D-Orbit
D-Orbit announces the closing of a new funding round
Fino Mornasco, December 16th, 2019: D-Orbit, an Italian systems and services provider for the Traditional and New Space sectors, has announced a new funding round led by Seraphim Capital, the world's largest venture capital fund dedicated to investing in NewSpace companies. The round also marks the entrance of Noosphere Ventures, D-Orbit's first American investor. The Silicon Valley-based asset management firm specializes in transforming high-potential companies into market leaders, with a particular focus on the space market. Co-investors include Invitalia Ventures and Indaco SGR, two of the largest Italian VC funds that invest in high-potential companies with proven business and strong IP. Elysia Capital and Nova Capital have joined the institutional investors in this round to help D-Orbit scale up internationally by working with the Company’s management on the future steps of its roadmap.
D-Orbit is revolutionizing the space orbital transportation industry through its InOrbit NOW Satellite Launch and Deployment Service, which leverages the ION Satellite Carrier, a satellite platform operated by the Company. ION is able to host, as payload, a batch of small satellites and deploy them with an extremely low tumbling rate in their precise operational orbit, reducing by 85% the time from launch to operation, and lowering by up to 40% the full constellation deployment costs for satellite operators.
The next ION Satellite Carrier will be launched on Arianespace’s upcoming Vega Small Spacecraft Mission Service (SSMS) Proof of Concept (POC) flight in March 2020.
According to Luca Rossettini, D-Orbit’s CEO, the Company’s ultimate goal is to become a global leader in both orbital transportation and satellite decommissioning, with a solid and sustainable orbital infrastructure and logistics services that will enable the growing in-space economy. “D-Orbit is experiencing great momentum,” he says. “With an increasing number of customers choosing InOrbit NOW, we are populating the upcoming 2020 and 2021 cargo missions at a very fast pace. Our new financial partners will help us strengthen our position in the market, including in the US, and support our mission of defining a new standard of sustainable space logistics.”
Seraphim’s Managing Partner, James Bruegger, commented: “At Seraphim, we look for businesses that are key enablers and platforms upon which industries can build for the future. D-Orbit has the potential to be the leading in-space transportation provider, and the vision to deliver services for a sustainable space environment. We’re delighted to be backing a highly experienced team at D-Orbit, and working with our co-investors, to capitalise on this growing market opportunity.”
“We are trying to build a unique ecosystem of space companies and projects that will bring revolutionary changes to the whole space industry. We believe that D-Orbit’s approach will disrupt the market in its segment, while our other companies will do the same in their specific niches. So that in synergy we will make New Space not just a movement, but a new order” commented Max Polyakov, Managing Partner of Noosphere Ventures.
About D-Orbit
D-Orbit is a service provider for the traditional and new space sectors, with solutions covering the entire lifecycle of space missions that add value to its customers’ businesses. The Company streamlines both in-space and on-ground operations with innovative technologies, with capabilities in satellite manufacturing, launch, deployment, satellite operations, end-of-life strategies and solutions, space propulsion and related critical software. Its products and services include mission analysis and design, engineering, manufacturing, integration, testing, launch, and end-of-life decommissioning. Founded in 2011, the firm is based in Como (Italy), Lisbon (Portugal), Harwell (UK) and in Washington DC (United States).
Press contacts:
Caterina Cazzola – Head of Communications: caterina.cazzola@dorbit.space
Elena Sanfilippo Ceraso – Media Manager: elena.sanfilippo@dorbit.space
About Seraphim Capital
Seraphim Space is the world’s largest specialist space-tech venture fund. We focus on backing both space and aerial platforms collecting and communicating data from above, in addition to the broader enabling technologies that support the full space-tech ecosystem. The £70M fund has pioneered a multi-corporate venture fund model, harnessing the collective experience and expertise of leading space industry players including the likes of Airbus, SES and Telespazio to provide start-ups the fund invests in with unparalleled access to, and guidance from, the top echelons of the space sector. Our team includes entrepreneurs who have scaled space-tech companies to billions of users and $billion-valued exits, alongside experienced venture capitalists who have collectively invested in more than 200 early and growth-stage companies.
For more information, please visit: www.seraphimcapital.com
Press contact: conor@seraphimcapital.com
About Noosphere Ventures
Noosphere Ventures is a private international asset management firm, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, USA. Noosphere primary operates in the US, Western Europe, and Asia and focuses on medical, space and digital economy projects. The Noosphere portfolio reports over $500 million in revenue and, collectively, has more than 2,000 individuals contributing to the common success. Noosphere believes in the power of the Noosphere: the ability of humans to fundamentally change the world around them through their knowledge and technology.
Caricato il 16/12/2019
