Cecil
Cecil operates a spatial data API and Python SDK that aggregates 40+ environmental datasets (deforestation, biodiversity, climate risk) into a single standardized interface for ESG teams, data scientists, conservation organizations, and infrastructure operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSurry Hills, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Cecil does
Cecil (legally Cecil Earth Inc.) operates a spatial data API platform that aggregates 40+ commercial and open environmental datasets — covering deforestation, biodiversity, land use change, soil moisture, climate risk, and asset locations — into a single standardized interface. The platform is built on AWS serverless architecture (Lambda, S3, Aurora Postgres, DynamoDB) and exposed through a Python SDK, CLI, and agentic interfaces, with data delivered in standardized raster (GeoTIFF, Zarr) and vector (GeoParquet, Parquet) formats. A scientific curation framework vets each dataset against environmental science principles, supplying metadata, units, and projections that eliminate the need for custom parsers on the customer side.
The commercial model is usage-based, charging per hectare of data accessed with no minimum usage requirements; open datasets carry no acquisition cost while commercial providers (Planet, IBAT, Chloris, etc.) are priced at volume-based rates (e.g., $0.10/ha). Cecil pursues a product-led growth motion with free API key sign-up and developer-focused documentation, complemented by an enterprise tier offering custom datasets, guided onboarding, and integration services. Target users include corporate ESG and sustainability teams (for EUDR, TNFD, SBTN, and CSRD compliance), spatial data scientists and researchers, conservation organizations, and infrastructure/asset operators running physical and climate risk assessments.
The company was founded in 2021, operates from Surry Hills, Australia with a US-incorporated entity, employs 11-50 people, and has raised capital across multiple rounds including a $2.2M seed in February 2022 led by Tenacious Ventures and a 2026 round with Superorganism and Max Ventures. Distribution channels include the open-source Cecil SDK, a Slack community, a 2,500+ subscriber newsletter, LinkedIn, and an Earthscale integration that embeds Cecil subscriptions in a third-party mapping platform.
Cecil firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cecil
- Legal name
- Cecil Earth Inc.
- Website
- https://cecil.earth
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cecil operates a spatial data API and Python SDK that aggregates 40+ environmental datasets (deforestation, biodiversity, climate risk) into a single standardized interface for ESG teams, data scientists, conservation organizations, and infrastructure operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cecil industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Spatial Data API
- NAICS
- Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370), Environmental Consulting Services (541620)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)
- akta.pro primary industry
- GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms (BPAMANAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental Data Integration, ETL & Interoperability (APIs, Standards, Data Pipelines) (EUAHAKAB), Nature & Biodiversity Reporting (TNFD, natural capital) (EUAHAJAM), ESG Reporting, Disclosure & Regulatory Compliance (SFDR, EU Taxonomy, TCFD/ISSB) (FSAAALAK), Environmental Data Management Platforms (EHS/EMS, LIMS, ELN, Compliance Data Hubs) (EUAHAKAA), Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Analytics (Satellite/UAV/LiDAR, Image Processing) (EUAHAKAD)
Keywords
Where Cecil is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Surry Hills
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Markets served
Cecil business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- API Subscription - Data Access: Volume-based pricing model where customers pay per hectare of data accessed through the platform. Supports both commercial and open datasets. No minimum usage requirements. Enterprise pricing available for verified organisations with custom volume limits.
- Enterprise Services: Custom onboarding, guided integration services, and bespoke dataset arrangements for enterprise customers requiring specialized support or proprietary data integration.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Open datasets - no data acquisition cost |
| Usage-based | Monthly | Commercial datasets - volume-based pricing |
| Hybrid | Annual | Enterprise - custom pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cecil product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cecil operates a unified Spatial Datasets API and an open-source Python SDK (Cecil SDK) that give programmatic access to 40+ commercial and open spatial datasets covering deforestation, biodiversity, land use change, soil moisture, climate risk, and asset locations. The platform standardizes data from multiple providers under consistent metadata, units, and projections, and is used for ESG analytics, EUDR/TNFD/SBTN/CSRD compliance, supply chain risk screening, and nature risk assessment. The offering is consumed both via self-serve API key sign-up and via an enterprise tier with custom datasets, volume-based pricing, and guided integration services.
Product overview
Cecil is a spatial data company that offers a unified Spatial Datasets API and Cecil SDK for accessing 40+ commercial and open spatial datasets. The platform standardizes data from multiple providers (including Global Forest Watch/WRI, IBAT, IUCN, Natural History Museum, Planet, and others) into consistent, analysis-ready formats. The Cecil SDK provides Python-based programmatic access for data acquisition, validation, and analysis workflows. Key dataset categories include Deforestation & Forest Degradation (for EUDR baselining), Biodiversity & Sensitive Areas (for TNFD, SBTN, and CSRD), Asset Locations (mines, facilities, supply chains), Land Use Change, Soil Moisture, and Physical & Climate Risk. The platform is designed for ESG, supply chain risk screening, data center site selection, and nature risk analytics use cases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Spatial Datasets API Programmatic API providing access to 40+ commercial and open spatial datasets covering deforestation, biodiversity, asset locations, land use change, soil moisture, and physical and climate risk. Delivers data in standardized raster (GeoTIFF, Zarr) and vector (GeoParquet, Parquet) formats with consistent metadata, units, and projections for ESG analysis, EUDR compliance, and nature risk analytics.
- Cecil SDK (Python) Open-source Python library that provides programmatic access to Cecil's spatial data platform, with AOI management, dataset discovery, subscription creation, and data access via xarray (raster) and pandas DataFrame (vector), plus webhook support for real-time notifications and integration with AI coding assistants.
