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Innovation & DataLab

A Hub for Innovation to Tackle Complex Challenges

At CLS, innovation is both a cultural reflex and a structured organization. To meet the most demanding technical, scientific, and environmental challenges, we created a dedicated Datalab: a true engine for exploration and experimentation in big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

Designed as a cross-functional innovation accelerator, the Datalab operates in synergy with all departments across the group. It transforms massive volumes of data into practical decision-making tools for complex projects with environmental, societal, or industrial stakes.

Innovation is also embedded within every business unit at CLS—from environmental and climate monitoring to sustainable fisheries management, maritime security, mobility, energy, and infrastructure.

datalab cls team

In each of these areas, Innovation & Solutions teams collaborate closely with operational experts to develop tools that align with real-world applications. This structure ensures constant attention to customer needs and continuous adaptability.

With 31 locations worldwide, our teams maintain close ties with users in the field. This proximity enables us to collect, document, and analyze feedback on a daily basis, driving agile and relevant solution improvements.

We also host regular Customer Labs—true co-innovation spaces—where clients are given the floor to help identify innovation drivers, improve our services, and prioritize high-value developments.

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datalab team

A Team of Committed Data Scientists

CLS’s Datalab is powered by engineers from top schools, specialized in machine learning. They bring hands-on experience in automated learning, deep learning, and reinforcement learning. Their advanced expertise supports a wide range of Earth observation projects, including image classification and segmentation, and time series processing for tracking beacons and land or marine vehicles.

By leveraging these technologies, the Datalab enhances CLS’s core competencies, allowing expert teams to focus on the most complex challenges. Automating data enrichment becomes a strategic lever to boost the accuracy and efficiency of geospatial and environmental projects.

learning and artificial intelligence

Learning and AI on a Large Scale

The Datalab plays a pivotal role in integrating AI and machine learning across CLS. Its core missions include:

  • Conducting advanced studies on real-world use cases
  • Developing scalable, industrial-ready data processing and ML platforms
  • Leading technology watch efforts on large-scale data processing and AI

Our development processes are designed to be robust, efficient, and sustainable, using optimized code templates. These practices ensure rapid, replicable scaling, meeting diverse customer needs—and make CLS one of the few companies capable of delivering such efficiency on industrial AI and systematic data processing projects.

technologies and skills

Advanced Technologies & Solid Data Science Expertise

At CLS, excellence underpins everything we do. Our data science experts master a wide range of advanced technologies, positioning CLS as a leader in satellite-based solutions.

They are highly skilled in image and signal processing—crucial for extracting strategic insights. Combining deep statistical knowledge, they build powerful models that reveal meaningful trends and indicators. Our teams also harness the full power of deep learning to process massive datasets with exceptional precision and efficiency, generating clear, actionable insights.

Backed by vast data volumes stored in our secure data centers, CLS delivers high-quality, reliable solutions that support more accurate, comprehensive decision-making for our clients.

data and business expertise

Bridging Data and Expertise for Sustainable Solutions

Our teams don’t just understand cutting-edge technologies—they apply them to real-world business needs. At CLS, technology is never an end in itself, but a lever to achieve impactful goals. AI, machine learning, and deep learning are directly used by our teams to develop solutions across environmental monitoring, sustainable fisheries, maritime security, energy, infrastructure, and mobility.

To ensure optimal collaboration, our data scientists work hand-in-hand with sales teams, staying close to client needs. This synergy creates strong bridges between massive datasets and field expertise, enriching how we interpret and respond to real-world operations.

Innovation is our driving force, and we firmly believe in the power of data to sustainably protect and manage our planet. Our data scientists—architects of this vision—develop solutions that deliver measurable impact across key domains. Every line of code is a step toward a smarter, more sustainable future, reshaping satellite observation with precision and purpose, one algorithm at a time.

data lake

Data Lake: The Cornerstone of Our Big Data Expertise

Since 1986, CLS has been a pioneer in collecting and analyzing Earth observation data—essentially compiling a "health record" for our planet. Our data centers host over 3,000 terabytes of ready-to-use data for our data scientists.

Our cutting-edge Data Lake offers a sophisticated ecosystem that goes far beyond storage. It transforms formatted, ready-to-use massive datasets into a foundation for innovation. Our experts use it to develop tailored analyses and solutions that directly address clients’ needs.

CLS also benefits from privileged access to over 400 satellites, providing an unmatched wealth of satellite data sources. This global connectivity empowers us to monitor the planet with exceptional precision and deliver actionable insights across a wide array of sectors.

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Stéphanie Limouzin

At CLS, Innovation is More Than a Buzzword — It’s Part of Who We Are

Our teams harness cutting-edge technologies daily: data science, AI, machine learning, and big data — transforming raw data into actionable insights.

But these tools, however powerful, mean little without two essential foundations: the depth of our data archives, patiently built and maintained over 40 years in our data centers, and the sharp sector-specific expertise of our people.

This unique combination of technology, data heritage, and domain knowledge allows us to deliver relevant, operational, and strategic information tailored to the industries we serve.

Innovation at CLS: A Core Philosophy That Drives Us at Every Level

Innovation at CLS Schema

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