Albedo Secures $35M for Pioneering VLEO Satellite Imagery
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 24, 2024

Albedo, a company breaking new ground in satellite technology, has recently closed a $35 million Series A-1 funding round. This round, led by Standard Investments, propels Albedo's total funding to an impressive $97 million. The investment is a testament to Albedo's potential in revolutionizing satellite imagery through its pioneering use of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO).

The funding round saw participation from a mix of new and existing investors. Booz Allen Ventures, Cubit Capital, and Bill Perkins joined alongside previous backers like Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Shield Capital, and Initialized Capital. This diverse investment portfolio highlights the wide-reaching implications of Albedo's technology across various sectors.

Topher Haddad, CEO of Albedo, expressed the company's vision, stating, "The Series A-1 funding will be used to launch Albedo's first operational satellite and accelerate constellation deployment - ultimately proving out and proliferating the world's first high-res VLEO platform." This ambitious plan aims to redefine satellite imagery by providing data with an unprecedented level of detail.

Albedo's mission is twofold: to cater to both commercial and defense sectors by offering ultra-high resolution imagery. This innovative approach, involving the development of mid-sized satellites capable of operating at very low altitudes, enables the collection of data at a quality akin to aerial imagery. The constellation under development is set to co-collect 10 cm optical and 2 meter thermal infrared imagery, pushing the boundaries of what's currently achievable from space.

Ben Sampson of Standard Investments highlighted the transformative nature of VLEO, noting, "the new orbit frontier of VLEO will open up a wide variety of exciting opportunities around enhanced imagery and data collection, which is a key unmet challenge in modernizing industry and infrastructure."

Booz Allen Ventures' investment in Albedo aligns with their strategic focus on space and data-driven solutions. Chris Bogdan, executive vice president at Booz Allen, emphasized the importance of this venture, saying, "The level of detail that can be captured by Albedo's low-flying satellites-fusing both optical and infrared sensor data-is unprecedented in the commercial market."

VLEO is an uncharted territory in commercial space endeavors, situated halfway between the Earth's surface and Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Albedo's foray into this new frontier could usher in a new era of high-resolution, aerial-quality imagery from space, available at a lower cost and on a global scale.

The potential applications of Albedo's VLEO technology are vast. From urban planning and infrastructure monitoring to defense and agricultural optimization, the detailed imagery and data collected by Albedo's satellites could significantly impact various industries. This is particularly crucial as the world grapples with challenges like geopolitical tensions and climate change.

Albedo's CEO, Topher Haddad, encapsulates this sentiment, asserting, "As geopolitical tensions rise and we approach an irreversible climate change tipping point, the need for innovative dual-use technologies is crucial in sustaining a safe global environment."

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