In a significant stride for geospatial technology, Graz-based blackshark.ai, renowned for developing the first 3D digital twin of Earth for Microsoft’s Flight Simulator, has recently achieved a remarkable financial milestone. The company announced the closure of an impressive €13.8 million extension in its Series A funding round, elevating the total to a substantial €32.2 million. This feat underscores the burgeoning interest and confidence in the potential of advanced geospatial intelligence solutions.
This round of funding drew notable investors such as Point72 Ventures, M12 Microsoft’s Venture Fund, and Maxar, with new participants including In-Q-Tel (IQT), Safran, ISAI Cap Venture, Capgemini’s VC Fund managed by ISAI, Einstein Industries Ventures, Interwoven Ventures, Ourcrowd, Gaingels, and OpAmp Capital. The diverse investment profile highlights the expansive appeal and application of blackshark.ai’s technology across various sectors.
Michael Putz, CEO of blackshark.ai, expressed his excitement about the new partnerships. He emphasized their role in strengthening the company’s mission to democratize high-frequency 3D mapping applications for a wide range of geospatial use cases, both in the public and private sectors. This vision positions blackshark.ai as a pivotal player in transforming how geospatial data is utilized globally.
The company’s roots in the dynamic world of video gaming have uniquely positioned it to pioneer in providing dynamic, high-frequency 3D mapping and geospatial intelligence. This transition marks a significant shift from traditional 3D mapping methodologies, which are often slow, costly, and reliant on extensive imagery. In contrast, blackshark.ai’s technology enables rapid, cost-effective, and scalable 3D visualization for digital twins, training, and simulation, marking a paradigm shift in the industry.
Central to blackshark.ai’s innovation is its cutting-edge platform that efficiently processes vast volumes of raw data from satellite and aerial imagery into semantically labeled geospatial Digital Twins. This platform is noted for its rapid and accurate object detection and classification capabilities, significantly reducing the need for extensive, costly training data. It also facilitates comprehensive analysis of land use and land cover, broadening the scope of applications.
The implications of blackshark.ai’s technology extend far beyond its initial use cases. The platform has garnered attention for its potential in various fields, including security, environmental conservation, urban planning, critical infrastructure monitoring, disaster response, and humanitarian aid. Lucia Sinapi-Thomas from Capgemini Ventures highlighted the technology’s potential applications in sectors like renewable energy, real estate property management, urban planning, and autonomous vehicles.
Florent Illat, CEO of Safran Corporate Ventures, praised blackshark.ai for its innovative high-frequency mapping using satellite imagery. He pointed out the significant potential this technology holds for Safran’s development in autonomous missions, training, and simulation.
The successful closure of this funding round is a testament to blackshark.ai’s leadership in geospatial intelligence technology. As the company continues to innovate and expand its capabilities, it is poised to play a crucial role in reshaping how we perceive and interact with our world. From urban development and environmental management to emergency response, blackshark.ai is at the forefront of a new era in digital mapping and geospatial analysis, demonstrating that the future of our understanding of the world around us is as limitless as the technology that maps it.
