An assembly view of Aethero’s NxN-ECM — Nvidia-NX/Nano Edge Computing Module. Photo: Aethero

Space computer and autonomous spacecraft startup Aethero raised an $8.4 million seed round to further its technology development.

Aethero, based in San Franciso, said the seed round was led by Kindred Ventures with participation from Neo, Giant Step, O’Shaughnessy Ventures, and Alumni Ventures.

In addition to supporting development of its space-grade hardware and software, Aethero said the funding supports two more demonstration satellite missions. Last August, the company launched its Deimos satellite equipped with its NxN edge computing model and software for over-the-air updates, onboard inference, and edge training for space platform adaptiveness.

Aethero says its artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies enable satellites to learn and respond to situations in real-time for swarm maneuvers, missile warning and tracking, and more.

“Aethero is redefining satellite technology by integrating advanced AI/ML software and computing to deliver unmatched performance in space,” Amit Pinnamaneni, CTO and co-founder of Aethero said in a release. “Our systems fundamentally change how data is processed and decisions are made in orbit to offer more efficiency and autonomous capabilities than traditional satellite systems. Our innovative approach positions us to lead in the space sector, driving defense and commercial advancements for years to come.”

This story was first published by Defense Daily