StarCloud Raises $250 Million to Expand Satellite-Based AI Compute

StarCloud raised a $250 million Series A extension at a $2.3 billion valuation. NVIDIA invested $25 million, while Cisco and other investors also joined the round. The company plans to use the capital to book launches for 2028 and 2029, support pilots with large data-center companies and move into larger manufacturing facilities to ramp production.

StarCloud-1, launched in November last year, carries an NVIDIA H100 and remains operational. The company is testing high-powered inference on satellite imagery, particularly synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, for various military and government applications.

Three launches are booked for next year—two in the first quarter and one toward the end of the year. StarCloud has also signed a SpaceX contract covering laser terminals and connectivity for its next 25 satellites. Launch-provider deposits are generally 10–20% and refundable if a launch does not occur, although deposits for more experimental rockets carry greater risk.