SpaceTech start-up receives millions in funding for more precise emissions measurement from space

The climate and space tech start-up AIRMO has completed seed funding of 5 million euros. The aim is to develop a new type of system for monitoring greenhouse gases from the air and space. The round was led by impact investor Ananda Impact Ventures, with participation from Unconventional Ventures, kopa ventures, Pi Labs and Antler, among others.

Satellite mission planned from 2027

The company plans to use the fresh capital to launch its first satellite mission in 2027 and expand its airborne data collection at the same time. The focus is on the continuous monitoring of industrial emissions, particularly methane, which contributes around 30 percent to global warming and causes considerable economic losses in the energy industry.

New sensor technology relies on a combination of SWIR and micro-LIDAR

The technological core is an active, space-based measuring instrument developed for the first time, which combines SWIR imaging with micro-LIDAR. This high-performance sensor technology has been miniaturized so that it can be used on a small satellite - a first in earth observation.

According to the company, the measurement accuracy is around twice as high as that of existing systems. This means that even comparatively small methane leaks can be identified from an orbit of around 500 kilometers. The development is supported by the European Space Agency.

Methane as an economic and climatic lever

According to the start-up, around 70 percent of methane emissions remain undetected. For the energy sector, this results in annual costs of around 100 billion US dollars, including around 30 billion US dollars in direct revenue losses.

The technology is already being used commercially: sensors on aircraft and drones monitor infrastructure in Europe, Central Asia and the MENA region. Customers include major energy companies such as Uniper and TotalEnergies.

From pilot projects to scaling up

The funding is intended to enable the transition from successful pilot applications to scalable regular operations. In addition to the satellite launch, the following are planned

• Expansion of regular monitoring campaigns in Europe, MENA and Central Asia
• Integration of the full satellite payload
• International expansion, including local presence in the Middle East

In the long term, the company aims to monitor up to 12 million energy installations worldwide.

Experienced team with space and ESA background

The company was founded in 2022 by Daria Stepanova, a rocket scientist and serial founder who has already been responsible for several satellite launches. The team combines expertise from satellite instrumentation, atmospheric research and major European space programs.

We backed AIRMO at inception because we saw a team with the technical depth and grit required to tackle one of the planet's most urgent challenges.

Alan Poensgen, Partner at Antler

On the investor side, the combination of deep-tech expertise and direct climate benefits is seen as a key driver: The precise quantification of emissions could create transparency for the first time in an area that has been difficult to measure up to now and thus enable concrete decarbonization measures.