Hardware

HawkEye 360 raises $145M to scale space-based radio frequency data and analytics

Comment

Image Credits: HawkEye 360 (opens in a new window)

The biggest players in the Earth observation industry use imaging satellites to deliver intelligence and analytics, but startup HawkEye 360 is taking a different tack. The company monitors radio frequency (RF) signals, like those emitted by marine radios or emergency beacons, on the premise that invisible electromagnetic spectrum is as ripe for information as the visible world.

Investors agree, to the tune of $145 million in new funding as part of HawkEye’s Series D round. The round was led by Insight Partners and Seraphim Space Investment Trust, with additional funding from United Arab Emirates-based Strategic Development Fund. New investors Jacobs, Gula Tech Adventures, 116 Street Ventures and New North Ventures also participated, as well as existing investors Advance, Razor’s Edge, NightDragon, SVB Capital, Shield Capital and Adage Capital.

Since its founding in 2015, HawkEye has already racked up a large network of partners and has launched nine satellites in orbit. Unique to its constellation is that the spacecraft fly in clusters of three, an architecture that CEO John Serafini said allows the company to geolocate the RF signals. An additional seven clusters — 21 satellites — are financed and under development; the company aims to launch those to orbit by the middle of 2023.

Image Credits: HawkEye 360 (opens in a new window)

Much of the geospatial intelligence industry is bifurcated between companies that own satellites and collect data, and companies that buy that data and convert it into intelligence, Serafini explained. Instead, HawkEye has positioned itself as fully vertically integrated from the start, building the payload in-house, operating the spacecraft, processing the data and applying its own data analysis and selling that intelligence to customers under a software-as-a-service model.

HawkEye is also focusing specifically on government applications, with the U.S. government and international defense and intelligence customers.

“We wanted to be very clear that the value proposition of commercial RF lends itself to defense, security, intelligence [and] some civil applications, and we wanted to build our DNA uniquely to make those government customers successful,” he said. “I have a saying that you can’t minor in U.S. government sales. You have to be all-in.”

The company works with a satellite manufacturer, Toronto-based UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory, to integrate the payload to the satellite. Most recently, a trio of satellites was launched at the end of June aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare mission, reaching orbit using Spaceflight’s Sherpa-FX orbital transfer vehicle.

Since the start of this year, HawkEye has secured $50 million in contracts. Looking to the future, the startup wants to use the new funding to double the size of the planned constellation, from 10 clusters to 20, which Serafini said would provide a revisit rate of around 12 minutes to nearly anywhere on Earth. HawkEye also plans on branching into spacecraft assembly in parallel with the partnership with Space Flight Lab, in order to scale its constellation even faster.

More TechCrunch

The TechCrunch team runs down all of the biggest news from the Apple WWDC 2024 keynote in an easy-to-skim digest.

Here’s everything Apple announced at the WWDC 2024 keynote, including Apple Intelligence, Siri makeover

Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch Space. What a week! In the same seven-day period, we watched Boeing’s Starliner launch astronauts to space for the first time, and then we…

TechCrunch Space: A week that will go down in history

Elon Musk’s posts seem to misunderstand the relationship Apple announced with OpenAI at WWDC 2024.

Elon Musk threatens to ban Apple devices from his companies over Apple’s ChatGPT integrations

“We’re looking forward to doing integrations with other models, including Google Gemini, for instance, in the future,” Federighi said during WWDC 2024.

Apple confirms plans to work with Google’s Gemini ‘in the future’

When Urvashi Barooah applied to MBA programs in 2015, she focused her applications around her dream of becoming a venture capitalist. She got rejected from every school, and was told…

How Urvashi Barooah broke into venture after everyone told her she couldn’t

Slack CEO Denise Dresser is speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024.

Slack CEO Denise Dresser is coming to TechCrunch Disrupt this October

Apple kicked off its weeklong Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2024) event today with the customary keynote at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. The presentation focused on the company’s software offerings…

Watch the Apple Intelligence reveal, and the rest of WWDC 2024 right here

Apple’s SDKs (software development kits) have been updated with a variety of new APIs and frameworks.

Apple brings its GenAI ‘Apple Intelligence’ to developers, will let Siri control apps

Older iPhones or iPhone 15 users won’t be able to use these features.

Apple Intelligence features will be available on iPhone 15 Pro and devices with M1 or newer chips

Soon, Siri will be able to tap ChatGPT for “expertise” where it might be helpful, Apple says.

Apple brings ChatGPT to its apps, including Siri

Apple Intelligence will have an understanding of who you’re talking with in a messaging conversation.

Apple debuts AI-generated … Bitmoji

To use InSight, Apple TV+ subscribers can swipe down on their remote to bring up a display with actor names and character information in real time.

Apple TV+ introduces InSight, a new feature similar to Amazon’s X-Ray, at WWDC 2024

Siri is now more natural, more relevant and more personal — and it has new look.

Apple gives Siri an AI makeover

The company has been pushing the feature as integral to all of its various operating system offerings, including iOS, macOS and the latest, VisionOS.

Apple Intelligence is the company’s new generative AI offering

In addition to all the features you can find in the Passwords menu today, there’s a new column on the left that lets you more easily navigate your password collection.

Apple is launching its own password manager app

With Smart Script, Apple says it’s making handwriting your notes even smoother and straighter.

Smart Script in iPadOS 18 will clean up your handwriting when using an Apple Pencil

iOS’ perennial tips calculating app is finally coming to the larger screen.

Calculator for iPad does the math for you

The new OS, announced at WWDC 2024, will allow users to mirror their iPhone screen directly on their Mac and even control it.

With macOS Sequoia, you can mirror your iPhone on your Mac

At Apple’s WWDC 2024, the company announced MacOS Sequoia.

Apple unveils macOS Sequoia

“Messages via Satellite,” announced at Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote, works much like the SOS feature does.

iPhones will soon text via satellite

Apple says the new design will lead to less time searching for photos.

Apple revamps its Photos app for iOS 18

Users will be able to lock an app when they hand over their phone.

iOS 18 will let you hide and lock apps

Apple’s WWDC 2024 keynote was packed, including a number of key new updates for iOS 18. One of the more interesting additions is Tap to Cash, which is more or…

Tap to Cash lets you pay by touching iPhones

In iOS 18, Apple will now support long-requested functionality, like the ability to set app icons and widgets wherever you want.

iOS 18 will finally let you customize your icons and unlock them from the grid

As expected, this is a pivotal moment for the mobile platform as iOS 18 is going to focus on artificial intelligence.

Apple unveils iOS 18 with tons of AI-powered features

Apple today kicked off what it promised would be a packed WWDC 2024 with a handful of visionOS announcements. At the top of the list is the ability to turn…

visionOS can now make spatial photos out of 3D images

The Apple Vision Pro is now available in eight new countries.

Apple to release Vision Pro in international markets

VisionOS 2 will come to Vision Pro as a free update later this year.

Apple debuts visionOS 2 at WWDC 2024

The security firm said the attacks targeting Snowflake customers is “ongoing,” suggesting the number of affected companies may rise.

Mandiant says hackers stole a ‘significant volume of data’ from Snowflake customers

French startup Kelvin, which uses computer vision and machine learning to make it easier to audit homes for energy efficiency, has raised $5.1M.

Kelvin wants to help save the planet by applying AI to home energy audits