Kreios Area, a Spanish SpaceTech startup headquartered in Vigo, has secured €8 million in what marks the most important European funding up to now in very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellite tv for pc expertise.
The Seed spherical was led by the NATO Innovation Fund and Berlin-based JOIN Capital, with participation from Develop Enterprise Companions, Xesgalicia, and Tasivia World. The funding will allow the Spanish startup to advance its proprietary air-breathing plasma propulsion system and launch its first two satellites into VLEO.
“We aren’t simply constructing satellites, we’re opening up an orbit that was lengthy thought of not possible,” stated Adrián Senar, CEO and Co-founder of Kreios Area. “Very low Earth orbit presents extra correct imaginative and prescient, quicker connectivity and better independence in house. With this funding, we’re going to reveal our expertise in orbit and place each Europe and Spain on the forefront of this rising area.” (Translated)
Based in 2021 by Adrián Senar, Jan Mataró, Francisco Boira, Adrià Barceló, Max Amer and Francisco Bosch, Kreios Area is innovating a brand new propulsion system referred to as Air-Respiration Electrical Propulsion (ABEP). The system attracts in atmospheric air and converts it into plasma gas, permitting satellites to take care of low orbits for prolonged intervals with out carrying onboard propellant – a key limitation of current low-altitude techniques.
This funding builds on a earlier €2.3 million raised in 2024 and units the corporate on track to check its ABEP engine in orbit for the primary time. The demonstration will likely be adopted by business deployments targeted on each Earth remark and broadband connectivity constellations.
These capabilities are seen as more and more crucial for defence, local weather monitoring, and catastrophe response.
Working satellites at altitudes between 150 and 400 kilometres – nearer than any business satellite tv for pc techniques at the moment in use – presents the promise of thrice larger picture decision and the potential for direct-to-device broadband connectivity with out cumbersome antennas.
“Kreios’ expertise represents a decisive leap towards unlocking the subsequent frontier of very low Earth orbit,” famous David Ordoñez, Senior Affiliate on the NATO Innovation Fund. “By bringing satellites nearer to Earth, they allow high-resolution imaging and direct-to-device broadband at a completely new degree – capabilities important for European safety.” (Translated)
The transfer comes at a time when Europe is intensifying efforts to cut back its dependence on non-European house infrastructure.
With ABEP-powered satellites positioned mere tons of of kilometres above the floor, purposes starting from wildfire detection to infrastructure monitoring change into extra correct and cost-effective. In the meantime, the potential for resilient, sovereign broadband communications might remodel connectivity for distant areas, emergency response, and navy operations.
“Europe can not afford to be omitted of the subsequent orbital financial system,” acknowledged Tobias Schirmer, Founding Companion at JOIN Capital. “What excites us about Kreios is the strategic significance it holds for Europe mixed with the readiness of the expertise. VLEO has lengthy been a analysis focus; now it’s prepared for real-world deployment.” (Translated)
From its origins as a lab idea in 2021, Kreios Area has grown right into a 17-person workforce attracting expertise from organisations together with Thales, JAXA, and the European Area Company (ESA). The agency has additionally acquired help from the Spanish CDTI and the Spanish Area Company (AEE) beneath the Nationwide Area Know-how Programme, reinforcing the Spain’s dedication to advancing its orbital financial system.
