Aug 21 (Reuters) - Starcloud, a startup building data centers in space, said on Friday it had raised $250 million at a $2.3 billion valuation, as it looks to expand AI infrastructure through orbital data centers.
SpaceX's blockbuster IPO has rekindled investor interest in the space industry, including in emerging areas such as orbital data centers.
Here are some details:
• Manhattan West led the round that included new investors Nvidia and Cisco Investments, alongside existing backers Benchmark, EQT and Soma, among others.
• The startup was previously valued at $1.1 billion in March, when it raised $170 million.
• The funding brings Starcloud's total capital raised to $450 million since its founding in 2024.
• The startup said it was working with Nvidia on the Nvidia Space-1 Vera Rubin Module, designed to withstand radiation and extreme conditions in orbit.
• The capital raised will be used to fund manufacturing capacity expansion, engineering collaboration with Nvidia and procurement for newer products.
• Starcloud is targeting a constellation of 88,000 satellites and 20 gigawatts of orbital compute capacity, and building a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Woodinville, Washington, for its next-generation Starcloud-3 spacecraft.
• Manhattan West's Lauren Selig has joined Starcloud's board as an observer.
(Reporting by Prathik Jayaprakash in Bengaluru)