Pierre Betrand, Skynopy CEO, left, and CTO Antonin Hirsch, right. Photo: Skynopy

Paris-based space startup Skynopy has raised $3.1 million to simplify operations for satellites in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). The company, which was founded in October 2023, has a pool of investors, including the pan-European fund Heartcore Capital, Kima Ventures, Better Angle, and BPI France, alongside well-known entrepreneurs like Thibaud Elziere (e-founders, Hexa) and Yohann Leroy, CEO of Maia Space.

Skynopy announced the funding, June 24. The company was formed in October 2023 by Pierre Bertrand, CEO, and Antonin Hirsch, CTO, both former directors at Loft Orbital. 

Skynopy aims to offer a seamless, simplified and worldwide service for satellite operators to send commands and receive data from satellites using its hybrid network of ground antennas. This “as-a-service” approach allows operators to focus on their missions without worrying about the technical details of connectivity or the infrastructure of ground antennas. It aims to make communication with satellites similar to the ease of using a mobile phone.

The funds raised will enable Skynopy to accelerate the commercial deployment of its “as-a-service” ground station offering. The startup has already signed industrial partnerships to integrate initial ground station networks and implement its vision of turnkey connectivity. This funding will also allow Skynopy to structure its teams through new recruitment.

“The ground segment, and specifically ground stations, is the third pillar of any space infrastructure, alongside the launch vehicle and the satellites. Today, industrial players and public policies have tended to underestimate this essential pillar, which is crucial for data creation and retrieval, representing up to 20 percent of a mission’s cost. Skynopy aims to solve this deadlock and offer a true innovation in the business model. In this context, this funding round marks a major milestone for Skynopy and the development of the first seamless satellite connectivity service, meeting the growing needs of the space industry,” Pierre Bertrand, CEO of Skynopy, said in a statement.