GNSS Centre of Excellence

What GNSS Centre of Excellence does

The GNSS Centre of Excellence is a Czech non-profit association (z.s.p.o.) founded in November 2012 that functions as an applied research, testing, and consultancy hub for Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) applications in critical transport infrastructure. Its membership base consists of five founding state-owned infrastructure operators — Czech Railways, Air Navigation Services of the Czech Republic, the Road and Motorway Directorate, the Railway Infrastructure Administration, and Prague Airport — supplemented by more than ten associate members spanning aviation, rail, road, and adjacent technology providers. The association serves as the sole Czech representative in both the European GNSS Interference Task Force (EGITF) and the ICAO Performance-based Navigation Implementation Support Group (PBN ISG), giving it a unique policy-positioning role.

The organisation's core technical assets include the SA-tool for GNSS interference analysis, the GIDAS GNSS interference detector deployed at Czech airports, and the KMS knowledge-management database that aggregates interference monitoring data and operational intelligence collected since 2015. These tools reflect a decade of accumulated know-how in RF engineering, GNSS signal processing, and interference mitigation, with current relevance for emerging PRS (Public Regulated Service) and GOVSATCOM applications.

The revenue model is membership-fee based for the founding and associate tiers, supplemented by competitive project funding drawn from European Space Agency programmes (notably NAVISP Element III, partnership established November 2019) and Czech public R&D grants administered through TAČR. The association functions as a quasi-intermediary between Czech state operators and EU-level GNSS programmes rather than as a commercial product vendor, and it has no disclosed financial statements.

Name

GNSS Centre of Excellence

Legal name

GNSS Centre of Excellence z.s.p.o.

Website

https://gnss-centre.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The GNSS Centre of Excellence is a Czech non-profit association that tests, validates, and consults on GNSS technology for critical transport infrastructure, serving Czech state-owned operators in rail, road, and aviation through membership fees and EU/Czech R&D project funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Satellite Navigation (GNSS) Consultancy and Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621), Satellite Telecommunications (517410)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

GNSS/GPS Navigation & Augmentation Systems (IMABAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Vulnerability Management & Penetration Testing Services (BPAEADAD)

Keywords

• GNSS consultancy services
• Satellite navigation testing
• GNSS interference mitigation
• Critical infrastructure protection
• Galileo EGNOS adoption

Headquarters

HQ city

Prague

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: GCE operates as a non-profit association funded through membership contributions from founding and associate members. Organizations pay membership fees to access GNSS consultancy, training, project support, and the broader expert network.
2. Project funding and grants: GCE secures and participates in externally funded R&D projects financed by ESA (NAVISP), TAČR (Technology Agency of the Czech Republic), and other public funding bodies. Funding supports specific GNSS research and deployment activities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GCE delivers GNSS consultancy, training, internship programs and interference-vulnerability testing for Czech transport operators and critical infrastructure. Core offerings cover GNSS application testing, validation of GNSS signals, jamming/spoofing vulnerability testing, deployment of resilient PNT tools, project proposal and grant support, plus two web tools — the SA-tool for self-assessment of GNSS dependency and the KMS knowledge database of GNSS interference research.

Product overview

GNSS Centre of Excellence is a non-profit association focused on GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) technology consultancy and research services for its founding and associate members in the Czech Republic. The organization provides a portfolio of services including GNSS general consultancy, training, and student internships; GNSS vulnerability awareness covering jamming and spoofing; dependency assessment and interference vulnerability testing; resilient tool implementation; product performance testing; certification support; and project proposal consulting. The organization operates the Self-Assessment Tool (SA-tool) for critical infrastructure managers to evaluate GNSS dependencies, and maintains a Knowledge Management System (KMS) with research on GNSS interference. Services are provided primarily to founding members (Czech Railways, Air Navigation Services, Road and Motorway Directorate, Railway Infrastructure Administration, Prague Airport) and associated members from industry and academia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GNSS General Consultancy Services Comprehensive consulting for founding and associate members covering GNSS training, university-student internship programs, support for GNSS startups, awareness on GNSS vulnerability and interference, dependency assessment, and interference vulnerability testing of GNSS applications in aviation, rail, and road transport.
• GNSS Interference Detection & Mitigation Services Services including GNSS interference vulnerability testing, implementation of resilient tools to protect against GNSS interference, GNSS product performance testing and evaluation, and support in certification processes. Engagements use GIDAS and other detectors deployed at airports, highways, and rail sites.
• Project Support & Grant Consulting Assistance with grant selection, support programme identification, preparation and submission of project proposals, communication with governmental entities, partner finding, consortium building, and project management across various support programmes (including ESA NAVISP and TAČR).
• Self-Assessment Tool (SA-tool) Questionnaire-based self-assessment tool developed for critical infrastructure managers to evaluate their systems' dependency on GNSS signals and their resilience to GNSS interference (jamming and spoofing).
• Knowledge Management System (KMS) Online knowledge database containing the most current information on articles and research projects related to GNSS interference, recorded cases of GNSS interference across critical infrastructure sectors, and information about GNSS interference detectors available on the market.

