Locally owned Esri businesses are woven into the mission of the European community at every level. Esri’s ArcGIS technology is configurable in ways that enable sovereignty and resilience.

First, we have a European node of ArcGIS Online, the hosted Software as a Service (SaaS) and accompanying geospatial data catalog, the ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World. Second, customers have the flexibility to host Esri software and their data wherever they prefer—in their own data centers with full control and no reliance on public cloud, or in European regions of major cloud providers. Many choose a hybrid option, using our SaaS-based system with seamless integration with an on-premises system of record that provides full control over data. This includes unified user management across both environments that gives administrators full control over the data and tools that each user has access to.

Esri is involved in the efforts of partners AWS and Microsoft to build cloud capabilities in Europe with European staff. These efforts provide customers with configurable options for ArcGIS hosting that enhance sovereignty. These new cloud options give European organizations more sovereignty to grow, compete, and lead on their own terms.

ArcGIS is fundamentally flexible and configurable to integrate all manner of software and enterprise systems. We support FAIR principles: findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. We are also open and interoperable—data can come in and out, including open-source solutions that can plug into ArcGIS.

This openness means we’re not denying other technologies or preventing other technology companies from flourishing. Indeed, we’re encouraging it. European organizations have built solutions that integrate with their existing infrastructure while maintaining full control over their data and processes. ArcGIS flourishes alongside these other technologies, creating a robust ecosystem rather than vendor lock-in.

Our AI framework enables organizations to bring in any large language model like Mistral, the French equivalent to ChatGPT. With AI, you can bring in algorithms and LLMs from sovereign AI companies, without sharing your queries or data. This isn’t a road map item—it’s the fabric of who we are today.

Unlike most American technology companies that establish subsidiaries and regional offices, Esri chose a fundamentally different path. Esri Inc. started its software development business in the US, but outside the US, we operate through locally owned companies. These aren’t subsidiaries—they’re businesses that create innovative solutions with GIS capabilities to serve their local customers.

This approach represents more than just a business strategy—it establishes a network of sovereign national entities where each business influences the technology roadmap while operating independently. Because they are locally owned and operated, they exist under the laws of their respective countries and are sovereign national organizations. Each is dedicated to public and private customers within its own country, localizing the software’s language and honoring the policies and commitments of their home country.

Our distributors are our first customers—European partners who understand both ArcGIS capabilities and local sovereignty requirements. Local companies in seven countries in particular have guided us through this process, helping us grasp not just regulatory compliance but the spirit behind European data governance.

These companies bridge the needs of governments and private industry in their regions. When French ministries explain data residency requirements or German automotive companies detail Gaia-X supply chain needs, we help our distributors meet these technical requirements.

Sovereignty isn’t one-size-fits-all in Europe. Nordic requirements differ from Mediterranean needs. German federal standards may not address French regional concerns. Our distributor network helps us develop flexible infrastructure while maintaining the interoperability that makes ArcGIS valuable for cross-jurisdictional collaboration.

We have about 2,700 tech professionals working for Esri distributors across Europe—a significant number of salaries, taxes, and communities we’re supporting. In addition, over 700 partners ranging from global systems integrators to startups employ thousands of Europeans focused on GIS solutions. Across Esri’s partner ecosystem, there are approximately 10,000 professionals in Europe focused on GIS and related solutions, and that’s growing every year.

Each year, around 5,000 people from the public sector and private industry gather at our annual European community events to connect with peers and exchange knowledge on topics like infrastructure management, national security, technology integration, energy, and sustainability.

We also have seven European R&D centers employing more than 200 specialized professionals. Esri invests in technologies important to the region, such as in Zurich with 3D modeling that helps redesign and revitalize European cities, and imagery processing in Stuttgart. A significant portion of Esri’s most in-demand R&D work around smart cities and digital twins happens in Europe.

