What Pan-African Citizen Science e-Lab does

PACS e-Lab is a non-profit citizen science platform founded in December 2020 by Miracle Chibuzor Marcel and headquartered in Nigeria, delivering free hands-on STEM education in astronomy and space science across approximately 50 African countries plus the Middle East and Ukraine. The platform is operated through a distributed network of volunteer coordinators — researchers, educators, university lecturers, space-agency staff, and amateur astronomers — who recruit and mentor learners at the secondary school, university, and STEM-club level. All educational services are provided free of charge, with sustainability dependent on founder self-funding, individual donations, telescope donations from international partners, and an active pursuit of grants and partnerships.

The product portfolio consists of interconnected citizen science programs built around remote access to professional-grade robotic telescope networks. Core offerings include the Pan-African Asteroid Search Campaign (in partnership with IASC, using Pan-STARRS and Catalina Sky Survey datasets processed via Astrometrica for Minor Planet Center submissions), Exophotometry (MicroObservatory telescopes plus EXOTIC software for exoplanet transit photometry submitted to AAVSO and NASA Exoplanet Watch), Double-Star Astrometry (Las Cumbres Observatory telescopes plus AstroImageJ for Washington Double Star Catalog measurements with InStAR), Astrophotography (LCO, Hubble, and JWST archival data processed via Photoshop, GIMP, Siril, and FITS Liberator), and ARISS school contacts with ISS astronauts. Supporting products include the Telescope Donation Project, SWEN (Space-Water-Environment Nexus) E-Centre, the Africa SkyMapper Telescope Network Project, astronomy lectures and podcasts produced with Free AstroScience, and a Python for Astronomy course. Participants have contributed to dozens of new asteroid detections, hundreds of exoplanet observation reports, and multiple peer-reviewed publications in the Journal of Double Star Observations and the Journal of the AAVSO.

The business model is structurally pre-revenue: all services are free to end users, and the organization monetizes only through donations and grants, not through pricing. GTM motion is community-led and event-driven, anchored by a coordinator network in 50 African countries, monthly asteroid search campaigns, ARISS events, and presentations at IAU, AAVSO, AfAS, and UN General Assembly Science Summit venues. Strategic partners include Las Cumbres Observatory (Global Sky Partner), MicroObservatory, Slooh, IASC (largest African partner), NASA, AAVSO, SETI Institute/SkyMapper, AfAS, IAU OAE, and ARISS.

Name

Pan-African Citizen Science e-Lab

Legal name

Pan-African Citizen Science e-Laboratory

Website

https://pacselab.space

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Non-profit citizen science platform founded in 2020, providing free astronomy and space science STEM education across 50+ African countries and underserved regions via remote robotic telescopes, IASC/NASA/AAVSO datasets, and a distributed volunteer coordinator network serving students, educators, and STEM enthusiasts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Citizen Science Education / Astronomy Outreach

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Space & Astronomy Programs (EDAMABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lab & Science Virtual Labs (Chemistry, Biology, Physics) (EDAFAJAE), Virtual Labs, Remote Labs & Hands-On Practice Tools (EDAFABAH), Hands-on Science Exploration & Experiments (Lab Kits, Science Clubs) (EDAMABAA)

Keywords

• Citizen science education
• Astronomy research programs
• STEM learning platforms
• Remote telescope access
• Space science outreach

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: PACS e-Lab is a non-profit organization that relies significantly on self-funding by management along with donations from individuals and seeks partnerships, grants, and donations from well-meaning individuals or groups.
2. Telescope Distribution Services: Collaborates with international donors (Jean Pierre Grootaerd SSVI Program, AfAS, IAU-GA 2024) to provide telescopes to teams across Africa, supporting STEM education and outreach. All educational services provided to learners are free.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

PACS e-Lab is a non-profit citizen science platform that provides free hands-on STEM education through structured astronomy and space science programs across Africa. Participants gain access to remote robotic telescopes (Las Cumbres Observatory, MicroObservatory, Slooh), authentic scientific datasets, and structured research projects including asteroid hunting, exoplanet photometry, double-star astrometry, and astrophotography, supported by a continent-wide network of volunteer coordinators.

