Satlyt Raises $8M Seed Round to Develop AI Software for Satellites
Rama Afullo, a former Google and SpaceX product manager, has co-founded Satlyt, a company developing software that enables satellites to perform complex computing tasks using artificial intelligence. The startup recently raised an $8 million seed round led by Non Sibi Ventures. Satlyt's approach is not to build its own spacecraft but instead create cross-platform AI software for various satellite operators, aiming to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs associated with data transmission from space. The company has already tested its technology on two demonstration missions and plans a launch this week aboard a SpaceX rocket alongside Google’s Project Suncatcher. Satlyt's software recently helped cut down communication overhead by over 60% using the DeepMind Gemma AI model, demonstrating significant cost savings potential for satellite operators. Satlyt aims to eventually create an orbital computing cloud that spans multiple satellites and offers a third-party managed service solution. The startup’s strategy is seen as less reliant on large-scale space data centers, which face economic uncertainties and launch constraints.
Topics: AI in space Orbital data centers Satellite computing Startups