Techstars space accelerators announce 2020 startups
Summary
The 2020 class includes: AlphaBBL, a New York firm developing multi-source imagery data fusion and predictive analytics to monitor oil storage facilities; AnsuR, a Norwegian communications software company; Arway, a London firm creating location-based tools; Houston-based Cognitive Space, a company harnessing artificial intelligence for autonomous satellite operations; Ellipsis Earth Intelligence, a Dutch firm focused on geospatial monitoring; Boston-based Hosta Labs, a company that provides structural assessment with artificial intelligence; Kayhan Space, a space situational awareness firm based in Boulder, Colorado; SaltyCloud, an Austin, Texas, cybersecurity company; Germany’s Space Products and Innovation GmbH, a firm developing plug-and-play satellite manufacturing tools; and Vake, a Norwegian startup applying artificial intelligence to satellite imagery. They are Singapore-based Bifrost, a firm using artificial intelligence to label datasets; Holos, a Madison, Wisconsin, augmented and virtual reality startup; Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Infinite Composites Technologies, a developer of composite pressure vessels and structures; Lux Semiconductors, an Albany, New York, firm developing system-on-foil electronics; Natural Intelligence Systems of Boise, Idaho, an artificial intelligence startup; Prewitt Ridge, a Los Angeles engineering software firm; Satim Inc., a Polish, satellite monitoring firm; Urban Sky, a company collecting Earth imagery with balloons; vRotors, a Los Angeles remote control drone company; and WeavAir of Toronto, which developed a platform to monitor air quality. The Techstars Allied Space Accelerator was designed as a virtual program prior to the pandemic but was expected to culminate in an in-person event in September. “Due to COVID, we’re going to be baselining a virtual Demo Day,” Jonathan Fentzke, Techstars Allied Space Accelerator managing director told SpaceNews. “Our goal is to engage people in some live-action events that culminate on Demo Day.” In contrast, the Techstars Starburst Space Accelerator intended to bring participating companies to Los Angeles for the three-month program as it had with its inaugural class.