Investor directory

Techstars

Techstars Central LLC, founded in 2006 and based in Boulder, Colorado, operates as a startup accelerator and venture capital firm focused on supporting early-stage technology-oriented companies. It specializes in a mentorship-driven accelerator program, selecting ten startups each summer to participate in a three-month incubation period, offering funding of $120,000 in exchange for equity. Techstars invests primarily in sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence, blockchain, augmented reality, and IoT, while avoiding investments in medical devices, healthcare technology, and local service-oriented businesses. In addition to its primary accelerator, Techstars has various specialized programs, including those focused on music, retail, mobility, and social impact, with global reach extending to regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The firm prefers taking minority stakes, typically between six and ten percent, without seeking board representation or investor rights. Techstars has built a robust network of entrepreneurs, mentors, and corporate partners to foster innovation and growth within its portfolio, which includes over 1,000 companies with a significant collective market capitalization.

Focus

Pre Seed RoundSeed RoundArtificial IntelligenceMachine LearningSeries AShow more
http://techstars.com/ventures
https://crunchbase.com/organization/techstars
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https://linkedin.com/company/techstars
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https://www.capitaliq.com/CIQDotNet/company.aspx?companyId=431767203
https://www.privateequityinternational.com/database/#/profile?id=14977

Ethan Austin

MD of the Techstars Western Union Accelerator

Mark Tortorella

Advisor

Nathanial Zola

MD

Past deals in Space Industry

Morpheus Space

Series A in 2022
Morpheus Space GmbH, founded in 2018 and based in Dresden, Germany, specializes in manufacturing electric propulsion systems for spacecraft. The company's innovative product offerings, including nanoFEEP and multiFEEP, are designed to enhance satellite operations by enabling service providers to manage entire constellations as a unified entity. By integrating advanced electric propulsion with artificial intelligence, Morpheus Space is transforming the NewSpace industry. Their solutions allow satellites to perform numerous orbital maneuvers, facilitating a new approach to mission planning that prioritizes objectives through automated decision-making. This capability provides unprecedented flexibility for satellite networks, enabling optimal adjustments to meet specific user needs, such as revisiting frequencies and monitoring dynamic points of interest.

Equatorial Space

Non Equity Assistance in 2022
(f.k.a. Equatorial Space Industries) is developing a launch vehicle tailor made for CubeSat operators complete with quick deployment, orbital flexibility and affordability in mind. It was founded in 2017 to create a low-cost, high frequency launcher, delivering up to 30-70 kg to LEO at a time. Our passion for rocket technology, coupled with an advantageous location, will allow efficient and cost-effective, dedicated nanosatellite launches for companies big and small. Our prospective launch locations are selected for the wide range of possible orbits, from equatorial to sun-synchronous and hence making Equatorial Space the perfect solution for nanosatellite constellation deployment.

Cognitive Space

Seed Round in 2021
Cognitive Space is a technology firm specializing in the automation of command and control for satellite operations through its proprietary CNTIENT-SC3 platform. The company leverages artificial intelligence to streamline mission planning and management for constellations of Earth-observing and telecommunications satellites. By providing a software-as-a-service solution, Cognitive Space addresses the evolving demands of the space market, enabling commercial satellite operators to optimize their assets in response to dynamic conditions. The leadership team, boasting over 50 years of experience in space systems and software development, is committed to enhancing the efficiency of satellite operations. This innovation facilitates improved monitoring of Earth for various applications, including economic, environmental, and national security purposes.

Birdstop

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Birdstop is a company that develops infrastructure for inspecting and monitoring field assets using autonomous drone applications. Its platform automates the data collection process for remote assets, allowing users to access real-time information over the Internet through networked unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ground stations. This technology enables asset owners to detect anomalies and make critical decisions without needing to be physically present at the location, facilitating efficient management of offsite physical assets across various industries.

Urban Sky

Seed Round in 2021
Urban Sky is developing the first-ever reusable 'micro-sat' version of a near-space balloon, armed with sensors that collect high-value Earth observation data over entire cities, serving a multi-billion dollar imagery market and making daily and weekly aerial imagery collection a cost-effective reality. Leveraging advances in component miniaturization, first-of-its-kind balloon reusability, and the high vantage point of the stratosphere, the Microballoon drastically reduces the cost of high-resolution remote sensing and weather-related data capture over broad areas, leading to more impactful data over more areas than ever before. With a new wealth of data from the stratosphere - this completely untapped layer of Earth’s atmosphere - we can fundamentally change the collective human understanding of the surface of our planet and urban centers.

