French startup Sophia Space has raised $3.5 million in seed funding to advance its ambitious plan to create data centers in orbit, a concept that could reshape the future of space-based computing.
According to SpaceNews, the funding round was led by French deep-tech investor Karista, with support from BACS Investment and Space Founders France, a European accelerator backed by CNES, the French space agency. This injection of capital will help Sophia Space develop its platform for on-orbit edge computing, targeting applications in Earth observation, satellite communications, and space exploration.
The company aims to launch its first demonstrator mission by 2026, which will test data processing capabilities aboard a small satellite. The goal is to reduce the amount of data sent back to Earth by handling some computational tasks directly in space, improving speed and efficiency for data-heavy operations.
As Data Center Dynamics mentioned, Sophia Space envisions orbiting facilities that can manage tasks such as image analysis, AI processing, and encryption in real time. This would reduce latency and relieve bandwidth constraints for satellite operators, a growing concern as demand for space-based data continues to surge.
Founded in 2023, the Paris-based company is part of a growing wave of startups pushing the boundaries of edge computing beyond Earth’s atmosphere. The recent funding marks a significant step forward in realizing Sophia Space’s vision of scalable, autonomous orbital data centers.