Product overview

PACS e-Lab is a non-profit citizen science platform offering hands-on astronomy and space science education across Africa. The platform operates as a portfolio of interconnected programs built around remote telescope access (Las Cumbres Observatory, MicroObservatory, Slooh) and citizen science projects. Core offerings include Asteroid Hunting (Pan-African Asteroid Search Campaign via IASC), Exophotometry (exoplanet observation via NASA Exoplanet Watch and MicroObservatory), Double-Star Astrometry (using LCO telescopes and AstroImageJ), Astrophotography (processing images from LCO, Hubble, and JWST), ARISS (amateur radio contact with ISS astronauts), and the Telescope Donation Project (distributing telescopes across Africa). Supporting initiatives include SWEN (Space-Water-Environment Nexus E-Centre), SkyMapper integration, Astronomy Lectures & Podcasts, Research Telescopes Access, Space Competition Support, and Python for Astronomy courses. The platform serves students, educators, and STEM enthusiasts across 50+ African countries through volunteer coordinators, enabling participation in global scientific discovery while developing practical STEM skills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Asteroid Hunting (Pan-African Asteroid Search Campaign) Citizen science project engaging participants in asteroid detection and planetary defense through IASC partnership. Participants analyze data from Pan-STARRS and Catalina Sky Survey using Astrometrica software to identify asteroids and submit reports to the Minor Planet Center.
• Exophotometry Citizen science project enabling participants to observe exoplanets and conduct photometry using MicroObservatory telescopes and EXOTIC software to generate light curves for submission to AAVSO.
• Double-Star Astrometry (InStAR) Citizen science research project where participants observe double stars using Las Cumbres Observatory telescopes and measure position angles and separations using AstroImageJ or Afterglow Access software.
• Astrophotography Program teaching participants to capture and process astronomical images from ground-based and space telescopes (JWST, HST, LCO) using Photoshop, GIMP, Siril, and FITS Liberator software.
• ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) Educational program enabling live interactions between African students and astronauts aboard the International Space Station via amateur radio technology.
• Telescope Donation Project Program distributing telescopes (e.g., Bresser 70/700, Celestron NexStar 60 GT) to astronomy teams across Africa in collaboration with international donors (Jean Pierre Grootaerd SSVI Program, AfAS) to support STEM education and hands-on astronomy learning.
• SkyMapper (Africa SkyMapper Telescope Network Project) Collaborative initiative with SETI Institute's SkyMapper to connect African telescopes to the global SkyMapper telescope network via SkyBridge devices, enabling remote operation and participation in global science campaigns.
• SWEN (Space-Water-Environment Nexus E-Centre) Research and education center focused on space science, water research, and environmental sustainability, including Space-to-School Toolkits, University Ambassador Program, crowdsourced water mapping, and analogue habitat simulations.
• Research Telescopes Access Remote telescope access program providing participants control of Las Cumbres Observatory, MicroObservatory, and Slooh telescopes for astronomical research including variable star monitoring, double star observations, and exoplanet studies.
• Astronomy Lectures & Podcasts Educational content series covering astronomy topics including space stations, Artemis, exoplanets, variable stars, binary stars, galaxies, nebulae, and stellar phenomena, produced in collaboration with Free AstroScience and delivered via YouTube.
• Space and Astronomy Competitions Support Support program for African participants in International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition (IAAC), including mentorship and financial assistance for students from various African countries.
• Python for Astronomy Educational programming course teaching Python with applications to astronomy, hosted on Google Classroom for PACS e-Lab participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached thousands of learners across 50+ countries in Africa, the Middle East, and beyond
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration20 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Las Cumbres ObservatorycoreTechnology or IntegrationPACS e-Lab is a Global Sky Partner of Las Cumbres Observatory, gaining access to their 0.4-meter telescopes for double-star observations, exoplanet studies, and astrophotography. The LCO network includes telescopes at multiple global locations enabling nearly uninterrupted sky coverage.
• MicroObservatory (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian)coreTechnology or IntegrationPACS e-Lab leverages MicroObservatory's network of automated, ground-based telescopes for exoplanet observations, enabling participants to detect and analyze transits of exoplanets across their host stars.
• SloohcoreTechnology or IntegrationPACS e-Lab utilizes Slooh's telescopes to support astronomical education, enabling participants to remotely observe diverse celestial objects for real-time exploration and data collection.
• International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACS e-Lab is IASC's largest partner in Africa. IASC provides asteroid datasets from Pan-STARRS and Catalina Sky Survey, enabling the Pan-African Asteroid Search Campaign. This partnership enabled the founding of PACS e-Lab.
• American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)coreTechnology or IntegrationPACS e-Lab participants submit exoplanet observation reports and variable star observations to AAVSO for validation and inclusion in their database.
• NASAmajorTechnology or IntegrationPACS e-Lab participates in NASA's planetary defense program through asteroid detection initiatives and NASA's Exoplanet Watch program for citizen science contributions.
• African Astronomical Society (AfAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfAS supports PACS e-Lab through telescope donations for African astronomy outreach and education initiatives.
• Institute for Student Astronomical Research (InStAR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACS e-Lab collaborates with InStAR for double-star research projects, including training seminars and mentorship for citizen scientists.
• Our Solar SiblingsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for RR Lyrae star research providing additional citizen science opportunities.
• SkyMapper (SETI Institute)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACS e-Lab collaborates with SkyMapper to bring Africa into the global telescope network, creating opportunities for astronomy, citizen science, and capacity building. Africa currently has no active telescope nodes in the SkyMapper network.
• Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACS e-Lab enables live interactions between African students and astronauts aboard the ISS through amateur radio technology, expanding ARISS access across the continent.
• International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition (IAAC)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerPACS e-Lab collaborates with IAAC to promote space competitions for African participants, offering mentorship and financial assistance to encourage participation.
• Free AstroSciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership delivering bi-monthly astronomy lectures and podcasts to the community.
• Sterren Schitteren Voor IedereenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner organization supporting astronomy education and outreach.
• AERAP (Africa-EU Astronomy Platform)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrica-EU partnership platform supporting astronomical collaboration between Africa and Europe.
• IAU Office of Astronomy for EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPACS e-Lab has IAU Office of Astronomy for Education contact persons in multiple African countries (Nigeria, Gabon) supporting curriculum integration of astronomy education.
• Jean Pierre Grootaerd SSVI ProgrammajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInternational donor program collaborating with PACS e-Lab to donate telescopes (Bresser 70/700) to astronomy organizations across Africa for STEM education and outreach.
• Stanford Online High School Astronomy Research ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership supporting astronomy research and collaboration with students.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• African Astronomical Society (AfAS): Continental professional society advancing astronomy in Africa. PACS e-Lab partners with AfAS on telescope donations, and both serve the same African astronomy ecosystem with complementary mandates.