Carbon Origins

Funding Round in 2021
Carbon Origins is an aerospace startup company empowering people with the best tools to explore space.

Hydrosat

Seed Round in 2021
Hydrosat turns space imagery into vital products for agriculture and related industries. Our data analytics will drive better insights, more efficient operations, and higher profits to customers everywhere

Scout Space

Funding Round in 2021
SCOUT was founded in 2019 following the loss of one of our own satellites to unknown causes. Our mission is to give spacecraft the ability to see and avoid potential threats. SCOUT's passive sensor hardware and control software enhances resolution of space objects by up to 1000 times, enabling on-board vision, detection, and avoidance. The company is a Techstars and venture-backed startup, and a 2020 MassChallenge Gold Winner. For more information, visit www.scout.space.

Xairos

Funding Round in 2021
Xairos is engaged in the development of advanced quantum technologies, specifically focusing on a miniaturized source of entangled photons in space. The company provides a unique solution known as a "magic box," which facilitates secure networking through entangled photon communication. Established in 2019 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Xairos aims to enhance the security of data transmission by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics.

Pixxel

Seed Round in 2021
Pixxel is a company that manufactures remote sensing satellites, providing valuable data on various resources such as minerals and water on the Moon, Mars, and asteroid belts. Founded in 2018 by students from BITS Pilani, an Indian university, the company is headquartered in Bengaluru, India. Pixxel's technology aims to contribute to advancements in space exploration and resource management by delivering high-resolution satellite imagery and data analysis.

Hyperion Global Energy

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Hyperion Global Energy is developing modular carbon capture & recycling technology at a breakthrough industrial scale.

Slingshot Aerospace

Series A in 2020
Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. is a company that develops innovative online tools and platforms aimed at providing geospatial information for the aerospace and defense sectors. Incorporated in 2016 and headquartered in El Segundo, California, with an additional office in Austin, Texas, Slingshot Aerospace offers a suite of platforms—Slingshot Earth, Slingshot Orbital, Slingshot Edge, and Slingshot Imagery—that integrate data from a variety of sources, including satellites, airplanes, drones, and ground-based sensors. This integration enables organizations in industries such as energy, military, government, and emergency management to access critical insights and analytics. By leveraging advanced technologies, including signal processing AI, the company helps clients make informed decisions based on Earth Observation data and other data sources, ultimately improving operational efficiency, reducing risks, and lowering costs.

Morpheus Space

Seed Round in 2020
Morpheus Space GmbH, founded in 2018 and based in Dresden, Germany, specializes in manufacturing electric propulsion systems for spacecraft. The company's innovative product offerings, including nanoFEEP and multiFEEP, are designed to enhance satellite operations by enabling service providers to manage entire constellations as a unified entity. By integrating advanced electric propulsion with artificial intelligence, Morpheus Space is transforming the NewSpace industry. Their solutions allow satellites to perform numerous orbital maneuvers, facilitating a new approach to mission planning that prioritizes objectives through automated decision-making. This capability provides unprecedented flexibility for satellite networks, enabling optimal adjustments to meet specific user needs, such as revisiting frequencies and monitoring dynamic points of interest.

Urban Sky

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Urban Sky is developing the first-ever reusable 'micro-sat' version of a near-space balloon, armed with sensors that collect high-value Earth observation data over entire cities, serving a multi-billion dollar imagery market and making daily and weekly aerial imagery collection a cost-effective reality. Leveraging advances in component miniaturization, first-of-its-kind balloon reusability, and the high vantage point of the stratosphere, the Microballoon drastically reduces the cost of high-resolution remote sensing and weather-related data capture over broad areas, leading to more impactful data over more areas than ever before. With a new wealth of data from the stratosphere - this completely untapped layer of Earth’s atmosphere - we can fundamentally change the collective human understanding of the surface of our planet and urban centers.

