Ukraines

“Ukrainian Space Agency Ex-Chief Leads $4M Funded Tech Startup for Satellite Servicing”

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Kurs Orbital, a startup founded by Ukrainian space industry veterans, has closed a new tranche of funding to accelerate the commercialization of its satellite servicing technology. The two-year-old company aims to unlock a new era for human activities in space by enabling capabilities like satellite relocation and inspection, de-orbiting and space debris removal. Unlike other firms developing in-space servicing tech, Kurs Orbital’s module will be able to attach to “non-cooperative” targets, or target spacecraft that aren’t fitted with any hardware in advance. On-orbit servicing has gained attention in recent months after the failure of a handful of high-cost, high-profile satellite missions. We believe that one of the next big steps in space will be multimodality, as we know it on Earth.

Two Years Later: Ukraine’s Startups Persevere Through Russia’s Invasion

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And tech companies in the West have rallied around the sector, increasingly working with Ukrainian tech firms on a range of initiatives. This week Google launched its second ‘Google for Startups Ukraine Support Fund’ with a budget of $10M to support Ukrainian startups during 2024 and 2025. Selected Ukrainian startups will receive up to $200,000 in equity-free funding, as well as Google mentorship, product support, and $300,000 in Google Cloud credits. Meanwhile, Estonian accelerator Startup Wise Guys launched Growth Ukraine, a programme for startups in Ukraine. And the EU-funded project ‘Seeds of Bravery’ programme has five programmes to support Ukrainian tech startups with grants ranging from €10,000 to €50,000.