Emerging players

• Unistellar: Consumer smart telescope company with a citizen science program (exoplanet and asteroid campaigns) that overlaps with PACS e-Lab's hands-on astronomy activities for students and enthusiasts.

Others

• Citizen Science Association: Professional association advancing citizen science practice and research. Relevant as an ecosystem peer that shapes standards, partnerships, and grant opportunities for organizations like PACS e-Lab.
• Las Cumbres Observatory: Global robotic telescope network and PACS e-Lab's core infrastructure partner through the Global Sky Partners program. It is an enabling infrastructure provider rather than a direct competitor.
• IAU Office of Astronomy for Education: International Astronomical Union body coordinating global astronomy education efforts. PACS e-Lab has IAU OAE contact persons in multiple African countries, aligning on curriculum integration of astronomy.

Broad incumbents

• SETI Institute: Major space research institute running citizen science programs including SkyMapper and exoplanet work. PACS e-Lab collaborates with SETI's SkyMapper initiative, and both drive public participation in space science.

Direct peers

• Astronomers Without Borders: Global non-profit promoting astronomy education and outreach across underserved regions. Shares PACS e-Lab's mission of using astronomy as a vehicle for STEM capacity building and cross-border collaboration.
• Slooh: Online platform providing remote telescope access for citizen scientists and students. PACS e-Lab integrates with Slooh as a partner, and the platforms share the same remote-telescope-driven learning model.
• Zooniverse: The largest online citizen science platform, hosting projects across astronomy (e.g., Galaxy Zoo) and other sciences. It is the closest global analogue to PACS e-Lab's citizen science model, though it is broader in scope and not Africa-focused.
• International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC): Citizen science program that distributes asteroid detection datasets to students worldwide. PACS e-Lab is IASC's largest African partner, and the organizations share an overlapping asteroid-hunting methodology and audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pacselab
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pacselab
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacse-lab
• Instagraminstagram.com/pacselab_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pan-African Citizen Science e-Lab