ParaSpace

Pre Seed Round in 2020
ParaSpace develops VR simulations for high risk construction and mining activities. The company works with companies to create softwares that solve industry problems using AR, VR, and 360 Video. ParaSpace focuses on the Workplace Health & Safety (WHS) industry and develops a collection of VR and AR safety modules called SafetyAugment, designed to supplement existing high risk work courses such as working from heights, confined space, asbestos, and dogger training. These modules will enable trainers to repeatedly place students in high risk environments in a repeatable, measurable manner, without placing them in any physical danger.

SkyWatch

Series A in 2020
SkyWatch Space Applications Inc. is a company that develops satellite data aggregation software through its platform, EarthCache. This platform enables users to discover and access a wide range of remote sensing datasets. SkyWatch offers digital infrastructure for distributing Earth observation data and derived intelligence, equipping application developers with essential tools, including advanced processing algorithms and comprehensive APIs for machine-to-machine integration. EarthCache features informative dashboards for usage monitoring and a code builder for rapid application development. The platform supports various datasets from satellite constellations such as Triplesat, Sentinel-2, and Landsat-8, making it suitable for academic research and partnerships. Founded in 2014, SkyWatch is based in Waterloo, Ontario.

Orbit Fab

Seed Round in 2019
Orbit Fab offers a supply of satellite propellant in Earth Orbit that expands the operational potential of new and existing space assets. It develops the infrastructure needed to grow a thriving in-space market for products and services that support both existing space businesses (communications and Earth observation) and new industries like space tourism, manufacturing, and mining. The future for satellites is no longer restricted to the fuel they are launched with. Orbit Fab was founded in 2018 by its Co-Founders Daniel Faber and Jeremy Schiel.

Solestial

Pre Seed Round in 2019
For the new-space projects that need 100X more energy @10X lower price than available today, they develop solar PV technology to make power in space affordable. There is a demand for 100 MW of solar for space in the next 5 years. But the existing space solar panels are extremely expensive and very slow to manufacture. With today's technology 100 MW of space solar panels will cost more than $60B and it will take more than 10 years to manufacture. Regher Solar solves this problem. Regher Solar is revolutionizing the access to power in space with space tolerant ultrathin silicon solar panels, which for the first time on the market, will have both high efficiency and low cost in a single light-weight and flexible package.

Leo Aerospace

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Leo Aerospace is building a dedicated delivery service for microsatellites. Their mission is to make it as easy to put a satellite into space as it is to ship a package across the country. To achieve this, they’re developing a suite of services to launch on-demand to any low earth orbit. Their systems require zero fixed ground infrastructure and provide high launch frequency. After a successful launch-test campaign at the end of 2018, they are poised to service defense and civil customers with their platform in 2020.

Morpheus Space

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Morpheus Space GmbH, founded in 2018 and based in Dresden, Germany, specializes in manufacturing electric propulsion systems for spacecraft. The company's innovative product offerings, including nanoFEEP and multiFEEP, are designed to enhance satellite operations by enabling service providers to manage entire constellations as a unified entity. By integrating advanced electric propulsion with artificial intelligence, Morpheus Space is transforming the NewSpace industry. Their solutions allow satellites to perform numerous orbital maneuvers, facilitating a new approach to mission planning that prioritizes objectives through automated decision-making. This capability provides unprecedented flexibility for satellite networks, enabling optimal adjustments to meet specific user needs, such as revisiting frequencies and monitoring dynamic points of interest.

Novo Space

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Novo is bringing the pace of commercial innovation to space. To put it simply, we make lego computers for satellites. Customers can plug and play our products to make their own high-performance subsystem.​ We focus on delivering affordable and high-performance satellite electronics to enable your mission.

Pixxel

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Pixxel is a company that manufactures remote sensing satellites, providing valuable data on various resources such as minerals and water on the Moon, Mars, and asteroid belts. Founded in 2018 by students from BITS Pilani, an Indian university, the company is headquartered in Bengaluru, India. Pixxel's technology aims to contribute to advancements in space exploration and resource management by delivering high-resolution satellite imagery and data analysis.

