South African Company Simera Sense Raises USD 14.7 M

South Africa-based Simera Sense, one of the world leaders in providing end-to-end optical payload solutions to the small satellite Earth observation industry, has raised €13.5 million (USD 14.76 M)  from investors NewSpace Capital and Knife Capital in its first major fundraise. Simera will use the funding to further develop its product range, increase production capacity and accelerate on-board processing capabilities, which would transform the market.

Founded in 2018, Simera Sense offers a diverse array of ‘off-the-shelf’ high-resolution cameras ready for use by clients across the global small satellite industry. Its suite of high-resolution, ‘off-the-shelf’ cameras are used by diverse clients across a wide range of industries. Another key area of development for Simera Sense is the inclusion of industry-transforming on-board data processing, embedded in the camera control electronics. Already under development, it will be a market first, as data from satellite cameras is typically processed on the ground, stretching bandwidth and creating communication issues.