SpaceX
Facts
- HQ
- United States
- Sectors
- Aerospace, Space Technology, Data Center / Infrastructure
- Founded
- 2002
- Employees
- 10000
- Stage
- Private
Starcloud raises $170M Series A at $1.1B valuation to fund two satellites for orbital data centres
Starcloud raised $170 million in a Series A led by Benchmark and EQT Ventures at a $1.1 billion valuation to fund its next two satellites and advance orbital data-centre development, bringing total funding to $200 million. The Redmond startup already operates an Nvidia H100 GPU in orbit, trained the first AI model in space, and is building Starship-class spacecraft to make orbital data centres cost-competitive with terrestrial facilities.
Starcloud Raises $170M, Reaches $1.1B Valuation to Build Solar-Powered Space Data Centers
Starcloud, a Redmond-based startup building solar-powered space data centers, raised $170 million to reach a $1.1 billion valuation just 17 months after its Y Combinator demo day. The company demonstrated AI computing in orbit with its Starcloud-1 satellite and plans a more powerful Starcloud-2 launch later this year.
Brinc Drones Moves to 35,000 Sq Ft Seattle HQ and Factory, Plans Expansion to 50,000 Sq Ft Amid Rapid Growth
Brinc Drones is relocating its headquarters and factory to a 35,000-square-foot space at West Canal Yards in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood, doubling its production footprint to support rapid growth. The company, which develops drones for first responders and employs 160 people, plans to expand to 50,000 square feet and expects to exceed 250 employees by year-end.
Aetherflux, Founded by Robinhood's Baiju Bhatt, Expands to Seattle for Solar-Powered Orbital Data Center Satellite Development
Aetherflux, a space startup founded in 2024 by Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt, is expanding to Seattle to develop solar-powered orbital data center satellites aimed at supporting AI energy needs, with a commercial launch planned for 2027. The company joins a growing aerospace community in Seattle, focusing on leveraging space-based infrastructure to overcome limitations of ground-based AI computing resources.
Stoke Space Raises $350M More in Series D, Totals $860M to Ready Reusable Nova Rocket for First 2024 Launch
Stoke Space Technologies has raised an additional $350 million in its Series D round, totaling $860 million, to support completion of its Florida launch complex and production of its reusable Nova rocket. The medium-lift Nova vehicle is expected to launch for the first time from Cape Canaveral later this year.
Blue Origin Reveals 5,408-Satellite TeraWave Network Offering Up to 6 Tbps Speeds, Launching from 2027
Blue Origin announced TeraWave, a satellite network with up to 6 Tbps symmetrical speeds over 5,408 laser-linked satellites planned to launch starting in late 2027. The network targets high-throughput data center and enterprise customers, posing competition to SpaceX Starlink and Amazon Leo services.
FCC Restricts Chinese Drones, Boosting Seattle-Based Brinc and Washington’s Domestic Drone Industry
New U.S. federal restrictions on foreign-made drones, especially targeting Chinese company DJI, are expected to boost Washington state’s domestic drone manufacturing industry, creating thousands of jobs. Seattle’s existing aerospace talent and companies like Boeing and Amazon Prime Air position it as a key beneficiary of this industry shift.
GeekWire Honors Six 'Uncommon Thinkers' Transforming Industries with Innovative Startups in 2025
GeekWire's third annual 'Uncommon Thinkers' honors six innovators including Anindya Roy, Kiana Ehsani, and Jeff Thornburg, who are leading startups transforming industries with breakthrough technologies in biotech, social media, and space propulsion. These leaders will be celebrated at the GeekWire Gala in Seattle for their creative and mission-driven approaches to solving significant challenges.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Explored Investing in Seattle’s Stoke Space for Orbital Data Centers to Challenge SpaceX in 2024
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman explored investing in Seattle startup Stoke Space to develop orbital data centers, aiming to compete with SpaceX and other tech giants in space-based AI data processing. Talks occurred in 2024 but are currently inactive, reflecting a growing tech interest in off-Earth data infrastructures.
Seattle Startup Gradial Raises $35M Series B to Expand AI Platform Automating Enterprise Marketing Workflows
Seattle startup Gradial raised $35 million in a Series B round led by VMG Partners to expand its AI platform that automates enterprise marketing workflows. The company's total funding is $55 million, valuing it at $350 million, with clients including AWS, Prudential, and T-Mobile.
Simular Raises $21.5M Series A Led by Felicis to Launch AI PC Agents on Mac and Windows
Simular, a startup creating AI agents for Mac OS and Windows that can control PCs by mimicking human actions, has raised $21.5 million in Series A funding led by Felicis. The company recently released its Mac OS agent and is collaborating with Microsoft on a Windows version as part of the Windows 365 for Agents program.
Unlock Venture Partners Q3 2025: Possible Finance tops 1M customers and $750M saved; Fund III targets $150M
Unlock Venture Partners’ Q3 2025 newsletter highlights portfolio wins, sector insights, and a new fund — Possible Finance reached record ARR with over 1M customers saving $750M from predatory lending, while SpaceTech raised $5.8B in Q3 and portfolio companies Auriga Space and Sophia Space achieved notable funding and validation. The firm announced Fund III targeting $150M, celebrated community events like a Singapore F1 founders’ gathering, and reiterated focus on AI, SpaceTech, and Robotics.
