IT must have been the unlikeliest of Scottish pub conversations: a meeting over a drink between a space systems engineer and a human rights and media specialist. But it was, almost literally, electric. Ideas flew, further discussions were arranged – and the outcome was a new Glasgow-based space company with a mission to make a real global impact on societies and the environment. Omanos Analytics has been formed with the aim of using earth observation (EO) data to empower communities worldwide. The company is already actively working against land grabs by large companies in Africa and Asia and sees huge potential in using satellite data in legal and arbitration cases. This produces remote verification of what is happening on the ground and can help correct imbalances of power and resources.