The NATO Innovation Fund has joined a £30 million funding round in UK-based SatVu to back science and technology that protects people’s futures. The raise brings SatVu’s total equity funding to £60 million.
The round also includes the British Business Bank, Space Frontiers Fund II managed by SPARX Asset Management Co. Ltd., and Presto Tech Horizons. Existing backers such as Molten Ventures, Adara Ventures, Ridgeline Ventures, NOA, Lockheed Martin, Seraphim Space Fund, and Stellar Ventures also participated.
Beyond a single-satellite demonstration
Founded by Anthony Baker and Tobias Reinicke in London, SatVu is moving beyond a single-satellite demonstration toward a multi-satellite network designed for persistence. Two spacecraft, HotSat-2 and HotSat-3, are scheduled for launch in 2026. Three more, such as HotSat-4 and HotSat-5, alongside long-lead elements of HotSat-6, are already under contract.
One satellite can image any location on Earth. A constellation, however, transforms that capability. Increased revisit rates enable continuous monitoring of mobilisation, operational readiness, and infrastructure status. Instead of isolated snapshots, customers can follow patterns of life and detect change throughout the day.
This shift represents a crucial inflection point. SatVu is now capitalised to complete near-term launches and build out the system required for scalable delivery. For sovereign and defence customers, the move from proof to execution signals credibility and long-term commitment.
Thermal vision that sees what others miss
SatVu delivers high-resolution thermal imagery at 3.5-metre resolution, capturing activity day and night. Unlike many commercial sensors, its technology detects operational changes inside and around buildings, across strategic sites and within contested environments.
This creates a new layer of “Activity Intelligence.” Governments can assess infrastructure resilience, monitor operational shifts and maintain independent visibility when other data sources fall short. The system is designed for reliability and sovereign control, supporting defence, security and critical infrastructure missions where trusted insight is essential.
From invisible heat to strategic intelligence
Beyond defence, SatVu’s thermal data reveals industrial and environmental activity that was previously invisible at commercial scale. It can track blast furnace output, cement production and data centre performance. It detects flaring intensity and shutdowns in oil and gas operations, as well as power generation patterns, including solar farms.
Supported by UK defence innovation programmes, including a Defence Innovation Loan from the Defence and Security Accelerator, SatVu is building a sovereign thermal capability aligned with rising demands for resilience and readiness.
As allied governments prioritise independent intelligence, SatVu’s expanding constellation positions thermal Earth observation as a strategic asset, not just a data source.
Camilla Taylor, Chief Financial Officer at SatVu, commented on the round: “This funding secures SatVu’s path to execute at scale. We have a clear and credible path to a multi-satellite constellation, accompanied by investors that match the ambition and pace of the business. “This round provides the ability to move fast into sustained delivery this year, driving a major value inflection as we scale commercial operations and position the business for its next growth phase.”
Anthony Baker, Co-Founder and CEO added: “SatVu was founded to give governments access to intelligence they cannot access elsewhere. High-resolution thermal imagery from space reveals activity that is otherwise invisible – day and night – including heat signatures associated with operations inside and around buildings and critical infrastructure. This allows governments to assess activity, readiness, and operational change, a critical new data layer that matters for defence, security, and sovereign decision-making.”
Trisha Saxena, Senior Associate at the NATO Innovation Fund said: “SatVu’s thermal intelligence technology can provide governments and businesses across NATO nations with a level of detailed data that was simply not available before. We are pleased to support SatVu as it revolutionises the earth observation market, delivering critical insights to the security, finance and commodities sectors to help safeguard defence and economic activity across the Alliance.”
George Mills, Investment Director at British Business Bank, said: “SatVu has created a unique technology at a time of great demand for defence innovation. They have proved the strategic value of their technology so we are pleased to provide the funding that will help them to scale and win further contracts.”
Luke Pollard, Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence, comments on the raise: “We are committed to strengthening national security by scaling British SMEs and start-ups which help keep the UK’s defence industry at the cutting edge of innovation. Last year we backed SatVu with a defence innovation loan, which has already helped spark £30 million further private investment through this funding round. Our support for defence firms through UK Defence Innovation is building British sovereign capabilities and driving economic growth across the country.”