Portal Space Systems to Launch Starburst Maneuverable Spacecraft in 2026 on SpaceX’s Transporter-18 Mission
Portal Space Systems is launching Starburst, a rapid-maneuverability spacecraft leveraging technologies from its Supernova platform, with a first mission planned for 2026 on SpaceX’s Transporter-18. Starburst aims to enhance satellite constellation operations for national security and commercial use.
Stoke Space Raises $510M Series D and $100M Debt to Accelerate Reusable Nova Rocket Development
Stoke Space Technologies raised $510 million in a Series D funding round led by Thomas Tull's US Innovative Technology Fund, alongside a $100 million debt facility, to accelerate development of its fully reusable Nova rocket. The company aims to complete development and demonstrate the rocket's first flight by next year, targeting reusability of both rocket stages to reduce launch costs.
Jeff Bezos Predicts Orbital Gigawatt Data Centers Powered by Solar Energy Within 20 Years to Support AI
Jeff Bezos predicts gigawatt-scale orbital data centers powered by continuous solar energy will be the future for efficiently supporting AI and tech industry growth, with a transition expected over the next 10-20 years. These space-based centers aim to surpass terrestrial data centers in cost-effectiveness, continuing space's role in benefiting Earth.
Robotics Startup FieldAI Valued at $2 Billion After $405 Million Funding Led by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos
FieldAI, a California-based robotics startup backed by Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and others, raised $405 million, valuing the company at $2 billion. The company develops unique foundation models that enable various robots to operate autonomously in dynamic and unstructured environments across multiple industries.
Amazon Project Kuiper Successfully Launches New Satellites with SpaceX Support
Amazon's Project Kuiper successfully launched another batch of satellites into orbit with the assistance of SpaceX, as announced by Panos Panay. This marks ongoing progress in Amazon's satellite internet initiative.
GeekWire Week in Review: Bill Gates Pledges $200B, Statsig Hits $1.1B Valuation, Seattle Startups Raise Millions in May 2025
This GeekWire Week in Review highlights top tech stories including Bill Gates' $200 billion philanthropy pledge, Seattle startups raising significant capital, and the emergence of new AI-driven unicorn Statsig valued at $1.1 billion. It also covers local news like a controversial Washington EV tax and cultural moments involving Seattle figures.
Portal Space Systems Raises $17.5M to Develop Solar Thermal Propulsion Spacecraft with 2026 Launch
Portal Space Systems raised $17.5 million in seed funding led by AlleyCorp to develop its Supernova spacecraft, which uses solar thermal propulsion for rapid orbital maneuvers. The company plans to demonstrate the technology with a launch scheduled for mid-2026.
U.S. Space Force Adds Stoke Space and Rocket Lab to $5.6B National Security Launch Program
The U.S. Space Force has added Stoke Space and Rocket Lab USA as providers for its $5.6 billion national security launch program, awarding each a $5 million task order to assess their launch capabilities. Both companies, along with Blue Origin, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance, can compete for launch contracts through mid-2029, using their respective rockets still in development.
Seattle AI Marketing Startup Gradial Raises $13M Series A Led by Madrona to Scale Automation Platform
Seattle startup Gradial raised $13 million in a Series A round led by Madrona to expand its AI platform that automates marketing content operations. The company has experienced 30x revenue growth and plans to double its staff to accelerate product development and customer acquisition.
Starcloud Raises $10M More, Totaling $21M Seed to Launch Solar-Powered Orbital Data Centers
Starcloud, formerly Lumen Orbit, has raised a total of $21 million in seed funding to develop space-based data centers powered by large solar panel arrays. These orbital data centers aim to reduce terrestrial data center impacts and improve processing of satellite data by handling computations in space.
Blue Origin to Lay Off 1,400 Employees Amid Shift to Speed Up Manufacturing Post-New Glenn Launch
Blue Origin announced it will lay off about 10% of its nearly 14,000 employees to reduce bureaucracy and better align roles with company priorities following the successful launch of its New Glenn rocket. CEO Dave Limp emphasized the need to focus on scaling manufacturing and launch cadence efficiently to compete with SpaceX.
Seattle Venture Firm Fuse Launches $1M Space Startup Program Backed by $250M Fund in 2023
Seattle-based venture capital firm Fuse has launched the Fuse Space Program to invest $1 million or more in promising early-stage space startups, focusing on the Seattle space ecosystem. Backed by a $250 million fund raised in 2023, Fuse plans to support around 10 companies, leveraging expertise from leaders of Lumen Orbit and Quindar.
Stoke Space Raises $260M to Advance Fully Reusable Nova Rocket and Build Florida Launch Site
Stoke Space has raised $260 million in a Series C funding round to advance the development of its fully reusable Nova rocket and build a launch complex in Florida, bringing total funding to $480 million. The company recently completed a key test firing of its Zenith rocket engine and aims for a first orbital test flight of the Nova rocket this year.
