Orbital Lasers Raises Seed Round Funding

Orbital Lasers Co., Ltd.  is pleased to announce the successful completion of a seed funding round. Through convertible equity, the company has raised a total of 900 million Yen from SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President & CEO: Eiichi Yonekura, “SKY Perfect JSAT”), UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. and SMBC Venture Capital.

Established in January 2024 as a carve-out from SKY Perfect JSAT, Orbital Lasers focuses on space debris removal and satellite LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) businesses, leveraging cutting-edge satellite laser technology. The additional funding secured in this round, beyond the initial investment from SKY Perfect JSAT, will enable the company to advance research and development, scale its engineering team, and accelerate its path toward commercialization.

Orbital Lasers is developing compact pulsed-laser devices for space applications that deliver peak power approximately ten times greater than that of existing technologies. By utilizing this compact and highly efficient space-based laser technology, Orbital Lasers plans to deploy a small LiDAR satellite constellation capable of measuring precise altitude worldwide and facilitating space debris removal with laser detumbling payloads. Orbital Lasers aims to expand the application of its advanced space-based laser systems ranging from Low Earth Orbit missions to deep space exploration, unlocking new possibilities for humanity's utilization of space.

Orbital Lasers CEO Tadanori Fukushima’s Statement “We are very grateful to UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. and SMBC Venture Capital for participating in this seed round, and we are determined to meet their expectations with unwavering commitment. This investment will enhance our technological development and boost businesses to achieve our mission. Orbital Lasers, leveraging highly efficient and high powerful space laser technology co-developed with RIKEN, is engaged in the space debris removal and the satellite LiDAR businesses. This funding will further advance our technological development and strengthen the foundation necessary to achieve our goal of ‘pioneering new frontiers in space exploration and creating innovative value for humanity’.”

Eiichi Yonekura, Representative Director, President & CEO, SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation:  “We are excited to welcome the UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd. and SMBC Venture Capital to our seed funding round. Orbital Lasers’ innovative technology is set to revolutionize the space industry. SKY Perfect JSAT is proud to support their growth and contribute to the advancement of the space sector.”

Takahiro Mizumoto, Chief Investment Officer AOI Fund 1, UTokyo Innovation Platform Co., Ltd.: “It has been over two years since I first met Mr. Fukushima and his team. Since then, their business has expanded from space debris removal to satellite LiDAR and other applications, solidifying our confidence in the potential of high-power space lasers and making our determination to invest in Orbital Lasers. The carve out from a major corporation that had been prioritized to the extent of being featured in TV commercials, co-developed technologies and applications in collaboration with national research and university organizations, is expected to become a new role model for startups. On a personal note, it has been six years since we invested in a satellite startup, following our investment in three companies in 2018. So, I am very much looking forward to the future.”

Shingo Yamauchi, General Manager of Investment Sales Department 2, SMBC Venture Capital Corporation: “The space industry is expected to be a significant growth sector in the Japanese economy, and the miniaturization and efficiency improvement of laser systems for space applications is one of the most critical challenges in creating new markets. Orbital Lasers aims to develop high-power, compact, and highly efficient lasers that can be used in space, creating innovative solutions for challenges such as space debris removal and ground surface observation. These advancements will further enhance the usability of space. We fully support their endeavours to bring a sustainable and prosperous future to people and society by leveraging the full resources of the SMBC Group.”