Satlyt Raises $8M Seed Round to Develop AI Software for Satellite Computing
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 secured an $8 million seed round led by Non Sibi Ventures. Unlike companies building their own spacecraft or orbital data centers, Satlyt focuses on creating cross-platform AI software for satellite operations. Satlyt’s technology aims to reduce costs and improve efficiency in space missions by enabling onboard decision-making rather than relying solely on ground-based control systems. The company has already tested its software with Google DeepMind's Gemma model aboard a Momentus spacecraft, achieving significant reductions in data transmission sizes. This week marks another milestone as Satlyt’s software will be deployed alongside SpaceX and Google’s first space data center prototype. The startup plans to expand further by demonstrating the ability to create shared computing systems across multiple satellites next year, potentially establishing an orbital cloud infrastructure for third-party use.
Topics: AI in space Google satellite computing SpaceX startups