EarthSense
EarthSense provides air quality monitoring and modelling solutions combining MCERTS-certified hardware sensors, the MappAir high-resolution pollution model, and the MyAir data platform, serving primarily UK local authorities, transport authorities, construction firms, and industrial operators across multiple international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersLeicester, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What EarthSense does
EarthSense Systems Limited is a UK-based environmental technology company headquartered at Space Park Leicester that delivers integrated air quality monitoring and modelling solutions to public sector and enterprise customers. Its product portfolio is anchored by three core offerings: the Zephyr real-time air quality monitor (an iMCERTS-certified Indicative Ambient Particulate Monitor measuring NO2, NO, O3, H2S, and PM1/PM2.5/PM10), the MappAir high-resolution global air pollution model (combining computational fluid dynamics, machine learning, weather and traffic data assimilation, source apportionment, and 72-hour forecasting at up to 2m city-scale resolution), and the MyAir web platform for data access, public dashboards, and analytics. The company also offers Virtual Zephyrs (modelled sensor points that simulate monitoring without physical deployment) and a Zephyr API for programmatic data integration, with outputs delivered in CSV, JSON, and OGC-compliant WMS/WCS formats.
The company operates an API-first go-to-market combining direct enterprise sales to UK local authorities, transport authorities, construction firms, and industrial operators with a growing international channel of distribution partners across Australia, Portugal (and Lusophone Africa), Nigeria/West Africa, and the Caribbean. Revenue is generated through a mix of subscription-based monitoring plans (annual or multi-year), MappAir API licences at city/national/global tiers, hardware sales and rentals of Zephyr monitors, and managed service offerings that bundle hardware, software, fieldwork, and reporting. Customer deployments are heavily concentrated in UK local authorities (Southampton, Westminster, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Worcestershire, Birmingham, Leicester, West Midlands Combined Authority), with the largest single deployment being 376 sensors across Birmingham schools.
EarthSense was founded in 2016 as a spin-out from 15 years of air quality research at the University of Leicester, operates with 11–50 employees, and is privately held with no disclosed institutional equity investors. The company has raised approximately $2.1M across six debt and grant rounds (primarily from Royal Bank of Scotland and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund between 2019 and 2025), and holds MCERTS, ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications. In 2026 it received the King's Award for Enterprise for International Trade, one of only 185 UK organisations so recognised that year.
EarthSense firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EarthSense
- Legal name
- EarthSense Systems Limited
- Website
- https://earthsense.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- EarthSense provides air quality monitoring and modelling solutions combining MCERTS-certified hardware sensors, the MappAir high-resolution pollution model, and the MyAir data platform, serving primarily UK local authorities, transport authorities, construction firms, and industrial operators across multiple international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EarthSense industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Air Quality Monitoring
- NAICS
- Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)
- SIC
- Auto Controls For Regulating Residential & Comml Environments (3822)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Continuous/Remote Monitoring Systems (IoT Sensors, Telemetry, Networks) (EUAHACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil) (BPAIAMAC), Environmental Data Integration, ETL & Interoperability (APIs, Standards, Data Pipelines) (EUAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where EarthSense is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leicester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
EarthSense business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Air Quality Monitoring Subscriptions: Subscription-based plans for Zephyr monitors combined with MyAir platform access. Flexible annual or multi-year subscription-based plans offered for monitoring services.
- MappAir API Licenses: City, national and global MappAir licenses available to cater for different applications and modelling requirements. Data accessed via API delivering multiple formats including CSV, JSON and OGC compliant web services (WMS & WCS).
- Hardware Sales: Sale of Zephyr air quality monitors with various power options. Monitors available for purchase or rental.
- Managed Services: Complete air quality monitoring solutions including hardware, software, managed fieldwork, network optimisation and reporting offerings.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Custom enterprise pricing for local authorities and organisations |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
EarthSense product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EarthSense provides environmental monitoring and modelling of air pollution data, delivering subscription-based hardware, software and services. The integrated portfolio combines the Zephyr real-time air quality monitor (iMCERTS-certified for PM2.5/PM10), the MappAir high-resolution global air quality model with 72-hour forecasting and source apportionment, and the MyAir web platform for data access and public-facing portals, with delivery supported by Zephyr and MappAir APIs.
Product overview
EarthSense is an air quality technology company offering an integrated product portfolio centered on three core solutions: the Zephyr real-time air quality monitor (iMCERTS-certified hardware), the MappAir high-resolution global air quality model (software with forecasting and source apportionment capabilities), and the MyAir web application for data access and public portals. The portfolio includes Virtual Zephyrs (modelled sensor points) and the Zephyr API for developer access. Products work together: Zephyr monitors provide ground-truth measurements that supplement and validate the MappAir model, while MyAir serves as the unified interface for accessing both real-time and modelled data. Data is delivered via API supporting CSV, JSON, and OGC-compliant web services (WMS and WCS).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MappAir®: High-resolution global model of air pollution using advanced modelling techniques, cloud-based data inputs, and machine learning technologies.
