UK-based space technology firm SatVu has raised £30 million ($40 million) in fresh funding to accelerate its plans for a multi-satellite thermal imaging constellation. The investment includes strategic support from the NATO Innovation Fund and brings SatVu’s total equity funding to £60 million ($80 million).
The round also attracted backing from the British Business Bank, Space Frontiers Fund II, managed by SPARX Asset Management, and Presto Tech Horizons, alongside existing investors Molten Ventures and Lockheed Martin. The funding will allow SatVu to move from single-satellite demonstrations to full-scale deployment of its space-based “Activity Intelligence” platform.
SatVu’s technology captures high-resolution thermal imagery from space to detect heat signatures around buildings, industrial sites, and critical infrastructure both day and night. The company says its system enables governments and institutions to monitor operational readiness, infrastructure performance, and activity patterns in ways traditional commercial sensors cannot.
Two satellites, HotSat-2 and HotSat-3, are scheduled for launch in 2026, with HotSat-4, HotSat-5, and key components for HotSat-6 already under contract. While a single satellite can observe any point on Earth, a constellation increases revisit frequency, allowing continuous monitoring of patterns of life and operational changes.
Anthony Baker, SatVu co-founder and chief executive, said the funding will help scale a sovereign thermal capability built in the UK. “High-resolution thermal imagery from space reveals activity that is otherwise invisible,” he said. “From monitoring military supply chains to detecting covert activity, thermal intelligence is essential to modern ISR.”
The NATO Innovation Fund highlighted the platform’s strategic value. Trisha Saxena, from NATO, said SatVu’s technology provides “a level of detailed data that was simply not available before,” supporting allied security and operational awareness.
SatVu has also benefited from UK defence innovation programmes, including a Defence Innovation Loan through the Defence and Security Accelerator. Luke Pollard, UK government minister, said the investment illustrates the government’s commitment to supporting British defence SMEs, building sovereign capabilities while boosting economic growth.
Camilla Taylor, SatVu’s chief financial officer, described the funding as a “pivotal step” that provides a clear path to a multi-satellite constellation and sustained delivery. She noted that the company is now moving from capability demonstration to commercial scaling, positioning itself as a leading supplier of sovereign thermal intelligence.
As governments increasingly prioritise resilience, independent intelligence, and infrastructure monitoring, SatVu’s constellation is expected to become a critical tool for defence, security, and economic decision-making. The company aims to expand its satellites rapidly and establish a persistent thermal observation capability across NATO nations and allied partners.
