South African high-tech camera specialist invests in Flanders

The South African company Simera Sense, which specialises in satellite cameras, is investing in its Belgian hub. The company announced this during a working visit of Flemish Prime Minister Jan Jambon to South Africa.

Simera Sense, based near Cape Town, designs and produces high-tech cameras that are used to take images from space for earth observation. With such a camera, a satellite takes images of the earth which can be used to monitor the evolution of cities, deforestation, marine biotopes or disasters.

The company was started by CEO Johann du Toit in his garage in 2010. Today, Simera Sense has over 40 employees. Since 2020, the sales and marketing branch is located in the Belgian city of Leuven. "Our customers are located in the European Union, the UK or the US. A European office is logical," explains general manager Ana-Mia Louw. By 2023, the Belgian hub will be expanding with 10 employees in a brand new research and development branch focused on image analysis. 

Simera Sense already supplied the Belgian start-up Aerospacelab, which makes its own satellites, and worked for the European Space Agency (ESA).

(HC)

Flemish Minister President Jan Jambon ​ pictured during a visit to the Simera Sense space industry firm in Cape Town (Kaapstad), during a diplomatic mission of the Flemish government to South-Africa, Friday 08 April 2022. © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK