Spacetech startup SatLeo Labs raises $2.2 million to advance its flagship thermal satellite mission

SatLeo Labs, a spacetech startup focused on capturing high-resolution thermal & visible data from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) has raised $2.2 million in a seed funding round led by Unicorn India Ventures.

The round also saw participation from existing investors Merak Ventures, Java Capital, IIMA-CIIE and Deep tech Investor Manish Gandhi. With this, SatLeo has raised $5.5 million in total funding to date. 

SatLeo Labs is focused on building an advanced multi-spectral satellite constellation combining thermal (IR) and visible imaging to deliver continuous, high-resolution Earth observation insights.

The startup's platform enables applications across defence, agriculture, disaster response, and urban climate intelligence, helping governments and enterprises make data-driven, sovereign decisions and build climate-resilient systems at scale.

It will use the raised capital to advance its flagship thermal satellite mission and the development of its AI-powered platform for thermal intelligence applications.

SatLeo said it has delivered its first experimental thermal payload, TAPAS-1, for satellite integration within six months, reaching TRL-8 readiness and positioning the system for launch. The startup also began translating its technology into real-world deployments through commercial pilot projects, including urban heat island and air-pollution monitoring initiatives with cities such as Ahmedabad and Tumakuru, impacting more than 400,000 citizens.

Additionally, it claims to have built a commercial pipeline, with Letters of Intent (LOIs) growing from approximately $15 million to over $42 million within the year.

“Sustainability has become imperative amid accelerating climate change, rapid urbanization, and increasing global uncertainties driven by heat anomalies," said Shravan Bhati, Co-founder & CEO, SatLeo Labs.

“At SatLeo Labs, we are developing a state-of-the-art thermal imaging satellite constellation designed to deliver actionable thermal intelligence at scale. This fundraise represents a critical milestone as we transition into the execution phase of our next mission—advancing payload performance, accelerating constellation deployment, and scaling our global thermal data capabilities.”