The ESA BIC programme enabled MetaSensing advance in synthetic aperture radar technology

Adriano Meta’s entrepreneurial journey began over 16 years ago in Noordwijk, NL, when he applied to the European Space Agency’s first Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC). In these early days of the ESA BIC network, Adriano laid the foundation for his company MetaSensing. Today, MetaSensing has locations across Europe and in Asia, and regularly completes significant contracts for governments and space agencies.

Growing Alongside the ESA BIC Network

With the help of satellites and aircraft, MetaSensing uses synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to generate images similar to the pictures taken by Earth Observation satellites. Compared to visual imagery, SAR has one significant advantage: it can be done regardless of weather, meaning rain, clouds or nighttime pose no issue. Using different wavelengths, the applications of SAR can vary: at low frequencies, radars can see what lies beneath forests or sand, explains Adriano. In contrast, high frequencies allow for very sharp images or the detection of moving targets.

Prior to founding MetaSensing, his education and research had taken Adriano across Europe, from Italy over Belgium to the Netherlands and Germany. All these years working on radars, it was clear to him that he wanted to find commercial applications of his research. After getting in contact with ESA, Adriano decided that the ESA BIC in Noordwijk was the perfect place to bring together his technical expertise and entrepreneurial ambitions.

Following a successful application, Adriano fondly recalls his early days in the incubator: “It was a very nice atmosphere with a lot of start-ups. That was very useful because it’s how we started to learn how to make better business plans, how to solve problems, and exchange information and experiences”. Further developing his technology throughout the incubation, Adriano built his first radar. Using a small plane over Rotterdam, Adriano was able to collect his first images less than a year after starting the company.

One of the planes used by MetaSensing for airborne SAR. Credits: MetaSensing

A Focus on Flying High

MetaSensing’s connection with ESA did not end with the completion of the company’s incubation at ESA BIC Noordwijk. While steadily growing in size, MetaSensing successfully applied to follow-up funding programmes at ESA next to completing airborne campaigns and simulations of potential new future satellites for ESA. Resulting missions over areas like the South Pole, Greenland, Svalbard island, or deserts, remain a highlight to Adriano: “This is one of the great aspects of this job, you get to do a lot of really exciting work with combining different knowledge and flying in very extraordinary places sometimes”.

Over the years, MetaSensing’s work has remained focused, an aspect to which Adriano credits the company’s success. Starting with airborne and then ground-based radars, operating satellite SAR as the company does today was always Adriano’s goal. While minor deviations, such as radars for weather or monitoring mines, have helped grow the company, the COVID-10 pandemic greatly shaped the company, shares Adriano: “A lot of budgets were capped or postponed, which forced us to focus”. The company ended up removing some of their activities, even though they were generating profits, to further focus their expertise.

Between Technology and Business

While keeping the company’s goals throughout the years, Adriano’s position within it has changed drastically. “In the beginning when you are just one person, you have to do everything. You are the engineer, you are the commercial person, the tax person, the business development person” he recalls. These days, leading projects, Adriano still likes to check in with the technical side of things. He values having a technical background in his positions: “It is very important because one also shares the view and the passion in the company. MetaSensing is an engineering company done by engineering people”.

However, Adriano stresses that running a company requires much more than having technical know-how: “That’s fundamental, but it’s not sufficient. Establish your name, learn how to work with the partners, remain focused”. After having had investors for a while, Adriano decided to buy back all the shares, to be able to ensure independence and flexibility on his terms.

Collaborating with partners has always been an essential part of the work for Adriano, and he intends to keep it that way. While currently finalising further contracts, MetaSensing has ambitious plans of expanding their work into more countries. Adriano especially looks forward to working with local companies across the world, sharing approaches and collaborating on projects. Looking back at Meta Sensing’s beginnings, he remains grateful for his time at ESA BIC Noordwijk: “It would have not been possible without the incubator”.

This article was written for the occasion of the 20 years anniversary of ESA BIC in Europe.
For the full overview of this celebration, go to the LinkedIn group by clicking on the button below.