Hydrosat

Seed Round in 2019
Hydrosat turns space imagery into vital products for agriculture and related industries. Our data analytics will drive better insights, more efficient operations, and higher profits to customers everywhere

Slingshot Aerospace

Seed Round in 2019
Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. is a company that develops innovative online tools and platforms aimed at providing geospatial information for the aerospace and defense sectors. Incorporated in 2016 and headquartered in El Segundo, California, with an additional office in Austin, Texas, Slingshot Aerospace offers a suite of platforms—Slingshot Earth, Slingshot Orbital, Slingshot Edge, and Slingshot Imagery—that integrate data from a variety of sources, including satellites, airplanes, drones, and ground-based sensors. This integration enables organizations in industries such as energy, military, government, and emergency management to access critical insights and analytics. By leveraging advanced technologies, including signal processing AI, the company helps clients make informed decisions based on Earth Observation data and other data sources, ultimately improving operational efficiency, reducing risks, and lowering costs.

tagSpace

Pre Seed Round in 2019
tagSpace Pty Ltd develops tagStorm, a software platform that provides mixed reality, social media, and marketing services for tourism, corporate team building, and events. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in Byron Bay, Australia.

AirShare

Pre Seed Round in 2019
AirShare combines over 75 years of experience in advanced technology development and combines talents in high technology telecommunications, digital signal processing, embedded systems, and aerospace development, commercialization, and operations.

Atomos Space

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Atomos Space is a Denver-based company focused on developing a fleet of spacecraft designed to transport satellites and other assets between orbits and to various destinations in space. The company specializes in electric-propulsion vehicles that can easily rendezvous with customer payloads in low Earth orbit, delivering them to their intended locations. Atomos also addresses the disposal of defunct satellites through deorbitation or relocation to a graveyard orbit and offers solutions for recovering launch failures. Incorporating advanced nuclear technologies, Atomos is pioneering the use of small modular fission power systems, which promise to enhance the capabilities of space operations, including asteroid mining and other power-intensive activities. This innovative approach aims to create a sustainable and scalable in-space transportation network, enabling enterprises and explorers to expand their reach within both low and deep space.

Atomos Space

Convertible Note in 2018
Atomos Space is a Denver-based company focused on developing a fleet of spacecraft designed to transport satellites and other assets between orbits and to various destinations in space. The company specializes in electric-propulsion vehicles that can easily rendezvous with customer payloads in low Earth orbit, delivering them to their intended locations. Atomos also addresses the disposal of defunct satellites through deorbitation or relocation to a graveyard orbit and offers solutions for recovering launch failures. Incorporating advanced nuclear technologies, Atomos is pioneering the use of small modular fission power systems, which promise to enhance the capabilities of space operations, including asteroid mining and other power-intensive activities. This innovative approach aims to create a sustainable and scalable in-space transportation network, enabling enterprises and explorers to expand their reach within both low and deep space.

Constellation

Pre Seed Round in 2018
Constellation builds products that connect with audiences and implement processes for sustained growth. They are obsessed with using data to understand how to build better products, connect with audiences and implement processes for sustained growth.

SkyWatch

Seed Round in 2018
SkyWatch Space Applications Inc. is a company that develops satellite data aggregation software through its platform, EarthCache. This platform enables users to discover and access a wide range of remote sensing datasets. SkyWatch offers digital infrastructure for distributing Earth observation data and derived intelligence, equipping application developers with essential tools, including advanced processing algorithms and comprehensive APIs for machine-to-machine integration. EarthCache features informative dashboards for usage monitoring and a code builder for rapid application development. The platform supports various datasets from satellite constellations such as Triplesat, Sentinel-2, and Landsat-8, making it suitable for academic research and partnerships. Founded in 2014, SkyWatch is based in Waterloo, Ontario.

Slingshot Aerospace

Seed Round in 2017
Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. is a company that develops innovative online tools and platforms aimed at providing geospatial information for the aerospace and defense sectors. Incorporated in 2016 and headquartered in El Segundo, California, with an additional office in Austin, Texas, Slingshot Aerospace offers a suite of platforms—Slingshot Earth, Slingshot Orbital, Slingshot Edge, and Slingshot Imagery—that integrate data from a variety of sources, including satellites, airplanes, drones, and ground-based sensors. This integration enables organizations in industries such as energy, military, government, and emergency management to access critical insights and analytics. By leveraging advanced technologies, including signal processing AI, the company helps clients make informed decisions based on Earth Observation data and other data sources, ultimately improving operational efficiency, reducing risks, and lowering costs.

