Metaps (Tokyo, Shinjuku-Ku, President: Katsuaki Sato) is a company that supports the monetization of apps by utilizing data analysis and artificial intelligence. Space Shift (Tokyo, Minato-Ku, President : Naruki Kanemoto) is a company that has made use of microsatellites in space business development. Starting from today, Thursday, October 30th, 2014, these two companies will undertake joint research into a system that makes use of microsatellites and big data analysis to understand changes taking place on Earth.

■ Increasing demand for remote sensing

Analysis of data from satellites is called remote sensing. Up to now, use of this method has been limited to only a few specific areas such as defense, weather, disaster response, and agriculture. Due to this, at present, the world market for remote sensing is worth around $2 -$3 Billion, and the market within Japan is worth around $200 -$300 Million.

However, in recent years, the development of technology for observing the Earth using microsatellites has proceeded at a rapid rate, allowing for a higher capability at a lower price than before. It is anticipated that the amount of information available will increase and that, due to the use of this information spreading into new fields, the market will grow.

■Understanding change on Earth from space.

Owing to the continuing and widespread adoption of IT here on Earth, a wide range of devices are now linked to the internet. This produces a large amount of data, and by analyzing this it is now possible to recognize patterns and changes that previously could not be seen. Further, because of this increased volume of data, research into artificial intelligence that uses methods such as machine learning, is being enthusiastically conducted.

For this new joint research, the data analysis technology of Metaps, which has up to now gained extensive experience in the IT field, will be combined with Space Shift’s knowledge of microsatellites. They will carry out the analysis of various kinds of data received from satellites by a completely new method, aiming to understand changes which take place all over the Earth.

It is hoped that the results of this research can be used by both companies to develop their plans for services that offer support to people’s lives and decision-making.

■ About Space Shift
Company Name : Space Shift, Inc.
Company Representative : President, Naruki Kanemoto
Address : Tokyo, Minato-Ku, Hamamatsucho 1-13-2
URL：http://www.spcsft.com/aboutus
Facebook：http://www.facebook.com/spcsft
Twitter：http://twitter.com/spcsft

Space Shift offers consulting services for space related business. In recent years, they have expanded into the microsatellite (artificial satellites with a mass of less than 100kg) business. They are active across a wide range of fields, including handling the promotion, within Japan, of space funerals that make use of the 10cm microsatellite developed by Elysium space. They also hold space events, and are developing products using rocket parts that have actually been to space.

■ About Metaps
Company name : Metaps Inc.
Company representative : President, Katsuaki Sato
Address : Tokyo, Shinjuku-Ku, Nishi-Shinjuku, 6-8-1, Sumitomo Fudosan Shinjuku Oak Tower 30F
URL： http://www.metaps.com/

Metaps operates a one-stop support platform aimed at developers, helping with attracting customers for apps, analysis, and monetization. By making use of data analysis and artificial intelligence, they are able to maximize app income by sending the best adverts to the most suitable users. Presently, apps that have made use of this service have been downloaded over 120 million times around the world, and it has become an advertising network which can reach around 100 million people.

■Metaps Pte. Ltd.(Singapore subsidiary)
Address：100 Cecil Street, The Globe #05-01, Singapore 069532

■Metaps International (America, San Francisco branch)
Address：645 Harrison Street #200, San Francisco, CA, USA 94107

■Metaps Europe(UK, London branch)
Address：New Bridge Street House, 30-34 New Bridge Street, London EC4V 6BJ, UK

■Metaps Hong Kong(Hong Kong branch)
Address：Suite 1008 Prosperity Millennia Plaza, 663 King’s Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong

■Metaps Korea(Korea, Seoul branch)
Address: 3F #303, Sun Bldg, 677-12, Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea

■Metaps Taiwan(Taiwan, Taipei branch)
Address: 3F., No.201, Sec. 3, Nanjing E. Rd., Zhongshan Dist., Taipei City 104, Taiwan (R.O.C.)

■Metaps China(China, Shanghai branch)