Ensemble is thrilled to announce our acceptance into Parallel18’s 9th generation of startups. Ensemble was one of 40 participants selected from a pool of 558 applications to become a part of this year’s cohort. An initiative headed by the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust, P18 encourages startup growth while positioning Puerto Rico as a technology hub by providing entrepreneurs access to a world-class business education, financing, and networking.
With the mentorship and resources provided by P18, Ensemble will expand our Kamodo product, a next-generation space weather modeling platform, into new markets outside of government, including applications for education and operational forecasting. Ensemble is the only aerospace-focused member of the cohort that features a unique mix of startups from around the world making waves in various industries such as education, fintech, healthcare, e-commerce, food and beverage, entertainment, and more.
We began developing Kamodo with a NASA Phase I SBIR grant to build a solution that delivers a simpler and more accessible research experience for space weather scientists and heliophysicists. Space weather modeling and data integration are heavily siloed, and primarily conducted by institutions and organizations with ample resources and funds. Furthermore, these analytical tools are extremely complex to set up and require users to have extensive Python or IDL knowledge just to run the data or models, skills that not all in the science and student community have. These obstacles limit the ability of new scientists and physics instructors to build and visualize space-related information. To combat the high barriers to entry, our software solution enables space weather resources to be easily leveraged across any research, operational, and educational context. Our goal is to simplify the access, analysis, visualization, and communication of space weather which poses a significant threat to our energy grid, communications systems, and GIS services, all of which we routinely rely on.
With the funding and guidance provided by Parallel18, we will be able to further advance the development of Kamodo in the space physics market and enterprise landscape. We are excited to be on the island and to have the opportunity to collaborate with the diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem and local software development talent.
Stay tuned for updates as we begin this journey to establish a foothold on the island and expand our premium products and services offered in Puerto Rico and beyond!