GeoSmart

What GeoSmart does

GeoSmart is a South African geospatial intelligence company, founded in 2015 as a spin-off of Stellenbosch University and headquartered in Stellenbosch. It commercializes the highest-resolution terrain data available for South Africa, anchored on DEMSA2 — a 2m aerial-derived Digital Elevation Model covering roughly 92% of the country — and the 5m Stellenbosch University Digital Elevation Model (SUDEM). Core technology combines GIS, remote sensing, spatial modelling, earth observation, GNSS, cloud computing and machine learning, with proprietary assets including a DSM2DTM conversion technique that removes 95% of surface features automatically and a machine-learning Flood Hazard Index (FHI) covering ~85% of South Africa.

The product portfolio comprises elevation models (DEMSA2 L1/L2/L3, SUDEM, FUSEDEM hybrid), hydrological and morphological derivatives (HAND, TWI, slope, aspect, curvature, viewshed, stream network), the Flood Hazard Index, contour and aerial products, pre-bundled municipal GeoDataPacks, and a Detailed Land Cover Classification methodology. Distribution runs primarily through the self-serve GeoPortal API web application (PayFast-integrated, no signup required) and a cost calculator/quote request system for one-off data purchases; enterprise clients access the Express API subscription (R8,000/month for 10,000 interactions) and direct sales for orders above 5,000 km². Pricing is interaction-based for API access and area-based for dataset licenses, with professional services for bespoke geospatial projects.

GeoSmart serves municipalities (Fetakgomo, Makhuduthamaga, Nelson Mandela Bay, Stellenbosch), the insurance industry (post-2022 Durban flood risk work), telecommunications operators planning 5G rollout, renewable energy developers (solar/wind site selection), civil engineering and mining firms (via Civil Designer integration), agricultural technology partners, and academia (Stellenbosch University's CGA). The stated operating footprint is South Africa only. Since 2022 the company reports 322 completed projects with 80% client retention, funded organically without disclosed external capital.

Name

GeoSmart

Legal name

GeoSmart

Website

https://geosmart.space

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GeoSmart is a South African geospatial intelligence company that delivers the highest-resolution terrain data commercially available in South Africa, offering 2m and 5m digital elevation models, a machine-learning Flood Hazard Index, and 60+ geospatial datasets via its GeoPortal API to municipalities, insurers, telecom operators, and renewable energy developers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geospatial Data and Intelligence

NAICS

Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)

akta.pro primary industry

GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms (BPAMANAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM), Geospatial Data Management & Enterprise GIS (Geodatabases, Web GIS, Spatial Analytics) (EUAHAKAC), Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Analytics (Satellite/UAV/LiDAR, Image Processing) (EUAHAKAD), Environmental Reporting, Dashboards & Regulatory Submittals (Automated Reports, e-Reporting) (EUAHAKAL)

Keywords

• Geospatial intelligence
• Digital elevation models
• Terrain data analytics
• Flood hazard mapping
• Remote sensing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Stellenbosch

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. API Data Access (Pay-as-you-go): Usage-based pricing for GeoPortal API access. Customers pay per interaction (point or polygon query) based on volume tiers. Lower cost per interaction at higher volumes. No sign-up required, PayFast payment integration.
2. Express API Subscription: Monthly subscription (R8,000/month) for 10,000 API interactions with priority clearance. Recurring revenue from professional users requiring consistent API access.
3. Product Sales (Area-based): One-time purchase of elevation models and derivatives based on area of interest in km². Products include DEMSA2 series (L1, L2, L3), SUDEM, FUSEDEM, Flood Hazard Index, contours, aerials, and derivatives. Add-on products require base elevation model purchase.
4. Professional Services: Consultation services for project planning and implementation. Custom service offerings for specialized geospatial analysis needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GeoSmart develops and distributes high-resolution geospatial terrain data products for South Africa, including the 2m DEMSA2, 5m SUDEM, and 5m FUSEDEM digital elevation models, a Flood Hazard Index, and a suite of hydrological, morphological, and solar radiation derivatives. Products are sold as licensed datasets via a self-serve GeoPortal web app with API access, supported by PayFast payment integration and area-based or usage-based pricing. Customers include municipalities, telecoms, insurers, renewable energy developers, mining and engineering firms, agritech companies, and researchers.