- Zephyr®
- MyAir®
Products and services
- Zephyr air quality monitor An iMCERTS-certified real-time ambient air quality monitor that measures nitrogen dioxide (NO2), nitric oxide (NO), ozone (O3), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), and particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10). Designed for flexible deployment with multiple power options (solar panel, mains, external battery) and remote data transmission via GSM, Wi-Fi, or API integration. Targeted at local authorities, transport operators, schools, construction sites, and industrial facilities needing regulatory-grade monitoring data.
- MappAir air quality model A high-resolution global air quality model that uses computational fluid dynamics, machine learning, weather, transport, and other cloud-based data inputs to produce near real-time, historic, and 72-hour predictive pollution visualisations worldwide. Offers up to 2m spatial resolution for city models and 100m for national models, with built-in source apportionment and forecast capability. Delivered as licensed data services (city, national, and global tiers) via API in CSV, JSON, and OGC-compliant WMS/WCS formats to smart city platforms, ITS systems, digital twins, and mobile applications.
- MyAir data platform A web application and data portal that provides access to, analysis of, and download of air quality data from Zephyr monitors and MappAir models. Enables deployment of public-facing portals where communities can view current conditions, 72-hour forecasts, and alerts about poor air quality episodes. Used by local authorities, schools, and partner organisations as the standard front-end for EarthSense deployments.
- Virtual Zephyrs modelled sensor points Modelled sensor points generated by the MappAir model that produce air quality estimates for locations where no physical Zephyr monitor is installed, using advanced algorithms, real-time data assimilation, and historical pollution trends. Extend effective monitoring coverage without additional hardware and can be combined with source apportionment to characterise pollution in unmapped areas.
- Zephyr API A developer API for accessing data from deployed Zephyr air quality monitors programmatically. Enables integration of real-time air quality measurements into third-party applications, smart city platforms, IoT systems, and digital twin environments, complementing the MappAir API's modelled data feeds.
- EarthSense managed air quality monitoring service An end-to-end managed air quality monitoring service that bundles Zephyr hardware, MappAir modelling, MyAir portal access, network optimisation, managed fieldwork, and reporting into a single subscription. Provides organisations that lack in-house air quality expertise with a turnkey deployment and ongoing operations capability, typically on annual or multi-year contracts.
Quantifiable outcome
- 68% reduction in carbon emissions achieved since 2022 baseline
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use EarthSense
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
EarthSense technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
EarthSense partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Atmospheric Research and Educonsult CICcoreStrategic partnership marking expansion into Nigeria and West African region. Atmospheric Research and Educonsult CIC operates across UK and Nigeria with expertise in air quality monitoring, environmental research, and capacity building. Partnership includes co-location in Lagos and joint EPIC application for monitoring across key industrial locations in Lagos.
- IRP Fire and Safety LimitedcoreDistribution partnership for Zephyr air quality monitors in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and wider Caribbean region. Trinidad-based IRP is the leading regional supplier of fire, safety, marine and environmental products following merger with Rose Environmental.
- AmbimetriccoreDistribution partnership for Portugal and Portuguese-speaking markets including Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe. Ambimetric provides environmental monitoring solutions with focus on municipal clients and public sector organisations.
- ECO EnvironmentalcoreDistribution partnership for Australia covering construction and environment monitoring sectors. ECO Environmental has built strong reputation for delivering high-quality environmental monitoring equipment.
- Worcestershire Regulatory ServicescoreThree-year monitoring project (with options to renew) deploying 24 Zephyr monitors across six district councils in Worcestershire. Funded by DEFRA Air Quality Grant, the solution includes MappAir modelling and MyAir web app access.
- Clean Air AfricaminorPartnership through Private Sector Forum contributing expertise in environmental monitoring technology and air quality modelling to strengthen collaboration and accelerate action on air pollution across Africa.
- The Environment Centre (tEC)minorLocal charity partnership delivering wood burning campaign across Southampton, The New Forest, Eastleigh, and Winchester using EarthSense air quality data to educate public about harms of PM2.5 emissions.
- University of HertfordshireminorCollaboration on Hertfordshire Living Lab programme at Hatfield Business Park to develop digital twin with air quality data integration.
- Hertfordshire County CouncilminorPartnership on Living Lab programme using six Zephyr monitors to drive behavioural change for cleaner air by 2030.
- Ocado TechnologyminorProject partner on Hertfordshire Living Lab digital twin development at Hatfield Business Park.
- BT GroupminorProject partner on Hertfordshire Living Lab digital twin development at Hatfield Business Park.
