Satellites capture hundreds of terabytes worth of Earth images every single day. In this episode, Millen Anand, Engineering Fellow on a16z’s American Dynamism team, explores how the rapid rise of earth observation satellites is unlocking new opportunities across industries. Thanks to cheaper launch costs, smaller satellites, and improved communication infrastructure, sending satellites to space has never been easier—or more impactful. Millen’s big idea? Building verticalized earth observation tools that go beyond collecting data to solving real-world problems in agriculture, defense, and energy. Timecodes: 00:00: Earth Observation 00:36: The Boom in Earth Observation Satellites 02:02: Economics of Earth Observation Data 03:11: Applications of Earth Observation Data 04:04: Challenges and Future of Earth Observation 05:43: The Role of AI and Machine Learning 07:32: Regulation and Policy Changes 08:43: Future Prospects and Exciting Applications Resources: FInd Millen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/millen-anand/ Check out all 50 Big Ideas: https://a16z.com/big-ideas-in-tech-2025/ Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://twitter.com/stephsmithio Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.