Planet On The Road Bali: Charting a Resilient Future for Asia-Pacific with Earth Observation

Planet kicked off the 2025 series of On The Road events on the vibrant island of Bali, bringing together government leaders, industry experts, and innovators to explore the transformative power of Earth observation in addressing the unique challenges and opportunities across the Asia-Pacific region.

Robbie Schingler, Planet Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, opened the day by highlighting the trends he has seen in his many visits across Asia-Pacific in the last year. He said, "The world is changing faster than ever, and we need to understand those changes -whether they are economic, environmental, or geopolitical-is paramount. To do so, we need to keep innovating to collect more data, faster, and make sense of the data fast enough to act before the world changes again. This is what is driving the need for greater data access, speed to insights, and joint collaboration."

These trends have driven this region's growth in adopting Earth Observation data and were prevalent themes throughout the day's conversations.

Top takeaways from the day:

1. The power of proprietary Earth observation data is undeniable in the age of AI
2. Strategic Earth Observation partnerships are key to a resilient Asia-Pacific
3. Earth observation is transforming critical sectors, from disaster management to agriculture

Robbie Schingler, Planet Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, gives his opening keynote.

Takeaway 1: The power of proprietary Earth observation data is undeniable in the age of AI

As emphasized by Robbie, while AI algorithms are becoming increasingly open, the true value lies in unique, large-scale datasets. Planet's daily scan and vast archive of geospatial data position the company at the epicenter of the AI wave, enabling unprecedented insights for solving real-world challenges.

This proprietary data provides the most comprehensive and regularly updated view of the Earth, a crucial advantage in developing robust AI applications. For instance, Dowon Lee, Business Development Manager from TelePIX, discussed how the company's AI platform uses Planet imagery daily. The platform helps find patterns, detect changes, and gain a deeper understanding of the planet - a capability that relies on the latest imagery of Earth's surface.

Dowon Lee, Business Development Manager from TelePIX (left), and Darius Pirzadeh, Senior Director, Product Management from Planet speak in a fireside chat.

Takeaway 2: Strategic Earth Observation partnerships are key to a resilient Asia-Pacific

Addressing the complex challenges of the Asia-Pacific region requires robust collaboration and strategic partnerships. From government-to-government alliances to private sector innovation, the power of Earth observation data is amplified when shared and leveraged through a network of committed partners. This was particularly evident in the panel discussions, where diverse organizations showcased how working together unlocks new capabilities and accelerates impact.

The panel moderated by Katie Penn, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Planet, highlighted the tangible results of such partnerships. For instance, Paul Farrell, CEO of NGIS Australia, spoke about the power of open data and how NGIS is leveraging it to drive positive change in Australia. Similarly, Amit Kumar, COO and Co-Founder of Suhora, detailed how R&D efforts, in partnership with Planet, are developing analytics for the Indian Navy. These examples illustrate how diverse expertise, when combined, can create powerful tools for real-world applications

From left to right: Paul Farrell, CEO, NGIS Australia; Taegyun Jeon, CEO and Founder, SI Analytics; Amit Kumar, COO and Co-Founder, Suhora, and Katie Penn, SVP of Marketing, Planet, speak on a partner panel.

A panel discussion with government leaders, moderated by GovInsider, further reinforced the necessity of collaborative approaches. Major General Iroth Sonny Edhie, Chief of the Indonesian Army Electronic and Communication Corps, discussed how the Indonesian Army balances national security with public good, particularly in disaster response - an area where shared geospatial intelligence is crucial. Dr. Naoko Sugita from JAXA also shared how collaboration with NASA and ESA aims to make Earth observation data available to both government decision-makers and the general public, emphasizing the democratizing effect of partnerships on critical information.

These discussions collectively highlight that a resilient Asia-Pacific hinges on an ecosystem of partners, leveraging shared data and innovative technologies to address both immediate crises and long-term challenges.

Takeaway 3: Earth observation is transforming critical sectors, from disaster management to agriculture

Speakers across various sessions showcased tangible impacts of Earth observation. For example, Astrid Dita from the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change highlighted how Planet imagery is revolutionizing disaster preparedness and response in the Philippines, Grenada, and Zanzibar, enabling faster and smarter decision-making in crisis situations.

Dr. Murali Krishna Gumma of ICRISAT demonstrated how the Planet data is enabling precise, in-season crop monitoring in drylands, significantly improving food security planning and support for smallholder farmers.

Planet partner DATAYOO and customer Creattura further illustrated how AI, combined with Planet data, is driving real-world automation and farmer impact in agriculture, from boosting yields to establishing trustworthy carbon monitoring.

From left to right: Emily Chih, Executive Assistant to CEO, DATAYOO; Shaw Wu, CEO, DATAYOO; Zach Brown, CTO and Co-Founder, Creattura; and Mike Merit, Chief Customer Officer, Planet, on stage during a panel discussion.

With all of these strong applications, challenges still arise for EO adoption in the region. Prof. Erna Sri Adiningsih, Ph.D., Executive Director of Indonesian Space Agency (INASA) of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), recommended a few strategies for enhancing satellite data applications for a resilient Asia-Pacific. These included regional collaborations in utilization of EO satellites, an accessible and affordable data sharing platform, harnessing tools like AI for big data analysis, and more.

Planet Purpose Award highlights real-world impact with Earth Observation data

The day wrapped with the announcement of the very first recipient of the Planet Purpose Business Impact Award for Bali - SKY Perfect JSAT. This award recognizes partners and customers who are transforming their business with Planet. JSAT earned this honor for their strategic and large-scale partnership with Planet, which marks their full entry into the Earth observation market and unlocks new data analytics for their clients.

Mike Merit, Planet's Chief Customer Officer (left) and Ishikawa Tai, Team Manager at SKY Perfect JSAT on stage for the presentation of the Planet Purpose Award.

Planet's Chief Customer Officer Mike Merit closed the day with a powerful question for attendees, "What truly unites us? It is not just our products or our platforms, but our shared commitment to collaboration, a shared ambition, and the pursuit of joint success."

Planet On The Road Bali was made possible by partner sponsors - SI Analytics, Braga Technologies, and Mampani.

A group of Planeteers celebrate a successful day at On The Road Bali!

Next Stop: Berlin!

The next stop for Planet On The Road is on September 24, 2025, in Berlin. Register your interest in attending on the event webpage by September 17.