AIRMO, a climate and space technology startup developing systems to monitor greenhouse gas emissions, has raised €5 million in seed funding to support the launch of its first satellite mission and expand airborne monitoring operations.
The round was led by Ananda ImpactVentures, with participation from Unconventional Ventures, Kopa Ventures, Desai Ventures, Hypernova / New Venture Securities, and strategic investors Matthias Fackler and Francesco Starache of EQT Partners. Existing backers Antler, Findus Ventures, E2MC, and Pilabs also joined the round. The company plans to use the funding to prepare for a satellite launch scheduled for 2027 and scale its monitoring services globally.
What The Company Does
Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Berlin and Luxembourg, AIRMO develops remote sensing technologies designed to detect and quantify greenhouse gas emissions.
The company has built a compact monitoring instrument that combines short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging with micro-LiDAR technology. This system is designed for use on small satellites and enables high-resolution monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions from orbit.
According to the company, the instrument can identify methane leaks with a level of accuracy significantly higher than many existing systems. The technology can detect emission sources as small as those produced by individual industrial assets.
AIRMO’s monitoring platform is designed to help energy companies and regulators identify methane leaks and track emissions across large infrastructure networks.
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Market Context / Industry Background
Methane is one of the most significant greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. Although it remains in the atmosphere for a shorter period than carbon dioxide, it has a much stronger warming effect over shorter timeframes.
Estimates suggest methane accounts for roughly 30 percent of global warming to date. However, emissions from energy infrastructure such as pipelines, wells, and storage facilities are often difficult to measure accurately.
Traditional monitoring approaches rely on ground inspections or limited aerial surveys, which can make it challenging to identify emissions across large geographic areas.
Satellite-based monitoring systems are increasingly being developed to provide continuous, global observation of greenhouse gas emissions. These technologies allow governments, companies, and environmental organizations to detect leaks and improve transparency in emissions reporting.
Founder / Investor Commentary
AIRMO CEO Daria Stepanova said the company’s goal is to help energy operators identify and reduce methane emissions through improved monitoring.
She noted that the company’s new instrument allows AIRMO to move beyond initial testing toward continuous observation of emissions.
The planned satellite launch will mark an important step toward building a global monitoring network capable of tracking emissions across large numbers of industrial assets.
Alina Bassi, Principal at Ananda ImpactVentures, said addressing methane leakage represents one of the fastest ways to reduce emissions within the energy sector.
She added that AIRMO’s monitoring technology could improve transparency around emissions data by providing more precise measurements from space.
Growth Plans / Use Of Funds
AIRMO plans to use the seed funding to advance the development of its satellite monitoring system and prepare for its first space mission in 2027.
The company will also expand its airborne monitoring operations, which currently use drones and aircraft equipped with the company’s sensing technology.
AIRMO’s systems are already being deployed in monitoring projects across Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa region. Several energy companies, including Uniper, Total, and ESCE, are using the platform to monitor infrastructure and identify emissions sources.
In addition to scaling its monitoring services, AIRMO plans to establish a stronger operational presence in the Middle East and North Africa, where energy infrastructure monitoring is a growing priority.
About AIRMO
AIRMO is a climate and space technology company focused on monitoring greenhouse gas emissions. Founded in 2022, the company develops spectrometer and atmospheric LiDAR instruments combined with machine learning algorithms to detect methane emissions from both airborne platforms and satellites. AIRMO provides monitoring services for energy companies, regulators, and investors seeking improved transparency around industrial emissions.
