Portfolio

OKAPI:Orbits raises €13M in total seed funding

OKAPI:Orbits, the leading European Space Traffic Management solutions provider, has announced the completion of its latest financing round led by Ventech, a pan-European early-stage VC deeply rooted in Germany, with strong support from Matterwave Ventures, a European industrial deep tech investor, and existing investors, such as the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund.

In addition to venture capital firms, the company’s new financing round attracted investments from well-known individual investors such as Christian Miele, former chairman of the German Start-up Association. The funding will be used to advance the company’s technical capabilities, expand the team, and scale its international footprint.

OKAPI:Orbits provides end-to-end Space Traffic Management (STM) solutions designed to support space missions from the mission planning phase to end-of-life. The company’s AI-based Space Traffic Management platforms leverage advanced data fusion to predict, detect, and deal with risks and movements in space, frequency interference, and environmental impacts. Besides increasing operational efficiency for satellite operations, OKAPI:Orbits offers full simulation capabilities and tools to ensure compliance with international regulations and standards.

“Our goal is to create lasting value for our customers while ensuring the long-term viability of our orbital environment. This round allows us to further solidify our leading role in the space industry. Based out of Europe and backed by worldwide best talent we are in the unique position to build resilient and independent Space Domain Awareness capabilities for commercial and institutional customers internationally.” commented Kristina Nikolaus, the company’s CEO.

In addition to Europe’s focus on space sustainability with regulatory frameworks such as the EU Space Act, ESA launched its Strategy 2040 in March, outlining an ambitious roadmap that emphasises innovation, sustainability and autonomous access to space. In short, the European space industry needs innovative infrastructure and services, and this is where OKAPI:Orbits comes in.

Benedikt Kronberger, Partner at Matterwave Ventures, adds: “Billions of consumers, as well as businesses and governments increasingly rely on the delivery of services enabled by satellites. OKAPI:Orbits offers the most advanced and reliable Space Traffic Management solution we have seen, setting new industry standards. Europe needs strong tech champions, particularly also in space tech, and we are committed to supporting the team at OKAPI:Orbits as they scale their impact and drive European leadership in the space sector.”

Since its founding in 2018, as one of the first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) companies, by Kristina Nikolaus, Christopher Kebschull, and Jonas Radtke, the company has achieved a leading market position, serving commercial and Institutional customers in Europe, Asia, and the USA.