Slingshot Aerospace

Pre Seed Round in 2017
Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. is a company that develops innovative online tools and platforms aimed at providing geospatial information for the aerospace and defense sectors. Incorporated in 2016 and headquartered in El Segundo, California, with an additional office in Austin, Texas, Slingshot Aerospace offers a suite of platforms—Slingshot Earth, Slingshot Orbital, Slingshot Edge, and Slingshot Imagery—that integrate data from a variety of sources, including satellites, airplanes, drones, and ground-based sensors. This integration enables organizations in industries such as energy, military, government, and emergency management to access critical insights and analytics. By leveraging advanced technologies, including signal processing AI, the company helps clients make informed decisions based on Earth Observation data and other data sources, ultimately improving operational efficiency, reducing risks, and lowering costs.

Kepler Communications

Seed Round in 2016
Kepler Communications Inc. is a satellite communications company focused on establishing a network for space-based connectivity that integrates space stations, habitats, and devices with orbiting satellites. The company offers various services, including Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) solutions that provide global coverage, PolarConnect for organizations operating in extreme environments, and Global Data Service, which facilitates high-bandwidth data transfer between remote sites and the internet. Additionally, Kepler is developing everywhereIOT, a satellite service designed to deliver reliable connectivity for Internet of Things (IoT) devices worldwide. By addressing the challenges of intermittent connectivity for non-geostationary satellites, Kepler aims to reduce the reliance on expensive ground infrastructure and enhance real-time communication capabilities for diverse industries such as maritime, natural resources, research, defense, and logistics. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Kepler has launched several satellites and is advancing its LEO constellation deployment.

SkyWatch

Seed Round in 2016
SkyWatch Space Applications Inc. is a company that develops satellite data aggregation software through its platform, EarthCache. This platform enables users to discover and access a wide range of remote sensing datasets. SkyWatch offers digital infrastructure for distributing Earth observation data and derived intelligence, equipping application developers with essential tools, including advanced processing algorithms and comprehensive APIs for machine-to-machine integration. EarthCache features informative dashboards for usage monitoring and a code builder for rapid application development. The platform supports various datasets from satellite constellations such as Triplesat, Sentinel-2, and Landsat-8, making it suitable for academic research and partnerships. Founded in 2014, SkyWatch is based in Waterloo, Ontario.

Kepler Communications

Seed Round in 2016
Kepler Communications Inc. is a satellite communications company focused on establishing a network for space-based connectivity that integrates space stations, habitats, and devices with orbiting satellites. The company offers various services, including Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) solutions that provide global coverage, PolarConnect for organizations operating in extreme environments, and Global Data Service, which facilitates high-bandwidth data transfer between remote sites and the internet. Additionally, Kepler is developing everywhereIOT, a satellite service designed to deliver reliable connectivity for Internet of Things (IoT) devices worldwide. By addressing the challenges of intermittent connectivity for non-geostationary satellites, Kepler aims to reduce the reliance on expensive ground infrastructure and enhance real-time communication capabilities for diverse industries such as maritime, natural resources, research, defense, and logistics. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Kepler has launched several satellites and is advancing its LEO constellation deployment.

SpaceView

Seed Round in 2016
SpaceView Inc. provides design visualization solutions to help users to visualize a virtual object in a real space. It offers a mobile application and SaaS solution that enables businesses to shorten their sales cycle by enabling their sales teams to show their clients how their products work in their space; collaborate with customers; and increase opportunities for up-sell and cross-sell. The company serves digital signage, display manufacturing, visual merchandising, event management, home furnishing, retail design, interior design, medical, and real estate industries. SpaceView Inc. was founded in 2012 and is based in Portland, Oregon. As of July 12, 2017, SpaceView Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Atheer, Inc.

Openspace Store

Seed Round in 2010
Openspace is a one-touch app marketplace for anyone to discover, purchase, install and sync apps across any smartphone, tablet, desktop or laptop. Founded in June 2010 and launching in April 2011, Openspace is an app store for you, not your device. Openspace was co-founded by Robert Reich and Randy Watler and is a privately held company based in Boulder, Colo. The Foundry Group led the seed round of investment followed by prominent angel investors from Boulder and New York such as David Cohen and Zelkova Ventures. Jason Mendelson serves on the Board of Directors.