Home > Hot Topics > In brief: Kleos does Oz IPO, Made in Space gets venture funding
In brief: Kleos does Oz IPO, Made in Space gets venture funding
by Doug Mohney August 28, 2018 Leave a CommentIn brief: Kleos does Oz IPO, Made in Space gets venture fundingHot Topics
Last week, Kleos Space closed around $8 million (US) in funding in debut on the Australian Stock Exchange, while Made in Space has received its first venture funding.
Luxembourg-based Kleos is among a group of companies planning to observe and monitor radio frequencies (RF) from space for tracking ships and monitor civilian and military activities. The company had initially planned to go public in July on the Australian Stock Exchange, but was delayed.
Kleos plans to put its first satellite into orbit in 2019 and build a constellation of 20 satellites supporting government and commercial users around the globe. Users will be able to view Kleos RF data on top of maps and satellite imagery as a part of "Activity Based Intelligence" with the company providing initial RF emitter location within 100 meters.
The Australian Stock Exchange is proving to be one path where non-U.S. New Space companies can generate capital. Sky and Space Global, based in London, has used the Oz exchange to generate several rounds of capital as it moves to building an initial constellation of around 200 Cubesats for Internet of Things (IoT) and narrowband applications.
Space-based manufacturing company Made in Space (MIS) has received an investment from Starbridge Venture Capital. Terms of the deal, including size of the investment, were not disclosed or if any other venture firms participated in the round. This is MIS's first round of investment in its eight-year history.
MIS has built the first 3D printers for use on the International Space Station (ISS), but its real attraction to the IT world is in automated production of high-quality ZBLAN fiber in zero gravity, one of the few areas where in-space production provides an advantage over terrestrial methods. The company has launched at least three payloads to produce low-loss fiber optic cable onboard ISS and is working its way towards "printing" satellites and larger structures in-orbit to save money and increase satellite capabilities.
Kleos Space
Made in Space
venture funding
Doug Mohney
Doug Mohney, a principal at Cidera Analytics, has been working and writing about IT and satellite industries for over 20 years. His real world experience including stints at two start-ups, a commercial internet service provider that went public in 1997 for $150 million and a satellite internet broadband company. Follow him on Twitter at DougonTech or contact him at dmohney139 (at) gmail (dot) com.
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