Helsinki, Finland – Kuva Space, a Finnish hyperspectral satellite and AI-powered insights company, has announced a new pilot project in collaboration with the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke). The public-private partnership aims to utilize cutting-edge Finnish hyperspectral satellite data and AI-driven analytics to improve the detection and identification of harmful algae blooms and support water safety across Finland. The project, which is set to launch on Friday, July 4th, 2025, builds on Syke’s existing use of public satellite data and manual field testing, adding more detailed spectral information to aid in targeting environmental measures and recovery actions where they are most needed.
Finland’s vast network of lakes, rivers, and coastal waters presents a significant challenge for monitoring. During the summer, cyanobacteria observations are collected from nearly 400 sites. These bacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, can quickly emerge, spread widely, and produce harmful toxins that pose risks to both humans and animals. Therefore, timely detection is crucial. However, not all algae blooms are harmful. For example, phytoplankton blooms that often appear in spring can turn the water brown and cause slime on fishing nets, but they do not pose a health risk.
In an effort to monitor the entire country’s inland and coastal waters more accurately and efficiently, Syke aims to detect harmful algae blooms and their associated species quickly and accurately. Unfortunately, most current satellite missions lack the spatial resolution and data latency needed to measure algal bloom concentrations, identify toxic species, and deliver faster warnings on a large scale.
To address this issue, Syke and Kuva Space are joining forces to develop advanced machine learning and AI models that leverage hyperspectral data, sample measurements, and insights from biochemical and genetic research. Syke’s extensive water sample data will enhance model training and reliability, advancing Earth observation into a validated and scalable tool for monitoring cyanobacteria and understanding the environmental drivers behind their occurrence and distribution.
Jenni Attila, Leading Researcher & Group Manager at the Finnish Environment Institute, expresses her excitement about the pilot project, stating, “We’re very excited about this collaboration with Kuva Space because, instead of just detecting the presence of algae, we can use their hyperspectral technology and AI to explore the spectral range and take a step further in identifying which algae species are present and assessing their biomass. In the long run, we can also follow how restoration efforts are impacting water quality across Finland’s many small lakes and complex coastal areas.”
Continuous, high-spectral resolution data improve the modeling of water quality trends and help predict when and where harmful blooms are likely to occur. By filling gaps left by traditional sampling, hyperspectral monitoring strengthens regulatory reporting, supports ecosystem management, and guides smarter policy decisions.
Jarkko Antila, CEO of Kuva Space, comments on the significance of this collaboration, stating, “This public-private partnership is a notable advancement in environmental monitoring capabilities, particularly for inland water quality, where large-scale, high-frequency coverage remains scarce. By 2027, Kuva Space’s hyperspectral monitoring with daily revisit rates will provide commercial and public sector stakeholders in aquaculture and water resource management with continuous, actionable insights, enhancing operational planning, regulatory compliance, and sustainability outcomes at an unprecedented scale.”
Finland is leading the way in incorporating satellite data into national environmental monitoring efforts. Satellite observations are currently used in the assessment and classification of the ecological status of surface waters, which has helped increase assessment coverage and confidence in 4,000 lakes and almost all coastal areas under reporting obligations.
Syke is also exploring how this type of insight can contribute to broader regulatory and restoration efforts. Finland reports under multiple EU directives and regulations, including the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, as well as the upcoming EU Nature Restoration Regulation. Better data and more observations can enhance the accuracy of status assessments and help target measures in a cost-efficient manner.
Kuva Space successfully launched its Hyperfield-1A satellite in August 2024, marking the initial stage of Kuva Space’s large hyperspectral constellation. The company aims to provide daily observations by 2027 and gapless subdaily global monitoring with 100 satellites by 2030. Its second hyperspectral satellite, Hyperfield-1B, developed under the ESA InCubed program, was successfully deployed on June 24th, 2025, to support data collection for this pilot and other new and ongoing activities.
For additional information:
Jarkko Antila, CEO
Kuva Space
+358 50 529 8876
jarkko.antila@kuvaspace.com
Jenni Attila, Leading researcher, group manager, PhD
Finnish Environment Institute (Syke)
+358 40 721 0575
jenni.attila@syke.fi
Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/