5.8 million euros for Orora Technologies

The start-up wants to launch satellites into space to monitor forest fires. It has now successfully completed its Series A.

The Munich-based start-up Orora Technologies has successfully completed its Series A financing round. The 5.8 million euros came from Austrian investor Findus Venture and Munich-based VC Ananda Impact Ventures. Viennese VC Apex Ventures, Bayern Kapital and several angel investors are also involved. "This financing round will enable us to launch the first satellites and scale our platform for analyzing geodata," says Thomas Grübler, CEO and co-founder. The team will also grow and Orora plans to open offices in the USA and Australia.

Orora Technologies wants to develop small satellites with infrared thermal imaging cameras to detect forest fires at an early stage. Infrared detects heat sources. The satellites should also be able to detect small fires in remote locations, which can be fought at an early stage. The company plans to launch the first satellite into orbit this year, with 14 more to follow within two years. By 2026, Orora Technologies hopes to have placed more than 100 small satellites in space, which would then be able to keep an eye on the world's forests.

Forest fires destroy 30 to 40 million hectares of vegetation every year, explains the start-up. This would emit eight billion tons of CO2, more than global car traffic. "What excites us about Ororatech is the immediate impact on mitigating climate change by protecting our natural carbon sinks and reducing CO2 emissions on a large scale," says Florian Erber, Managing Director at Ananda Impact Ventures.