Quantifiable outcome

• GNSS market projected to grow to EUR 580 billion globally by 2033, with GCE contributing to Czech Republic's participation in this market through Galileo/EGNOS adoption support.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Exprivia (Czech branch)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2025GCE cooperates with the Czech branch of Italian space company Exprivia and ČVUT Faculty of Transport Sciences to co-organize a pilot lecture on space technologies covering satellite navigation, Earth observation, and satellite communication, held on 9 April 2025 at ČVUT.
• National Cyber and Information Security Agency (NÚKIB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2025GCE partners with NÚKIB on the study 'Analysis of potential users of PRS and GOVSATCOM services in the Czech Republic,' which builds on prior research by the Ministry of Transport. The study aims to understand the needs of government and commercial sectors for secure satellite communication and navigation services.
• European Space Agency (ESA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2019GCE is a partner in ESA's NAVISP Element III program 'GNSS vulnerability and mitigation in the Czech Republic.' ESA fully funds the project, which focuses on assessing critical infrastructure dependence on GNSS and preparing recommendations for protection against GNSS interference. The project runs for 36 months from November 2019.
• Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic (MD ČR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCE cooperates with the Ministry of Transport, which is responsible for Czech space policy, ESA membership, and the EU Space Programme. MD ČR is the interface with EUSPA and the contact point for international space cooperation. MD supports the deployment of space technologies in transport.
• Huld s.r.o.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuld, a Czech-Finnish company specializing in emerging technologies, is a co-applicant on the ESA NAVISP project 'GNSS vulnerability and mitigation in the Czech Republic.' Huld brings expertise in technology development and cross-industry application of GNSS solutions.
• ČVUT in Prague (Faculty of Transport Sciences)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCE cooperates with the Department of Air Transport at the Faculty of Transport Sciences of ČVUT in Prague. Activities include co-organizing space technology lectures for students, supervising internships and theses, and collaborating on the PinS and LLR information portal project.
• Exact Control System a.s.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExact Control System is an associated member specializing in geodesy and GNSS technologies. GCE assisted Exact in preparing an ESA NAVISP project proposal for GreenAsphalt4.0 — an automated 3D asphalt recycling solution using GNSS and robotics — which was selected for ESA funding.
• AŽD Praha s.r.o.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAŽD Praha is a consortium partner in the TAČR Beta2 project TrainLOC, focused on the implementation of GNSS-based safe train locators on the Czech railway network, starting August 2019.
• University of PardubiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Pardubice is a consortium partner in the TAČR Beta2 project TrainLOC, researching GNSS signal quality along Czech railway corridors.
• Railway Research Institute (VÚŽ a.s.)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRailway Research Institute (VÚŽ a.s.) is a consortium partner in the TAČR Beta2 project TrainLOC, contributing to research on GNSS implementation in rail.
• EU GNSS Interference Task Force (EGITF)coreOthersGCE was appointed by the Czech Ministry of Transport to the EU GNSS Interference Task Force (EGITF), an expert working group of the EU aimed at reducing risks of GNSS disruption and vulnerability in the context of EGNOS and Galileo development. The group includes representatives from the European Commission, EU member states, Norway, and Switzerland.
• DRAIVE GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRAIVE GmbH (Germany) is a foreign partner in the ALTRAINAV project consortium, collaborating with GCE and CEDA Maps on alternative train navigation solutions.
• Chemnitz University of Technology (TU Chemnitz)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTU Chemnitz (Germany) is a foreign partner in the ALTRAINAV project consortium, providing academic research expertise for alternative train navigation.
• Research Institute of Posts and Telecommunications (VÚS, Slovakia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVÚS, a non-profit leading R&D centre for electronic communication and postal services in Slovakia, joined GCE as an associated member on 19 December 2019. VÚS aims to serve as a professional GNSS education and research hub in Slovakia.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Rohde & Schwarz: Major German test and measurement equipment manufacturer with a dedicated GNSS/satellite navigation portfolio (including GNSS simulators and interference detection). Comparable customer base of critical infrastructure and transport operators.
• Spirent Communications: Global leader in GNSS/RF testing and simulation equipment serving aerospace, defense, and telecom. While not a service consultancy like GCE, Spirent's GNSS test solutions are used by similar critical infrastructure operators and aviation/rail customers.
• DLR (German Aerospace Center): Germany's national aerospace research center with significant GNSS research, satellite navigation, and Galileo/EGNOS program participation. Comparable to GCE as a national GNSS research institution, though DLR operates at vastly larger scale.
• CNES (France): French national space agency with major GNSS research programs and Galileo/EGNOS contributions. CNES is comparable to GCE in national-level GNSS R&D mandate but operates as a much larger government agency.
• Safran (Orolia PNT): Global PNT (Position, Navigation, Timing) resilience company offering GNSS testing, simulation, anti-jamming solutions, and resilient PNT receivers. Comparable to GCE in the GNSS interference/jamming domain but at much larger scale and commercial scope.

Direct peers

• GMV: Spanish private space and IT company with a major GNSS business unit providing Galileo ground segment work, GNSS augmentation, and PNT security solutions. GMV is the most direct comparable to GCE in GNSS testing, authentication, and EGNSS program participation across transport domains.
• Nottingham Scientific Ltd (NSL): UK-based GNSS expertise firm specializing in GNSS signal quality, interference monitoring, and integrity. NSL collaborated with GCE on the GIDAS detector and shares comparable focus on GNSS interference detection at critical infrastructure sites.
• OHB Digital Solutions: European space systems company with significant GNSS/security activities, including co-development of the GIDAS detector deployed by GCE. OHB is a comparable player in GNSS interference detection and critical infrastructure protection technology.
• Qascom: Italian GNSS company specializing in GNSS authentication, anti-spoofing, signal testing, and Galileo-related R&D. Qascom is closely comparable to GCE in its focus on GNSS vulnerability testing, interference detection, and downstream Galileo/EGNOS application development.

Others

• European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA): EU agency managing Galileo, EGNOS, and Copernicus programs. EUSPA is a strategic partner/ecosystem enabler for GCE rather than a direct competitor, but provides the European regulatory and market framework in which GCE operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gnss-centre-of-excellence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about GNSS Centre of Excellence