The GEO100 list is a powerful recognition of the geospatial community and its role in shaping the future. In this blog, we spotlight three individuals with close ties to Geovation whose work exemplifies that impact.

The geospatial sector thrives on innovation, collaboration, and a shared drive to solve real-world challenges. This year’s GEO100 list celebrates the individuals leading that charge.

Among them are three individuals with strong ties to Geovation: Ilya Ilyankou at Safest Way, Caroline Bray at HM Land Registry, and Geovation’s own Dave Rowe. From safer pedestrian navigation to inclusive public services and digital planning innovation, their achievements reflect the transformative power of geospatial technology across industries.

GEO100 is more than an accolade; it highlights those who push boundaries, rethink norms, and inspire progress across industries. For our community, this honour validates years of dedication and reinforces the importance of collaboration in driving meaningful change.

Spotlight on Our Community

Ilya Ilyankou – Co-founder of Safest Way

Ilya and his team at Safest Way are rethinking pedestrian navigation for a safer, more human-centric experience. Their approach prioritises safety, accessibility, and local context alongside distance and time — a shift that could transform how people move through cities and support active travel goals.

We’ve had over half a century of shortest-path-by-default for journey planning. It’s time to move on. There’s a clear demand for human-centric pedestrian navigation where safety, accessibility, and local context carry the same weight as distance and time. If we build for real human experience, not just efficient graphs, we can reshape how people move through their cities.

This nomination is a strong validation of Safest Way’s work in re-centering pedestrian wayfinding around safety — a basic human need that boosts confidence, supports active travel, and moves us closer to net zero.

There’s real work ahead, and real value in rethinking what pedestrian wayfinding should prioritise.

Ilya Ilyankou, Safest Way

Caroline Bray – Geovation Stakeholder and Contract Manager at HM Land Registry

Caroline’s recognition reflects her commitment to driving innovation in digital planning and her collaboration with start-ups through Geovation. Her perspective reminds us that progress often comes from curiosity, teamwork, and persistence.

Caroline has no idea who nominated her, but she’d like to thank them for taking the time to put her forward.

Finding out I made it to the list feels pretty amazing. I’m genuinely thrilled—and a little bit stunned too. It’s one of those moments that makes you stop and take a breath. This isn’t just about my own effort; it’s also about all the incredible start-ups I’ve met and worked with through Geovation.

This recognition is known for spotlighting people doing cool, innovative things in the geospatial world. I work with those people day in, day out, and that’s a huge motivator for me to keep pushing, learning, and trying new things. Even the little things we do can add up to something meaningful, and it’s great to see that recognised.

This recognition makes me appreciate teamwork, staying curious, and being open to whatever comes next. At the end of the day, being part of the list is more than just a nice line on the CV—it’s proof that showing up, sticking with it, and caring about your work can really pay off. I’m excited to keep making a difference—and maybe even inspire a few others to chase their goals too.

Caroline Bray, HM Land Registry

Dave Rowe – Senior Developer at Geovation

Dave’s work bridges cutting-edge geospatial technology and community services. His GEO100 recognition highlights projects like Libraries Hacked, which applies geospatial insights to improve library access and inclusion — a reminder that innovation can strengthen essential public services.

Over the last four years, I’ve worked in the Geovation Tech Team, supporting startups that use geospatial technology to solve local and global challenges. These startups have been truly inspirational, and helping them has significantly expanded my own geospatial knowledge and expertise—while giving me opportunities to apply this elsewhere.

For the past 12 years, I’ve also been working with public libraries on data and technical prototypes through the Libraries Hacked project. This has included applying geospatial insights to libraries: from branch locations and mobile library routes to community membership, national and local reading patterns, and even their synergy with our High Streets.

I’m pleased that the GEO100 award recognised my work with public libraries, which has been a collaborative effort with library staff and users. In the age of big data and AI, it’s easy to forget the things that matter most to communities—services like free library lending, mobile libraries reaching isolated rural areas, public PC access for those who are digitally excluded, and reading groups for people experiencing loneliness. Applying geospatial innovation to maintain and improve these activities is essential.

Dave Rowe, Geovation

Recognition in GEO100 is not just a milestone; it’s a reminder of the collective effort behind geospatial progress. Congratulations to Ilya, Caroline, and Dave — and to all the innovators featured in GEO100 — for inspiring us to keep pushing boundaries and building solutions that matter.

Explore the full GEO100 2025 list.