Companies that use Cecil
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cecil technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature4 records
Cecil partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- World Resources Institute (WRI)coreData provider partner supplying multiple datasets including Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, SBTN Natural Lands, Tropical Tree Cover, and Global Forest Watch. WRI provides authoritative environmental data for Cecil's platform.
- IBAT (Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool)coreData provider supplying IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Key Biodiversity Areas, and Protected Area datasets. Critical for TNFD and CSRD compliance workflows.
- PlanetcoreData provider supplying Forest Carbon Monitoring, Forest Carbon Diligence, and Soil Water Content datasets. Planet's high-resolution satellite data integrated into Cecil's platform.
- Global Forest Watch (GFW)corePartner providing Hansen Global Forest Change dataset and GFW platform integration. Key dataset for deforestation monitoring and EUDR compliance.
- Natural History Museum LondoncoreData provider supplying Biodiversity Intactness Index datasets at 1km and 10km resolution. Critical for biodiversity integrity assessments.
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)coreData provider supplying Forest Landscape Integrity Index dataset. Essential for ecosystem integrity assessments.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cecil competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Earthscale: A modular earth data platform that already integrates with Cecil and offers shareable maps combining subscription-based geospatial data with public datasets like Sentinel-2. Directly comparable as a curated, multi-provider geospatial data marketplace targeting the same nature/ESG analyst workflows.
- SkyWatch: Earth observation data distribution platform providing APIs for satellite imagery and derived geospatial datasets. Comparable as a developer-first, API-based reseller/aggregator of commercial and open remote sensing data for analytics and ESG use cases.
- Descartes Labs: Geospatial analytics platform delivering satellite imagery and derived datasets through APIs and cloud-native infrastructure. Comparable as an API-first spatial data provider serving agriculture, supply chain, and sustainability analytics buyers.
Broad incumbents
- Planet Labs: Upstream satellite operator and one of Cecil's largest data providers (Forest Carbon Monitoring, Soil Water Content) that also offers direct APIs and analytics products. Comparable because it both competes with Cecil via direct distribution and supplies data into Cecil's catalogue.
- Microsoft Planetary Computer: Hyperscaler-hosted geospatial data platform offering large catalogs of open environmental datasets with STAC-compliant APIs and cloud-native analytics. Comparable as a free, well-funded incumbent whose standardized APIs pressure Cecil's pricing and content differentiation.
- Google Earth Engine: Planetary-scale geospatial analytics platform with petabytes of free satellite imagery and a massive catalogue of environmental datasets. Comparable as the dominant incumbent in geospatial data access, used by many of the same researchers Cecil targets.
- Global Forest Watch (WRI): World Resources Institute's flagship deforestation monitoring platform and a core upstream data provider to Cecil (Hansen Forest Change). Comparable because it both supplies Cecil and operates a direct end-user platform for forest monitoring and EUDR workflows.
Emerging players
- Pachama: Nature-based solutions data and marketplace platform leveraging satellite and ML for forest carbon and reforestation analytics. Comparable as a nature-tech company addressing the same corporate buyer (sustainability/ESG teams) with remote-sensing-driven nature data products.
- NatureMetrics: Biodiversity analytics company combining eDNA, species occurrence, and remote-sensing datasets for corporate nature impact reporting. Comparable as a curated biodiversity data provider serving TNFD/CSRD-aligned corporate buyers.
- Sylvera: Forest carbon data and ratings platform using satellite imagery to assess carbon credit quality. Comparable as a remote-sensing-driven nature data company serving corporate buyers with compliance and risk analytics needs.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cecil social profiles
Digital presenceCecil financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cecil leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cecil funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cecil M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cecil
What does Cecil do?
Cecil operates a unified Spatial Datasets API and an open-source Python SDK (Cecil SDK) that give programmatic access to 40+ commercial and open spatial datasets covering deforestation, biodiversity, land use change, soil moisture, climate risk, and asset locations. The platform standardizes data from multiple providers under consistent metadata, units, and projections, and is used for ESG analytics, EUDR/TNFD/SBTN/CSRD compliance, supply chain risk screening, and nature risk assessment. The offering is consumed both via self-serve API key sign-up and via an enterprise tier with custom datasets, volume-based pricing, and guided integration services.
Is Cecil a public or private company?
Cecil is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Cecil founded?
Cecil was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cecil based?
Cecil is headquartered in Surry Hills, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Cecil make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. API Subscription - Data Access are the primary driver. The others are enterprise Services.
Who are Cecil's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Earthscale, SkyWatch and Descartes Labs. Broad incumbents are Planet Labs, Microsoft Planetary Computer, Google Earth Engine and Global Forest Watch (WRI). Emerging players are Pachama, NatureMetrics and Sylvera.
Does Cecil have an API?
Yes. Cecil provides a Spatial Datasets API for ESG, EUDR & Nature Risk Analytics. The Cecil SDK is an open source Python library that integrates with Cecil's internal API using standard HTTP methods, authentication, and response codes. Data resources use RFC 3339 timestamps and universally unique identifiers (UUID v4). The SDK supports AOI management (create, list, get, archive, restore), dataset listing and retrieval, subscription management for data acquisition, data access via xarray (raster) and pandas DataFrame (vector), webhooks for real-time notifications, organisation settings, user management, and API key management. API authentication uses a CECIL_API_KEY environment variable. Documentation is available at docs.cecil.earth. Developer documentation is at docs.cecil.earth.
What industry is Cecil in?
Cecil's product category is Spatial Data API. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMANAK, GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms, with a secondary code of EUAHAKAB, Environmental Data Integration, ETL & Interoperability (APIs, Standards, Data Pipelines). Its NAICS code is 541370 and its SIC code is 7370.