Satellite data are essential to monitor and understand our planet, but are also becoming increasingly important to create new business opportunities for the new generation of data and digital entrepreneurs. ESA’s second ɸ-week, held 9–13 September 2019 at ESA's Earth observation centre in Frascati, Italy, brought together emerging space investors, tech leaders, entrepreneurs, space scientists and Earth observation researchers to explore how open science and innovation can benefit from the latest digital technologies to help shape future Earth observation missions and services.