatial brands”
The bustling show floor featured 130 leading companies, start-ups, industry bodies and organisations at the forefront of geospatial.
Attendees had the opportunity to experience live demonstrations of state-of-the-art technologies, including 3D visualisation; aerial mapping; BIM; GIS/GNSS; laser scanning and LiDAR; machine learning and AI; mobile mapping; photogrammetry; point clouds; reality capture; remote sensing; robotics and automation; Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM); UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)/Drones Visualisation; augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR); and more.
The leading equipment manufacturers, software companies and service providers that exhibited included Coptrz, Esri UK, FARO Technologies, Flai Ai, JAVAD GNSS, NavVis, Radiodetection, RIEGL, Screening Eagle, SEP Geospatial, Spyrosoft, and Survey Max.
Commenting on their visit, Barnes Fernández, a civil engineering firm shared this on social media: “We had the unique opportunity to discover the latest solutions from leading geospatial brands. We also had the chance to connect and network with other professionals, exchanging ideas and forging new collaborations. We look forward to implementing these insights.”
This immersive exhibition unveiled the next generation of geospatial solutions, providing a glimpse into how these advancements are reshaping industries and revolutionising data-driven decision-making.
“Connected with industry leaders”
The show didn’t just result in happy attendees, but exhibitors too. Many were thrilled with the result of the show and praised the quality of visitors and strong leads over the two days.
“We’re still buzzing from the insightful discussions, interesting presentations and great connections we made,” comments Senceive.
Another happy exhibitor was FARO Technologies, taking to social media to share: “We had an incredible time at Geo Business! We connected with industry leaders, shared insights during presentations, and demoed our latest advancement in geospatial technology.”
Lynn Puzzo, Director of Sales & Marketing at Mosaic was also in agreement, saying: “The GEO Business team, especially Sinead and Ben, were fantastic to work with. They really supported us along the way, to ensure that we had all the information to make the decisions that were right for Mosaic. I’m very grateful that there are such wonderful people there to support the exhibitors.
She continues, “the event was well organised, and we were happy to meet up with many colleagues and get in contact with many more new ones. It’s amazing how different the UK market is, and I believe it’s important to attend such an event to really get a feel for it and get one’s foot in the door.”
“The premier geospatial event in Europe”
The CPD-accredited education programme at GEO Business was hosted across eight stages, including two that were brand new for 2024. Over 150 carefully curated talks, workshops and demos were presented by expert speakers from across the profession.
Topics covered a range of different applications for geospatial, including infrastructure, GIS and data, surveying and mapping, satellites, drones, UAVs and the built environment.
Speakers from Google, Microsoft, Jacobs, Ordnance Survey, Network Rail, World Geospatial Industry Council (WGIC), Devon and Cornwall Police, 1Spatial, Satellite Applications Catapult and British Geological Survey were just a few examples of big names in geospatial who were part of the line-up.
Simon Navin, Development Director at Dalcour Maclaren is a regular speaker at the event and comments: “GEO Business is the premier geospatial event in Europe. Not only does it bring together experienced geospatial professionals, but it also offers a platform for those in the early stages of their career to share their knowledge, build their networks and challenge the norm.
“As the need for greater location intelligence grows, GEO Business provides the insight into how value can be created, how innovative technologies can be utilised and what skills and capabilities will be needed to support a location data driven future.”
Register now for GEO Business 2025
GEO Business 2024 exceeded expectations and set the stage for even greater advancements in geospatial technology and collaboration. The 2025 edition takes place on 4-5 June. Find out more and register your interest.