Product overview

GeoSmart offers a geospatial intelligence platform delivering high-resolution terrain data for South Africa. The core portfolio centers on elevation models (DEMSA2 at 2m, SUDEM at 5m, FUSEDEM at 5m) and derivative products (Flood Hazard Index, Contours, Hydrological and Morphological layers, Solar Radiation, Viewshed Analysis). Products are available as standalone datasets or bundled as GeoDataPacks for municipalities. Access is via a web-based GeoPortal with API access, providing over 60 ready-to-use datasets including DEMs, derivatives, land cover, soil, and climate data.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DEMSA2 (2m Digital Elevation Model of South Africa) A 2m resolution Digital Elevation Model extracted from aerial stereo imagery, representing South Africa's terrain at the highest available commercial resolution. Available in three quality levels: L1 (raw DSM), L2 (quality-controlled DSM), and L3 (refined DTM with ground features extracted). Designed for engineering, telecoms, insurance, and planning use cases requiring detailed topographic data.
• SUDEM (5m Stellenbosch University Digital Elevation Model) A 5m resolution Digital Elevation Model interpolated from 1:10,000 and 1:50,000 contours and spot height data, providing full South Africa coverage. Currently the highest resolution DEM covering all of South Africa and used as a baseline for several downstream products including the Flood Hazard Index.
• FUSEDEM (5m Hybrid Digital Elevation Model) A fused elevation model combining SUDEM and DEMSA2 L3 data to create a comprehensive terrain dataset. Available via API integration for automated access and in Civil Designer format for engineering software users.
• Flood Hazard Index (FHI) A machine learning-based index combining geospatial analysis with elevation data to assess potential flood hazards. Available at 5m and 10m resolution, covering approximately 85% of South Africa, and used for property risk assessment, disaster management planning, and insurance underwriting.
• Contours Contour line data at 50cm vertical interval spacing for anywhere in South Africa, with other intervals (1m, 2m, 5m) available. Convertible to CAD formats (DWG, DXF) and GIS formats (SHP, GeoPackage) for engineering and design workflows.
• Hydrological Derivatives Terrain derivatives including Height Above Nearest Drainage (HAND), Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), Flow Accumulation, Flow Direction, and Stream Network for hydrological modelling and water flow analysis.
• Morphological Layers Terrain derivatives including Slope, Aspect, Curvature (Plan and Profile), and Landform classification for terrain analysis and feature identification.
• Solar Radiation Potential Analysis of incoming solar energy potential based on terrain aspect and slope, useful for solar power plant scoping and renewable energy planning. Identifies areas on building roofs receiving the most solar radiation.
• Viewshed Analysis Line of sight analysis determining visible areas from specific vantage points using elevation data. Used for telecommunications planning, wind turbine visibility assessment, and environmental impact studies.
• Stream Order Network Delineation Network delineation service for identifying stream hierarchies and water flow pathways across landscapes, supporting hydrological modelling and water resource planning.
• GeoDataPack Pre-packaged geospatial data bundles combining DEMSA2 derivatives for specific municipalities (Fetakgomo, Makhuduthamaga, Nelson Mandela Bay, Stellenbosch), ideal for spatial planning and hydrological modelling.
• GeoTerra Image Aerial imagery provided by Chief Directorate: National Geospatial Information (CD:NGI), essential for spatial reference in GIS/CAD software and for image analysis applications.
• GeoSmart API (GeoPortal) Web-based portal and API providing access to 60+ terrain and environment datasets with point queries, polygon zonal statistics, and real-time pricing. Includes PayFast payment integration and token-based authentication for developers, with pay-as-you-go and monthly Express API subscription options.