- DEFRAcoreGovernment department providing Air Quality Grants funding local authority monitoring projects. EarthSense solutions are funded by DEFRA grants in multiple local authority deployments.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights7 records
EarthSense competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- AQMesh: AQMesh is a UK-based provider of small-scale air quality monitoring sensor networks used by local authorities and consultancies. It directly competes with EarthSense's Zephyr sensors and subscription-based monitoring model for the same UK council and environmental consultancy buyers.
- Aeroqual: Aeroqual manufactures and sells air quality and gas sensors, including portable and fixed monitors for ambient pollutants. It competes with EarthSense Zephyr in both hardware sales and integrated monitoring deployments for industrial and government customers.
- Clarity Movement: Clarity Movement operates low-cost distributed air quality sensor networks and a cloud analytics platform, serving governments and NGOs in emerging markets. Its subscription, open-data, and software-led model parallels EarthSense's Zephyr + MyAir approach.
Broad incumbents
- Vaisala: Vaisala is a global incumbent in environmental and industrial measurements, offering reference-grade air quality sensors and weather instruments. It competes with EarthSense in higher-end regulatory monitoring and across a broader portfolio of meteorology and industrial measurement customers.
- IQAir: IQAir is a global air quality monitoring company offering both consumer-grade and professional-grade monitors, alongside an air quality information platform. It overlaps with EarthSense in the MyAir-style public-facing portal space and in government/enterprise sensor sales.
- Ricardo: Ricardo is an environmental and engineering consultancy delivering air quality assessment, modelling, and policy support to governments. It competes with EarthSense on the modelling and advisory layer (where MappAir also operates) and has deeper resources for large multi-disciplinary projects.
- Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global testing, inspection, and certification firm with significant environmental monitoring and compliance services. It competes with EarthSense in regulatory-grade monitoring and can bundle air quality services with broader environmental compliance offerings for large enterprise and government clients.
Emerging players
- AirGradient: AirGradient builds open-source, low-cost air quality monitors adopted by schools, citizen scientists, and community networks globally. It is an emerging player that pressures EarthSense's hardware pricing and competes for the same school air quality monitoring use cases.
- PurpleAir: PurpleAir operates a large crowdsourced network of low-cost PM sensors with a public map and API. While it focuses on community/consumer segments, its data is increasingly used by municipalities and researchers, partially overlapping EarthSense's hyper-local monitoring proposition.
- Kaiterra: Kaiterra (originally Laser Egg) provides professional and consumer air quality monitors with a cloud dashboard. It overlaps with EarthSense's indoor/outdoor monitoring vision and serves similar enterprise and smart-building use cases with subscription dashboards.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
EarthSense social profiles
Digital presenceEarthSense compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
EarthSense financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EarthSense leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
EarthSense funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EarthSense 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 EarthSense
What does EarthSense do?
EarthSense provides environmental monitoring and modelling of air pollution data, delivering subscription-based hardware, software and services. The integrated portfolio combines the Zephyr real-time air quality monitor (iMCERTS-certified for PM2.5/PM10), the MappAir high-resolution global air quality model with 72-hour forecasting and source apportionment, and the MyAir web platform for data access and public-facing portals, with delivery supported by Zephyr and MappAir APIs.
Is EarthSense a public or private company?
EarthSense is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was EarthSense founded?
EarthSense was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is EarthSense based?
EarthSense is headquartered in Leicester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does EarthSense make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Air Quality Monitoring Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are mappAir API Licenses, hardware Sales and managed Services.
Who are EarthSense's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AQMesh, Aeroqual and Clarity Movement. Broad incumbents are Vaisala, IQAir, Ricardo and Bureau Veritas. Emerging players are AirGradient, PurpleAir and Kaiterra.
Does EarthSense have an API?
Yes. EarthSense offers APIs for accessing air quality data. The MappAir API delivers multiple data formats including CSV, JSON, and OGC-compliant web services (WMS and WCS). Data is accessible via an Application Programming Interface (API) for integration into third-party software solutions including smart cities, IoT, and transport applications. The Zephyr API is available at docs.earthsense.co.uk/zapi/ for accessing Zephyr monitor data. Air quality data can be integrated into third-party systems via API, and measurements are transmitted via GSM or WiFi or can be integrated with third-party applications. Data integration supports Web Mapping Service (WMS) for mapped images and Web Coverage Service (WCS) for raw data files. Developer documentation is at docs.earthsense.co.uk/zapi.
What industry is EarthSense in?
EarthSense's product category is Air Quality Monitoring. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHACAL, Continuous/Remote Monitoring Systems (IoT Sensors, Telemetry, Networks), with a secondary code of BPAIAMAC, Environmental Monitoring, Data & Reporting (Air/Water/Soil). Its NAICS code is 54136 and its SIC code is 3822.