SatLeo Labs raises US$3.3 million to fuel India’s thermal space tech

30 Apr 2025 CW Team

The funding will be used to accelerate the development of SatLeo Labs’ proprietary thermal imaging payload, conduct key feasibility studies, and secure regulatory approvals. It will also support team expansion, infrastructure setup, and pilot testing to validate the company’s technology and strengthen industry partnerships.

“Each 1°C rise in temperature can reduce global GDP by up to 10%. Our thermal data helps detect risks before they turn into billion-dollar losses — from crop failures to wildfires. At SatLeo, we’re transforming space data into real-world resilience,” said Shravan Bhati, Co-founder & CEO of SatLeo Labs.

“Earth Observation (EO) data is projected to exceed USD 700 billion by 2030, contributing USD 3.8 trillion to global GDP. Beyond economics, thermal EO can help cut 2 Gigatonnes of GHG emissions annually and drive nature-positive action,” added Urmil Bakhai, Co-founder & CSO.

Dr. Ranendu Ghosh, Co-founder & CTO, stated, “We are pioneering a dual-band, high-resolution thermal payload designed for fused multispectral imaging—empowering sustainable solutions across agriculture, environmental conservation, climate-resilient urban planning, and strategic defence.”

SatLeo Labs has already secured over USD 25 million in Letters of Intent (LOIs) from potential clients. With an experienced team, including former ISRO scientists, and collaborations with ISRO and IN-SPACe, the startup is well-positioned to disrupt the geospatial analytics sector with its cutting-edge thermal imaging technology.

“Our investment in SatLeo Labs is rooted in a clear thesis – thermal imagery from space is still vastly underutilised, and its commercial applications are only set to grow in ways we may not yet fully grasp. We’re backing them for a genuine tech breakthrough that makes thermal data more useful, accessible, and affordable. Just as importantly, they bring a rare combination of DeepTech expertise and real-world application insights,” said Sheetal Bahl, Partner at Merak Ventures.

SatLeo Labs aims to launch its first thermal imaging satellite soon, strengthening India’s position in commercial space technology and targeting global markets.

SatLeo Labs, a space-tech startup focused on capturing high-resolution thermal and visible data from Low Earth Orbit (LEO), has raised USD 3.3 million in its pre-seed funding round. The round was led by Merak Ventures, with participation from Huddle Ventures, GVFL, Java Capital, IIMA Ventures, PointOne Capital, and angel investors Manish Gandhi and Dheer Baldua. The funding will be used to accelerate the development of SatLeo Labs’ proprietary thermal imaging payload, conduct key feasibility studies, and secure regulatory approvals. It will also support team expansion, infrastructure setup, and pilot testing to validate the company’s technology and strengthen industry partnerships. “Each 1°C rise in temperature can reduce global GDP by up to 10%. Our thermal data helps detect risks before they turn into billion-dollar losses — from crop failures to wildfires. At SatLeo, we’re transforming space data into real-world resilience,” said Shravan Bhati, Co-founder & CEO of SatLeo Labs. “Earth Observation (EO) data is projected to exceed USD 700 billion by 2030, contributing USD 3.8 trillion to global GDP. Beyond economics, thermal EO can help cut 2 Gigatonnes of GHG emissions annually and drive nature-positive action,” added Urmil Bakhai, Co-founder & CSO. Dr. Ranendu Ghosh, Co-founder & CTO, stated, “We are pioneering a dual-band, high-resolution thermal payload designed for fused multispectral imaging—empowering sustainable solutions across agriculture, environmental conservation, climate-resilient urban planning, and strategic defence.” SatLeo Labs has already secured over USD 25 million in Letters of Intent (LOIs) from potential clients. With an experienced team, including former ISRO scientists, and collaborations with ISRO and IN-SPACe, the startup is well-positioned to disrupt the geospatial analytics sector with its cutting-edge thermal imaging technology. “Our investment in SatLeo Labs is rooted in a clear thesis – thermal imagery from space is still vastly underutilised, and its commercial applications are only set to grow in ways we may not yet fully grasp. We’re backing them for a genuine tech breakthrough that makes thermal data more useful, accessible, and affordable. Just as importantly, they bring a rare combination of DeepTech expertise and real-world application insights,” said Sheetal Bahl, Partner at Merak Ventures. SatLeo Labs aims to launch its first thermal imaging satellite soon, strengthening India’s position in commercial space technology and targeting global markets.

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