NATO Innovation Fund Backs SatVu’s £30M Raise to Scale Sovereign Thermal Intelligence Constellation

The race to secure sovereign, space-based intelligence capabilities is accelerating across NATO nations. At the center of this shift is SatVu, the UK-based thermal intelligence company that is transforming how governments monitor operational activity and infrastructure performance from orbit.

Recently, SatVu announced it had closed a £30 million ($40 million) funding round, bringing its total equity funding to £60 million ($80 million). The round includes a strategic investment from the NATO Innovation Fund, alongside the British Business Bank, Space Frontiers Fund II (managed by SPARX Asset Management), and Presto Tech Horizons.

The investment signals more than capital infusion; it marks a decisive shift from single-satellite validation to constellation-scale execution.

From Demonstration to Constellation

SatVu has already proven the viability of high-resolution thermal imaging from space. Now, the company is moving toward persistent, scalable delivery.

Two satellites, HotSat-2 and HotSat-3, are planned for launch in 2026. Three additional satellites are already under contract: HotSat-4, HotSat-5, and long-lead components of HotSat-6.

While a single satellite can observe any point on Earth, a constellation dramatically increases revisit frequency. For defense and sovereign customers, that translates into:

• Persistent monitoring of operational readiness

• Tracking activity patterns throughout the day

• Detecting subtle changes in infrastructure performance

• Establishing reliable “patterns of life” intelligence

In short, thermal intelligence moves from episodic insight to continuous strategic awareness.

Why Thermal Intelligence Matters Now

Traditional Earth observation relies heavily on optical or radar imaging. Thermal data introduces an entirely new intelligence layer, revealing heat signatures associated with activity inside and around buildings, critical infrastructure, industrial facilities, and military assets.

According to SatVu CEO Anthony Baker, thermal imagery provides governments access to intelligence “they cannot access elsewhere,” including:

• Monitoring military supply chains

• Detecting covert or anomalous activity

• Verifying infrastructure utilization

• Assessing operational readiness

In an era defined by hybrid warfare, infrastructure sabotage, and strategic ambiguity, thermal ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) offers persistent insight, day and night.

NATO’s Strategic Signal

The participation of the NATO Innovation Fund underscores the alliance-level relevance of thermal intelligence.

Trisha Saxena, Senior Associate at NIF, noted that SatVu’s technology provides NATO governments and businesses with data previously unavailable in the commercial market. Beyond defense applications, thermal data carries significant implications for:

• Energy markets

• Commodities trading

• Infrastructure resilience

• Financial risk analysis

This positions SatVu not merely as a space startup, but as a strategic infrastructure intelligence provider.

UK Sovereign Capability at Scale

SatVu’s development has been supported by UK government defense innovation programs, including a Defence Innovation Loan awarded through the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), now part of UK Defence Innovation.

UK Minister of State for Defence Luke Pollard highlighted that prior government backing helped catalyze the £30 million private raise, reinforcing the UK’s commitment to scaling sovereign space capabilities.

For policymakers, this is a clear model: early-stage defense innovation support, followed by institutional capital, accelerating dual-use capability into operational deployment.

A Critical Value Inflection Point

This funding round capitalizes SatVu through its next value inflection point, supporting near-term launches and accelerating constellation build-out.

For sovereign and defense customers, this transition from demonstration to commercial scaling is a key credibility milestone. It signals reliability, persistence, and operational maturity.

As governments across NATO prioritize resilience, readiness, and independent intelligence access, SatVu is positioning itself as a trusted thermal ISR partner in an increasingly contested global environment.

Thermal Earth observation is no longer experimental. With constellation deployment underway, it is becoming foundational.