In Zurich, teams develop 3D modeling capabilities, exemplified by the digital twin that integrates detailed 3D visualizations and indoor maps of Zurich’s buildings. Vienna’s R&D center focuses on indoor positioning and navigation systems. Stuttgart leads reality mapping innovations that transform how we understand and navigate physical spaces. Paris drives core aspects of GIS development, while Edinburgh advances developer technologies that extend ArcGIS capabilities.

This isn’t just about adapting American technology for European markets—it’s about European innovation driving global capabilities. The work happening in these centers influences the broader ArcGIS platform, ensuring that European needs and perspectives shape the technology’s evolution.

Several of our European R&D centers actually started as university spin-off companies that Esri acquired, including Procedural, a spinoff of ETH Zurich, and nFrames from the University of Stuttgart. This shows how deeply embedded we are in European academic excellence and innovation.

One key area is our support for INSPIRE—the Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community directive. INSPIRE enables distributed decision-making across European governments by establishing common standards for geospatial data sharing. This supports the kind of cross-border collaboration that strengthens Europe while respecting individual member state sovereignty.

We’ve also worked closely with initiatives like Gaia-X. Working with 52°North Spatial Information Research in Germany, we’ve proved that our technology integrates well with Gaia-X data spaces. A recent exercise showed that ArcGIS architecture aligns with Gaia-X requirements, and we can help organizations navigate those technical requirements for participation in European data spaces.

When the earthquake struck Zagreb, Esri was there. When floods hit Valencia in 2024, Esri Spain flew drones in coordination with the Madrid police, creating reality maps that revealed where emergency services could and couldn’t reach. In Greece, our distributor Marathon Data Systems responded to fires. These local responses benefit from Esri’s 24/7 Disaster Response Program, which offers free data, added licenses, and first responder expertise as crews scale to address each emergency.

We’ve supported Ukraine extensively, working with organizations like the Dutch Cadastre to build detailed maps for Ukraine through automation and imagery. The Onova platform captures reports of damaged infrastructure, creating a system of record for rebuilding when the conflict ends, in coordination with national ministries.

These responses aren’t coordinated from California—they emerge from European companies that understand local needs and respond immediately with ready access to Esri software. Esri distributors support institutions that embody pan-European collaboration—the European Commission, NATO, national governments, ministries of defense and environment.

The Esri community of local firms delivers transformative projects for virtually every national government in Europe. It also supports over 15 cadastre organizations—the agencies that manage land records and property rights that underpin our economies.

Our K-12 education programs and partnerships with hundreds of universities across Europe support the next generation. Research and development efforts at European universities have enhanced Esri products, creating a virtuous cycle of innovation.

This educational ecosystem is crucial because Europe has been a geospatial leader from the very beginning—a continent that invented modern cartography and has always understood the power of maps to shape understanding and enable collaboration. We’re continuing that tradition with modern technology that serves European sovereignty while enabling global collaboration.

Europe has been a geospatial leader from the very beginning. This is a continent that invented modern cartography and has always understood the power of maps to shape understanding and enable collaboration. Esri is not just participating in this legacy—we’re the biggest geospatial ecosystem in a region where spatial thinking has been foundational to civilization.

Our European distributors represent a geospatial community that’s deeply rooted in local knowledge while connected to global innovation. When the European Commission sets climate targets, geospatial analysis measures progress across member states. When migration patterns shift, border agencies use spatial intelligence to allocate resources effectively. And when new regulations emerge, governments use GIS to research policy approaches and monitor implementation across diverse geographic and demographic contexts.

This approach—local ownership, flexible technology, European innovation, crisis support, and education—creates something unique in the technology landscape: a global company that operates as a truly European ecosystem. By Europe, for Europe means we honor sovereignty while enabling the cross-border collaboration that strengthens Europe’s values and economic competitiveness. Digital sovereignty isn’t about isolation—it’s about having the freedom to choose your own technological path while maintaining the openness that has always defined European innovation.