From Riyadh to Orbit: Exploring Neo Space Group at LEAP 2025
LEAP 2025 in Riyadh not only revealed a $14.9billion investment in artificial intelligence but also served as a platform for major technology showcases. The event draws global attention to Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to lead in technology and innovation, aligning with Vision 2030’s goals, with Neo Space Group (NSG) adding to the conversation with its plans for the space sector.
NSG, a global space services provider based in Saudi Arabia, highlighted its latest projects and partnerships, including an agreement with OQ Technology to develop 5G IoT communications over LEO satellites. The deal is part of a broader effort to expand Saudi Arabia’s satellite capabilities and strengthen its position in global space technology.
This collaboration will focus on hosting and operating payloads on OQ’s satellites, exploring strategic partnership models and advancing local expertise through specialised training at OQ facilities.
Alongside this, NSG announced a new partnership with the National IT Academy (NITA) as part of the Space Academy initiative, originally launched by Aramco. This collaboration is designed to support Saudi talent development in the space sector by establishing training programmes, enhancing expertise in space-related services and providing real-world industry exposure.
The initiative will also drive collaboration through workshops, seminars and joint research, reinforcing NSG’s role in developing a skilled workforce for Saudi Arabia’s growing space industry.
NSG leaders also joined panel discussions, speaking on the role of space-based technologies beyond aerospace, from connectivity and earth observation to the use of AI in satellite data. The company’s presence at LEAP 2025 reflected the growing focus on space as part of Saudi Arabia’s technology ecosystem.
Meeting the NSG team
Disrupts enjoyed the opportunity to meet key leaders who work across NSG and will be sharing these exclusive insights throughout March.
This includes chatting to Moutaz Mashhour, chief HR at NSG, about what is needed when creating a startup and how to instill a culture and ethos.
“Innovation is at the core of everything we do, including recruitment. We need to be very progressive in our thinking, and very futuristic in what we do. But we still need to be innovative as well. We can’t put all our eggs in one basket. As such we don’t rely on one source of talent. We use multifaceted approaches to attract talent. Once we have the talent, we take the same idea and find out how best to develop this talent.”
Mark Dickinson, CTO at Neo Space Group, discussed what new technologies are impacting the space sector the most and delved into the company’s acquisition of UP42. UP42, expected to be part of NSG’s growing geospatial division, offers an earth observation digital platform providing customers access to data and analytics from 80+ of the world’s leading geospatial companies.
“With the acquisition of UP42, we’re bringing a marketplace for observation data. We want it to be able to use data from different capabilities, different spacecraft, different types of sensors and fuse it to provide a marketplace to allow customers to identify the data they need at a certain time, in a certain region, and have a transparent interface to access this data.”
Business approach
We also caught up with Martijn Blanken, CEO of NSG, who spoke about the company’s approach to commercial space ventures, explaining how satellite communications, earth observation and space-based IoT present clear business opportunities for Saudi Arabia. He also touched on NSG’s strategy of combining acquisitions, partnerships and in-house development to scale quickly.
“The role of Neo Space Group is to focus on those subdomains within the broader space industry that are already commercially viable or will be in the near future.”
Amru Alamoudi, VP of strategy and business development, highlighted NSG’s work in geospatial intelligence and satellite communications, particularly in supporting industries such as energy and logistics. He explained how satellite data is becoming more integrated into everyday business operations.
“We actively engage across all verticals to ensure our developments in space technology meet the diverse needs of these sectors”
Meanwhile, Mohannad Almurshed, VP of satellite operations, discussed the challenges of managing large-scale satellite infrastructure, from radio frequency interference to ensuring sustainable satellite operations. He also noted the growing role of LEO and GEO satellites in bridging the global digital divide.
“I believe satellite communications in the aviation sector are evolving rapidly, driven by advancements in payload technology and increasing passenger demand.”
