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Bengaluru-based space-tech firm Pixxel closed a $100 million Series C round on 7 September 2026, the largest single private funding round in India's space sector.
The round was co-led by Singapore's Temasek and the United Kingdom's Seraphim Space, with 360 ONE Asset, IMM Investment of Seoul, Radical Ventures and growX ventures participating; total funding reached $195 million.
Pixxel operates six Firefly hyperspectral satellites delivering 5-metre-resolution imagery, and will use the capital to expand satellite manufacturing in India and the United States.
The money also funds the next-generation Honeybee constellation, which extends imaging into shortwave infrared, with the first launch planned for 2027.
Pixxel founded by Awais Ahmed and Kshitij Khandelwal at BITS Pilani
First three Firefly hyperspectral satellites launched on SpaceX's Transporter-12 rideshare mission
Firefly satellites return their 'first light' imagery, including of the Ganga and the Sundarbans
Three more Firefly satellites launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission, taking the fleet to six
$100 million Series C closed - the largest private round in Indian space-tech
First Honeybee satellite scheduled for launch
A multispectral sensor records a handful of broad colour bands. A hyperspectral sensor records hundreds of narrow, contiguous bands, so each pixel carries a spectral signature that identifies crops, minerals, pollutants or methane leaks by chemistry rather than appearance.
Simple Analogy: Multispectral sees colours; hyperspectral reads the chemical fingerprint.
Single-window authorisation and promotion body for private space activity in India; an Earth-observation operator such as Pixxel works under its clearance
Singapore state investment company; co-lead investor in the Series C round
United Kingdom investment firm specialising in space technology; co-lead of the round
GS Paper 3 > Science and Technology > Space; Achievements of Indians in science and technology
General Awareness > Science and Technology Current Affairs
When did India successfully complete the SpaDeX docking operation?
Answer: 30th December 2024
Capture of reflected light across hundreds of narrow, contiguous spectral bands, allowing material identification from orbit.
The roughly 1,000-2,500 nanometre band of the spectrum, useful for detecting moisture, minerals and methane.
A late-stage venture funding round raised to scale production and enter new markets.