Participated · Equity · Aug 2023

Satim develops AI-augmented software that automatically detects and classifies objects in SAR satellite imagery, delivering actionable insights to military, government, and commercial maritime customers. The platform reports roughly 90% accuracy in object detection and classification and has expanded its vessel taxonomy from 28 to 110 classes while launching new aircraft and vehicle detection models. The team includes data scientists, remote sensing and SAR specialists, and ex-military personnel, and the company has worked with accelerators including Space3ac and Techstars Starburst. Satim is a Certified Analytics Partner of Capella Space and collaborates with SAR providers such as ICEYE, MDA, Umbra and Synspective. In its first years the company secured €1.5M in non-dilutive grants from the European Space Agency to develop SAR information-extraction algorithms. Satim says it will use the new funds to advance its AI-augmented SAR solutions and to strengthen its position as a global leader in the field. Satim provides SATREC, a software platform that performs automatic object detection, identification and classification using satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. The company has demonstrated approximately 90% accurate object classification on satellite SAR imagery. Satim serves military, government and commercial customers. It was founded in 2012 and is led by CEO Jacek Strzelczyk. The company is based in Kraków, Poland. Satim intends to use the newly raised funds to enhance its technology and capabilities.

Participated · Series B · Jan 2022

SiteAware offers a purpose-built DCV platform that combines digital twinning technology and proprietary AI to verify a building’s structure, shell and interiors against plans in real time. The platform generates in-process, actionable insights for field teams so errors can be prevented and installations corrected immediately. Its technology verifies each installed element against building plans and delivers real-time feedback to site teams. Founded in 2015 and led by CEO Zeev Braude, SiteAware positions its product as a way to streamline construction and reduce errors. The company announced a $15M Series B raise to accelerate growth and expand adoption. SiteAware plans to use the funds to establish DCV as a new technological standard across the U.S. construction industry. SiteAware provides a platform that digitally scans buildings under construction and creates highly accurate 3D models of verified areas using a purpose-built digital twinning engine. The platform compares those models to approved construction plans and flags inconsistencies, giving teams a real-time view of deviations that helps avoid reactive rework. Its solution pairs the digital twin with AI anomaly detection to surface issues for field teams. Led by CEO Zeev Braude, the company emphasizes real-time verification and construction accuracy. SiteAware said it will use the new funding to accelerate expansion in the U.S. market. The company is described as Houston, TX–based and Israeli. Dronomy is a Tel Aviv-based developer of software that builds knowledge into construction projects by analyzing data collected by drones. Led by CEO Ori Aphek, the company provides construction firms with tools to frequently and accurately map, monitor, inspect and share site details. Its solution captures unique and frequent project data using autonomous drones and analyzes it into actionable information shared over the cloud with stakeholders including developers and subcontractors. The platform enables routine site monitoring missions intended to reduce costs and project delays. Dronomy raised an undisclosed funding round with participation from Mitsui Fudosan’s 31Ventures Global Innovation Fund I (jointly operated by Global Brain) and existing investors Battery Ventures, Lool Ventures and Oryzn Capital. The company plans to use the funds to launch its solution into international markets and to ramp up customer acquisition starting in the first quarter of 2017. Dronomy develops technology aimed at making it easier and safer to fly drones autonomously, particularly in cluttered outdoor environments. The company is led by CEO Ori Aphek and co-founder Guy Raz. It intends to use new capital to refine its product, demonstrate it globally, expand its team, and form partnerships with companies in specific verticals. Dronomy received venture capital funding to support these plans and accelerate commercialization. The company is based in Tel Aviv, Israel. No operating metrics were disclosed in the article.

Participated · Seed · Sep 2021

Aurora Propulsion Technologies, founded in 2018, develops compact spacecraft propulsion systems for small satellites, including a tiny resistojet thruster and a Plasma Brake microtether. The company plans an in-orbit demonstration, Aurora Sat-1, on a Rocket Lab rideshare in Q4 to test both products. Each resistojet is roughly one centimeter long, uses microliters of water and propellant, and the six thrusters on the demo satellite are arranged to enable attitude control and de-tumbling with temperature and thrust modulation. The Plasma Brake uses an electrically charged microtether to generate drag for de-orbiting and could, outside Earth’s magnetosphere, interact with solar wind for potential interplanetary travel; it is scalable for satellites up to around 1,000 kilograms. In the short term Aurora is focused on productizing its technology for low Earth orbit, serializing production, and adding features for satellites larger than CubeSats. Longer-term ambitions include supporting moon and deeper-space missions, with the company envisioning travel to the moon, Mars, Venus and beyond. CEO Roope Takala, who previously worked for Nokia, leads the company as it shifts from development toward commercialization.

Participated · Equity · Jun 2021

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.

Participated · Equity · Jun 2018

Kittyhawk builds full‑stack enterprise drone solutions for professional pilots and fleet managers across media, insurance, energy, transportation, law enforcement and emergency management. Led by CEO and co‑founder Jon Hegranes, the company provides software to manage fleets and operational workflows. The company intends to use the new funds to bring unified drone operations to new markets. Kittyhawk is based in San Francisco, CA and was founded in 2015. Financially, it has received $9.5M in aggregate funding to date from a mix of strategic and venture investors. Named investors include Travelers, Bonfire Ventures, Boeing HorizonX Ventures, Freestyle Ventures and The Flying Object (TFO). Kittyhawk develops full-stack enterprise drone solutions that let enterprises manage operators, aircraft, airspace, data analytics, insights and compliance from a single platform. The company serves professional pilots and fleet managers across industries including media, insurance, energy, rail transportation, education, law enforcement, fire, and emergency management. Founded in 2015 and based in San Francisco, the company supports enterprise customers and missions around the world. Kittyhawk raised $5M in this funding round and has raised $6.5M in total to date. The company says it will use the new funds to further its capabilities as a full-stack enterprise drone solution. In conjunction with the round, Jim Andelman of Bonfire Ventures will join Kittyhawk’s board of directors.