The Munich startup Ororatech, a specialist in satellite-based environmental monitoring, is supporting Colombia in implementing a national, satellite-based monitoring system for early detection of forest fires. As part of the national system for disaster risk management (UNGRD), Colombia is the first country in Latin America to adopt environmental protection in this form, using Ororatech’s technology. Through its local partner Geo Spatial, the Colombian government is combining satellite data and artificial intelligence to detect fires in near real-time and combat them more quickly.
The program uses Ororatech’s “Wildfire Solution (WFS)” platform and combines thermal satellite imagery with AI-powered analytics. This provides alerts, maps, and risk analyses in real-time. The goal is to monitor at-risk regions, secure protected areas, and significantly reduce response times for fires.
Ororatech’s early warning system to protect people and nature
Colombia is one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, with almost half of its territory located in the Amazon region. Forest fires there threaten not only rare animal and plant species but also local communities. With the new system, the government aims to modernize disaster prevention and preserve biodiversity in the long term.
Ana Milena Prada, deputy director for knowledge management at UNGRD, explains:
“Through this partnership, Colombia strengthens its risk assessment capabilities by building modern infrastructure for the detection and monitoring of forest fires that protects our population, environment, and biodiversity. The system improves the work of institutions because it detects threats early and enables rapid responses – even in the most remote regions of the country.”
More than 700 emergency responders from the national disaster management system have already been trained in the use of the platform. Ororatech’s customer success team conducted trainings in Bogotá in May 2025, testing real-world case studies and workflows under Colombian conditions. UNGRD supplemented this with an additional 15 trainings, both online and on-site, to establish the application nationwide.
Technology from Munich to protect the Amazon
Ororatech was founded in Munich and specializes in satellite-based environmental monitoring. The Munich startup develops systems that detect forest fires worldwide early on and support decision-makers with precise real-time data. To do this, the WFS platform processes thermal data from more than 30 public and private satellites and creates dynamic maps of current fire hotspots.
Martin Langer, CEO and CTO of Ororatech, says:
“We are protecting the Amazon rainforest in a way that was not possible before the deployment of our technology. Together with UNGRD, we are rolling out our solutions nationwide and setting a milestone in forest fire management for Latin America.”
With this program, Colombia is taking a leading role in protecting natural resources and deploying modern technologies for disaster prevention – supported by expertise from Munich.
