en.Wedoany.com Reported - ICEYE has announced the establishment of its subsidiary ICEYE Portugal in Portugal and the opening of a Center of Excellence in Lisbon, appointing Rui Costa as the company's CEO.

At the core of ICEYE Portugal is the newly opened Center of Excellence in Lisbon. This center will conduct in-house research and development in software, systems integration, and artificial intelligence, build end-to-end intelligence capabilities, and create high-skilled jobs by actively recruiting local talent. This initiative builds on two years of collaboration between ICEYE, the Portuguese Air Force, and national partners, reflecting the company's long-term commitment to Portugal as a hub for advanced technology and talent. The center will complement existing strengths in Portugal's national space industry, including the satellite assembly, integration, and testing (AIT) capabilities being developed by CTI Aeroespacial and the Portuguese Air Force, with ICEYE participating as a satellite and technology partner.

ICEYE Portugal will also collaborate with the local space ecosystem to deepen local industrial and R&D capabilities through industry days and joint projects with universities and research institutions. This expansion highlights Portugal's role in the development of European space-based capabilities. To date, Portugal has procured four ICEYE satellites, two of which have been launched, and is moving toward building a high-speed constellation for its Atlantic waters and exclusive economic zone. Portugal is one of seven European countries that have procured sovereign end-to-end intelligence systems from ICEYE.

Rui Costa brings extensive deep-tech leadership experience, having previously served as Chief Technology Officer at Veniam, a company providing networking software for connected and autonomous vehicles, which was later acquired by Nexar, a provider of visual AI-driven mobility solutions. As part of this expansion, ICEYE will also extend its turnkey natural disaster solutions to banks, insurance companies, and civil protection agencies in Portugal. In 2025, ICEYE analyzed over 390 natural disasters worldwide, providing impact data within hours of each event. During five Atlantic storms that struck Portugal and Spain in January and February 2026, ICEYE captured 630 image frames covering 4,657 square kilometers of flood extent, delivering near-real-time intelligence to authorities, insurers, and utility companies.

Rafal Modrzewski, co-founder and CEO of ICEYE, stated that Portugal is one of the most forward-looking countries in Europe regarding sovereign space capabilities, and the collaboration with the Portuguese Air Force has demonstrated the value of end-to-end synthetic aperture radar intelligence. Combining satellite manufacturing, AI-based analysis, and natural disaster solutions with local talent and partners in Lisbon strengthens both Portugal and Europe's overall capabilities, and Rui Costa possesses the technical depth and international experience needed to achieve this goal.

Christian Lindholm, Finland's Ambassador to Portugal, said that ICEYE's consolidation in Portugal and the opening of the Center of Excellence mark a significant milestone in Finland-Portugal relations. This is a tangible outcome of deepened bilateral defense and dual-use cooperation, made possible by Finland's NATO membership and the shared commitment of both countries to strengthening European resilience and security.