Pieter Fossel

Pieter Fossel is the CEO and Co-Founder of Hydrosat, a geospatial data analytics company that uses thermal infrared imagery to provide a unique perspective on our planet. It is Hydrosat’s mission to enable the transition to sustainable agriculture with satellite-based insights to help the world grow more food with less water and CO2.

Hydrosat collects, processes, and analyzes infrared satellite data – particularly thermal infrared temperature data – to provide a leading indicator for water stress. Hydrosat uses this data to provide irrigation and water management solutions to growers to help them farm more efficiently. This capability is a breakthrough in solving for water scarcity and food production.

From its $1.2 million contract with the US Air Force, $22 million in new funding, the acquisition of IrriWatch, and the completion of its first proprietary thermal infrared satellite payload, Pieter is leading the Hydrosat team to deliver on its vision and provide critical insights across a broad range of use cases.

Widely recognized as a leader in climate tech, Hydrosat was among the inaugural cohort of companies selected for Techstars, a 13-week program which runs in partnership with the U.S. Space Force and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Pieter also been named to the Forbes Next 1000 and has been featured in TechCrunch, Space News and the Washington Business Journal. Pieter graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and earned a degree in Science, Technology & International Affairs.