Alcis Holdings Limited

Alcis Holdings Limited, trading as Alcis, is a United Kingdom company that provides Geographic Information Services (GIS), geospatial data products and consultancy. Founded in 2004 by Richard Brittan, who serves as Managing Director, the company describes its mission as improving the lives of the world's most vulnerable people through innovative, world-class geographic information services. It works on humanitarian and international development projects in fragile and complex environments around the world. Alcis combines information collected in the field, data derived from satellites and additional geospatial datasets distributed on a range of online platforms. This combination is intended to enable innovative research, greater understanding and more effective decision-making. The company addresses global challenges including food security, livelihoods, climate change, conflict and humanitarian disasters. Its clients and partners include governments, international agencies, banks, private businesses and NGOs, including the United Nations. Alcis also maintains partner relationships with universities, academics and industry-leading providers to access cutting-edge technology and data. Alcis presents its findings and analysis in many forms, including StoryMaps. Published examples cover topics such as glacier retreat and glacial lake outburst floods in the Cordillera Blanca of the Tropical Andes; the aftermath of the 2023 earthquake in Afghanistan; agricultural revival in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan; the political and economic impact of the Taliban takeover in Nimroz and Samangan; food security work with the NGO Seeds for Development in northern Uganda using Esri technology; the illicit charcoal trade in northern Uganda; and sea level rise in Timor-Leste. The company also works toward the Sustainable Development Goals, using Earth Observation and geospatial data to plan, monitor and measure water resources and their impact on communities and livelihoods, among other applications. Alcis offers comprehensive data, products and consultancy services, along with capacity building, monitoring, programme design and delivery, and policy development. It has operated for around two decades and has grown to have unrivalled experience working with governments, multilateral development agencies and NGOs. The company is privately held and is not known to be listed on a public stock exchange.

Alcis was founded in 2004 by Richard Brittan, who serves as Managing Director. According to the company, Brittan founded Alcis with a vision to use his expertise, coupled with great data, to answer questions and improve situations in fragile and complex environments around the world. Since 2004, the company's mission has been to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people through cutting-edge Geographic Information Services (GIS). Over roughly two decades, Alcis has grown and now describes itself as having unrivalled experience working with governments, multilateral development agencies and NGOs. It offers comprehensive data, products and consultancy services to a diverse range of partners, including governments, international agencies, banks, private businesses, NGOs and the United Nations. The company works globally, and its team shares a common goal to make satellite imagery and geospatial data useful for decision-making. Alcis has aligned part of its work with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 17 Global Goals adopted by world leaders in 2015. The company recognises the importance of understanding 'what' is happening and 'where,' and leverages cutting-edge geospatial analysis and Earth Observation to work toward achieving these goals. For example, SDG 6 calls for universal access to safe and affordable drinking water and adequate sanitation; Alcis uses Earth Observation and geospatial data to plan, monitor and measure water resources and their impact on communities and livelihoods. The company publishes StoryMaps that illustrate its projects and analysis. Documented examples include work on glacier retreat and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in the Cordillera Blanca of the Tropical Andes; a 2023 storymap revisiting the devastating 2023 earthquake in Afghanistan to demonstrate how geospatial data is essential for understanding the impact and aftermath of such a disaster; a 2024 storymap on agricultural revival in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan, aimed at enhancing agricultural and economic stability by restoring water flow to farmland through data-driven site selection, community collaboration and remote monitoring; a 2024 storymap on how the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 reshaped the political and economic landscape in Nimroz and Samangan provinces; a 2024 storymap on how, with Esri technology and Alcis' support, the NGO Seeds for Development is embarking on a digital transformation to address food security challenges in vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities in northern Uganda; a 2023 storymap on the illicit charcoal trade in northern Uganda, where illegal charcoal production drives widespread tree burning, exacerbating deforestation, soil degradation and reduced biodiversity; and research into the effect of sea level rise in Timor-Leste. Alcis continues to operate as a private United Kingdom company, providing GIS, data products and consultancy, and working with a network of partners including universities, academics and industry-leading providers to access cutting-edge technology and data.

• 2025

  Alcis publishes a StoryMap revisiting the 2023 Afghanistan earthquake.

• 2024

  Alcis publishes StoryMaps on agricultural revival in Kunduz, Afghanistan; the Taliban takeover's impact in Nimroz and Samangan; and Seeds for Development's digital transformation in northern Uganda.

• 2023

  Alcis publishes StoryMaps on the illicit charcoal trade in northern Uganda and on sea level rise in Timor-Leste.

• 2015

  World leaders adopt the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which Alcis aligns part of its work with.

• 2004

  Alcis founded by Richard Brittan.

Innovative, world-class Geographic Information Services for humanitarian and international development projects in fragile and complex environments.

• Geographic Information Services (GIS)

  Innovative GIS enabling better understanding, decisions and outcomes for clients and beneficiaries.

• Geospatial data products

  Data derived from satellites, field collection and additional geospatial datasets distributed on online platforms.

• Consultancy services

  Consultancy for governments, international agencies, banks, private businesses and NGOs.

• StoryMaps

  A presentation format for findings and analysis, covering topics such as glacier retreat, earthquakes, agriculture, conflict and sea level rise.

• Capacity building

  Services listed among Alcis' offerings.

• Monitoring

  Services listed among Alcis' offerings.

• Programme design and delivery

  Services listed among Alcis' offerings.

• Policy development

  Services listed among Alcis' offerings.

1. 1Geographic Information Services (GIS) | Alcis | United Kingdomalcis.org
2. 2About | Alcisalcis.org
3. 3StoryMaps | Alcisalcis.org
4. 4Wikidata Q132472564wikidata.org