Open Cosmos has secured €300 million in funding to expand satellite manufacturing and build out its intelligence and connectivity services. Lightrock led the round, according to the company’s release, with participation from investors including ETF Partners, Institut Català de Finances, Entrepreneurs First, and two major international pension funds.
The Oxford, U.K.-based company said it has signed more than $370 million in customer contracts over the past three and a half years and delivered five consecutive years of profitable growth. It operates four factories across Europe and says its current facilities can manufacture one satellite per day.
Open Cosmos will use the funding to scale manufacturing and expand three connected offerings: OpenConstellation, its shared satellite infrastructure; ConnectedCosmos, its communications network; and DataCosmos, which turns satellite imagery and sensor data into operational intelligence. It also plans to grow its engineering, manufacturing, and software teams across the U.K., Spain, Portugal, and Greece.
The company says its next-generation OpenConstellation satellites are designed to shorten delivery of Earth observation intelligence from as long as 48 hours to as little as 30 minutes. The planned system combines onboard AI, satellite communications, and data services to help customers respond to events such as wildfires.
KEY QUOTES:
“By bringing together satellites, secure communications and AI-powered data services, we’re creating a system that transforms information from orbit into something that governments and enterprises can act on. This investment allows us to accelerate that vision, satisfying the satellite manufacturing orders that governments and large companies are placing for our reliable and high-performance satellites and delivering the sovereign services the world needs.”
Rafel Jorda Siquier, Founder and CEO of Open Cosmos
“This landmark investment represents a major vote of confidence in Open Cosmos and Britain’s growing space sector.”
Baroness Lloyd, U.K. Space Minister
“Open Cosmos’ stellar mission record, manufacturing capability, and scientific expertise position it to become a global leader in this critically important sector, and we look forward to supporting the company on this journey.”
Ashish Puri, Partner at Lightrock
