GEOINT 2025 | Downtown North - John Berglund

Adam Simmons of Project Geospatial interviews John Berglund about the development of the geospatial ecosystem in St. Louis, particularly in the Downtown North area and its connection to the new NGA facility. John highlights that St. Louis has a long history with NGA, dating back to the 1930s, and is one of only two NGA locations in the US. The new NGA building is discussed, noting its more outwardly focused approach and the start of employee moves in September/October 2025. This move is anticipated to create a "geospatial bump," attracting companies interested in working with NGA. The goal is to expand this growth beyond just defense subcontractors to encompass areas like spatial finance and other cross-cutting applications, thereby growing the entire ecosystem. John, a St. Louis native, expresses pride in his hometown and encourages visitors to see the positive developments happening in the city.

Highlights

• The conversation focuses on the growing geospatial ecosystem in St. Louis, particularly Downtown North.

• St. Louis has a long history with the NGA, being one of only two locations in the US.

• The new NGA facility in St. Louis is set to begin employee moves in September/October 2025 and is designed to be more outwardly focused.

• The opening of the new NGA location is expected to create a "geospatial bump," attracting companies to the region.

• The strategy is to grow the ecosystem beyond NGA contractors to include areas like spatial finance and broader applications.

• The goal is to grow the entire geospatial ecosystem in St. Louis.