James Crawford
James Crawford is the Chief Strategy Officer of Privateer Space and the Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Orbital Insight, a leader in geospatial analytics and location intelligence that helps organizations understand what is happening on and to the Earth. With more than 20 years of experience in artificial intelligence, space systems, and large-scale software engineering, Crawford is widely recognized as a leading expert at the intersection of data science, AI, and geospatial intelligence. Before joining Privateer Space, Crawford served as Senior Vice President of Science and Engineering at The Climate Corporation, guiding advanced analytics and climate technology through its $1 billion acquisition by Monsanto. He was previously CTO and Software Architect at Moon Express, a commercial space company focused on deploying the first privately funded robotic mission to the Moon. Earlier in his career, Crawford was Engineering Director of Google Book Search, where he led Google’s ambitious initiative to scan, index, and make searchable the world’s books, dramatically expanding global access to knowledge. Crawford has authored more than fifteen peer-reviewed research papers and holds five patents spanning artificial intelligence, data systems, and geospatial technologies.
James Crawford Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Chairman and Chief Technology Officer
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Engineering Director of Google Book Search
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Autonomy and Robotics Lead Area
Academic History
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Ph.D., Computer Science
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B.A., Math and Computer Science
At Orbital Insight, James Crawford led the company’s mission to apply artificial intelligence and machine learning to geospatial data, transforming satellite imagery and location intelligence into actionable insights.
Orbital Insight enables businesses, governments, and policymakers to better understand economic activity, environmental change, and global risk through advanced geospatial analytics.
In 2024, Orbital Insight was acquired by Privateer Space and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary, expanding its role in building data-driven solutions focused on Earth observation, sustainability, and planetary stewardship.
TECHNOLOGY & RESEARCH CAREER
Across two decades, Crawford has led some of the most innovative technology initiatives in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and space systems.
At The Climate Corporation, he helped empower farmers worldwide by integrating climate data, predictive analytics, and machine learning into decision-making tools for agriculture.
As Engineering Director of Google Book Search, he oversaw efforts to digitize and index the world’s books and led development for Google Play Books and Magazines.
He later served as Executive Vice President of Engineering at Composite Software, a data virtualization startup that was acquired by Cisco for $180 million.
Earlier in his career, Crawford led autonomy and robotics research at NASA’s Ames Research Center, managing nearly 100 researchers at NASA’s center of excellence for information technology.
He previously led optimization research at i2 Technologies, worked at AT&T Bell Laboratories, and co-founded the Computational Intelligence Research Laboratory at the University of Oregon.