Quantifiable outcome

• 322 successful projects since 2022
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TerraClim (Stellenbosch University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 August 2021Climate smart agriculture partnership to extend weather station network in Western Cape to 500+ stations. Project co-funded by EUREKA and TIA. Combines terrain data with climate monitoring for agricultural applications.
• METOS SAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 August 2021Partnership for climate smart agriculture weather station network extension project. METOS SA provides weather station instrumentation.
• Centre for Geographical Analysis (CGA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Long-term academic partnership with Stellenbosch University CGA. Collaborates on DEM development, research publications, and product improvement. Joint development of SUDEM and DEMSA2 products.
• Stellenbosch UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeoSmart is a spin-off company of Stellenbosch University. Founded by Prof Adriaan van Niekerk. Maintains close ties with university entities for ongoing research and development collaboration.
• SULaunchLabminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStellenbosch University startup incubator for technology companies. GeoSmart participates in startup showcase events.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Esri: Esri is the dominant enterprise GIS platform provider (ArcGIS), offering software and curated geospatial datasets including DEMs, imagery, and analytics tools. Comparable to GeoSmart because Esri's platform ingests and serves the same kinds of terrain and elevation data that GeoSmart produces, though Esri is a broad incumbent software vendor rather than a regional data specialist.
• Maxar Technologies: Maxar is a major US-based provider of high-resolution satellite imagery and geospatial intelligence, including elevation-derived products. It is comparable to GeoSmart as a high-resolution imagery and terrain data provider, though Maxar serves a global, defense-heavy customer base rather than a single emerging market.
• Trimble Inc. Trimble provides geospatial technologies spanning GNSS, surveying, mapping software, and data services used in construction, agriculture, and infrastructure. Comparable to GeoSmart as a provider of terrain and mapping data products for surveying, civil engineering, and agriculture, though at global scale and via hardware-software bundles.
• HERE Technologies: HERE Technologies operates a global location platform providing map data, terrain, and geospatial APIs used for navigation, logistics, and network planning. Comparable to GeoSmart as an API-first geospatial data platform serving telecom, logistics, and infrastructure use cases, though focused on map/location data at global scale rather than terrain data in a single country.
• Hexagon AB: Hexagon (through Leica Geosystems and the Geosystems division) provides geospatial sensors, software, and analytics used for surveying, mapping, and infrastructure. Comparable to GeoSmart as a high-end provider of geospatial data and analytics for engineering, government, and environmental applications, though operating globally and across hardware and software.
• Fugro: Fugro is a global provider of geo-data services for offshore energy, infrastructure, and environmental markets, including survey and mapping of land and seabed. Comparable to GeoSmart in offering high-precision geospatial data and analytics for infrastructure, mining, and environmental applications, though Fugro operates globally with significant offshore and oil & gas exposure.
• Airbus Defence and Space (Geo-Intelligence): Airbus Defence and Space provides very high-resolution satellite imagery (Pléiades, SPOT) and derived elevation products through its OneAtlas and Geo-Intelligence offerings. Comparable to GeoSmart as a producer of high-resolution imagery-based elevation data sold via APIs and data subscriptions to government and commercial customers, though at global scale and with defense roots.

Direct peers

• Nearmap: Nearmap provides high-resolution aerial imagery and derived 3D content (including digital surface and terrain models) via an API and web platform. It is a direct comparable to GeoSmart in business model — recurring API/subscription access to aerial-derived elevation and imagery products — though it focuses on North America, Australia, and New Zealand rather than Africa.
• Planet Labs: Planet Labs operates a large constellation of earth-observation satellites and delivers daily imagery and derived analytic layers through APIs. Comparable to GeoSmart as an API-first geospatial data vendor serving environmental, agricultural, and government use cases, but at global scale and with satellite rather than aerial imagery as the primary source.

Regional players

• AfriGIS: AfriGIS is a South African geospatial data and solutions company providing location-based services, mapping, and verified address data. Comparable to GeoSmart as another South Africa-based geospatial vendor serving government, insurance, and enterprise customers, though focused on geocoding and location intelligence rather than high-resolution DEMs.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/geosmartspace
• Facebookfacebook.com/geosmart.space
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/geosmart-space
• Instagraminstagram.com/geosmartspace

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GeoSmart