£30m enables SatVu to build thermal-imaging satellites to monitor defence and infrastructure
This article covers SatVu, a space startup that has raised £30m in a growth funding round led by the NATO Innovation Fund to build a constellation of thermal-imaging satellites to deliver persistent thermal intelligence for defence, security and infrastructure monitoring. The funding aims to accelerate near-term launches and scale SatVu’s capability to support governments and allied agencies and to strengthen sovereign earth observation capacity.
SatVu, a space startup, has raised £30 million in a growth funding round led by the NATO Innovation Fund to build a constellation of thermal-imaging satellites intended to deliver persistent thermal intelligence for defence, security and infrastructure monitoring. The round also includes investment from British Business Bank, SPARX Space Frontiers Fund and Presto Tech Horizons and will fund near-term launches and the wider build-out of SatVu’s capability.
Why it matters
Thermal imagery from orbit offers a different data layer to conventional optical satellites. It records heat signatures day and night and through some obscurants, revealing activity inside and around buildings and critical infrastructure that is otherwise invisible. For governments and allied agencies this can inform assessments of activity, readiness and operational change, and strengthen sovereign decision-making where certainty is required.
A dedicated thermal constellation increases revisit frequency, allowing customers to track patterns of life and short-term operational change across multiple sites. That capability is increasingly sought after as defence and security agencies look for independent, verifiable intelligence that complements existing sensors and commercial imagery.
Inside the product
SatVu’s system centres on small satellites equipped with high-resolution thermal sensors. The company says this approach can detect heat signatures linked to logistics, operations and infrastructure use across dispersed locations, and that a multi-satellite constellation will enable more frequent monitoring than single-satellite solutions.
Two satellites, HotSat-2 and HotSat-3, are planned for orbit in 2026. HotSat-4 and HotSat-5 are under contract, and long-lead elements for HotSat-6 have also been initiated to support constellation delivery. The funding is intended to accelerate these launches and scale the ground and data processing infrastructure needed for sustained operations.
Who are the investors?
The £30 million round is led by the NATO Innovation Fund. Other named backers are British Business Bank, SPARX Space Frontiers Fund and Presto Tech Horizons. The announcement frames the investment as backing for a UK-built, sovereign thermal capability intended to serve governments across the UK and allied nations.
In the announcement, Trisha Saxena, Investor at NATO Innovation Fund, said:
SatVu’s thermal intelligence technology can provide governments and businesses across NATO nations with a level of detailed data that was simply not available before. We are pleased to support SatVu as it revolutionises the earth observation market, delivering critical insights to the security, finance and commodities sectors to help safeguard defence and economic activity across the Alliance.
In the announcement, George Mills, Investor at British Business Bank, said:
SatVu has created a unique technology at a time of great demand for defence innovation. They have proved the strategic value of their technology so we are pleased to provide the funding that will help them to scale and win further contracts.
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Founder perspective
In the announcement, Anthony Baker, Co-founder & CEO at SatVu, said:
This investment enables us to scale a UK-built, sovereign thermal capability into a multi-satellite constellation supporting government customers in the UK and across Allied nations worldwide. From monitoring critical infrastructure and military supply chains, to detecting covert activity and verifying what others cannot, thermal intelligence is essential to modern ISR. This round strengthens our ability to deliver at scale, accelerating our strategy and increasing our agility to respond to evolving defence and security requirements - positioning SatVu to be the partner of choice for nations that cannot afford uncertainty in an increasingly contested world.
In the announcement, Camilla Taylor, CFO at SatVu, said:
This funding secures SatVu’s path to execute at scale. We have a clear and credible path to a multi-satellite constellation, accompanied by investors that match the ambition and pace of the business. This round provides the ability to move fast into sustained delivery this year - driving a major value inflection as we scale commercial operations and position the business for its next growth phase.
The bigger picture
The deal highlights growing interest from space investors in sovereign earth observation capabilities that can be trusted by defence and allied governments. NATO Innovation Fund’s lead role signals a willingness among alliance-linked investors to back commercially structured projects that also meet security and sovereignty requirements.
For the UK space ecosystem, the round combines public-backed finance with private and international capital. Participation from the British Business Bank underlines a continuing focus on supporting domestic space businesses through later-stage funding as they move from demonstration to sustained operational delivery.
The funding will be watched as an indicator of how quickly satellite thermal imagery can move from niche technology to a routine part of national and allied intelligence toolkits across the UK and Europe.
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