Renes, Switzerland-based ClearSpace develops systems to remove orbital debris and extend satellite life. The company is preparing for ClearSpace-1, billed as the world’s first space debris removal mission, scheduled to launch in 2026. ClearSpace won a €110 million contract from the European Space Agency for the ClearSpace-1 mission in 2020 and has support from Omega. It recently announced a satellite life-extension collaboration with satcom operator Intelsat that builds on its debris-removal technology. Founders Luc Piguet and Muriel Richard-Noca said the company began four years ago and that the market is developing faster than expected. ClearSpace is establishing an operational presence in Luxembourg as part of its expansion plans. ClearSpace develops a robot 'chaser' to remove orbital debris and is building technologies for sensor fusion, autonomous navigation and space robotics. The team integrates those technologies into an agile chaser aimed at capturing debris orbiting at 7 kilometers per second at more than 600 kilometers altitude. Its principal mission, ClearSpace-1, is scheduled for 2025. The company says the new capital will be used to develop the robot cleaner and to support its international activities. ClearSpace has backing from the European Space Agency, which has invested €86 million into the ClearSpace-1 mission. CEO and co-founder Luc Piguet emphasized investor support as critical to accelerating the company’s efforts to build space sustainability. ClearSpace is an EPFL Space Center spin‑off developing agile satellites that can find, capture and remove non‑responsive and non‑functioning satellites from orbit. Its systems can navigate and catch objects semi‑autonomously using sensors and algorithms, and the company is working on a demonstrator called CleanSpace One to validate the necessary technologies. ClearSpace aims to address an estimated ~3,000 deficient satellites currently in orbit and projects that with roughly 800 small satellites expected to launch in 2022, about 100–200 defunct satellites will require deorbiting each year. To advance development, the startup secured a CHF 100,000 Tech Seed loan from the Foundation for Technological Innovation (FIT), funds the company says will enable it to negotiate its first substantial fundraising. The company is based in Ecublens (VD), spun out of EPFL, and receives support from ESA BIC Switzerland, Innosuisse, EPFL and the European Space Agency. Founders Luc Piguet (CEO), Muriel Richard (Tech Lead) and Catherine Johnson (Design) lead a team of 11 employees.

Total raised

$33M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series A

Latest activity

Jan 2023