EDGX closes €2.3m funding to boost AI compute for satellites | Computer Weekly | Goose Pod

Authors: Joe O’Halloran

Publisher:

ComputerWeekly.com

Published: 8/11/2025

Language:English

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Tom Banks

Good morning 跑了松鼠好嘛, I'm Tom Banks, and this is Goose Pod for you. Today is Friday, August 15th.

Mask

I'm Mask, we are here to discuss EDGX closes €2.3m funding to boost AI compute for satellites.

Tom Banks

Let's get started. A Belgian space tech startup, EDGX, just secured €2.3 million in seed funding. This is to accelerate their product, Sterna, which is essentially a high-performance AI computer designed to work directly on satellites in orbit. It’s quite a step forward.

Mask

A step forward? It's a leap. This isn't some slow, Penchaszadeh-like evolution; it's a revolution against the data bottleneck. We’re finally putting the brain inside the satellite, not leaving it on the ground miles away. The commercial traction is already there with a €1.1m deal. Action, not just talk.

Tom Banks

Penchaszadeh? I'm not familiar with that term. But you're right, the idea is to process data right there in space. They're even planning a demonstration on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission in early 2026, which shows how quickly they're moving to prove the technology works.

Mask

Exactly. It doesn't matter. Old thinking. What matters is that this NVIDIA-powered tech will turn satellites from passive observers into real-time decision-makers. The future isn't waiting for data to download; the future is analyzing it the instant it's captured. This funding accelerates that reality.

Tom Banks

To understand why this is such a big deal, we need to look at the current system. For decades, satellites have used a 'store and forward' architecture. Think of it like a mail carrier who collects letters all day but only delivers them once he gets back to the post office.

Mask

It's worse than that. It's like having a state-of-the-art digital camera that can shoot 8K video, but you're saving it to a floppy disk. The sensors in space are magnificent, yet the connection back to Earth is, frankly, stuck in the dial-up era. It’s an absurd limitation.

Tom Banks

That’s a great way to put it. The European Space Agency has been exploring AI for years, funding projects to make satellites more autonomous. They knew this data bottleneck was coming as our observation capabilities grew, making it harder to send everything back to Earth for analysis.

Mask

Of course they knew. The problem isn't the knowing; it's the doing. While agencies study it, EDGX is building and deploying. By putting the processing power in orbit, you eliminate the transmission lag. It's the only logical path forward for creating a truly responsive space infrastructure.

Tom Banks

And it's not just about speed. It's about efficiency. The FSSCat mission in 2020 was a pioneer, carrying an AI chip to filter out cloudy or useless images, so only valuable data was sent home. EDGX is building on that concept, but with much more computational horsepower.

Tom Banks

Now, the traditional 'store and forward' method, while slow, is proven and reliable. Some might argue that adding complex AI and processing units in the harsh environment of space introduces new risks. What if the onboard system fails? You could lose everything without a ground backup.

Mask

Reliably slow. That's not a virtue; it's a weakness. The risk isn't in the new technology; the risk is in clinging to the old one while the world changes. The biggest failure is stagnation. A system that can’t keep up with data generation is already broken, it just doesn’t know it yet.

Tom Banks

That’s a fair point, but there’s also the strategic angle. Europe wants to strengthen its own technological position. Relying on a few key players for this advanced tech could be seen as a vulnerability. The debate is whether to foster many smaller, innovative companies like EDGX or consolidate around established giants.

Mask

Competition is oxygen for innovation. We need a hundred companies like EDGX pushing the boundaries. Monopolies, whether corporate or state-sponsored, lead to complacency. The only way to ensure technological sovereignty and leadership is to create a thriving, competitive ecosystem that out-innovates everyone else on the planet.

Tom Banks

The impact is quite significant. We're talking about turning passive observation into active, real-time situational awareness. For disaster response, a satellite could detect a wildfire starting and alert authorities instantly, rather than waiting hours for a data downlink and analysis. That saves lives.

Mask

It's bigger than just that. The space-based edge computing market is projected to hit over $1.8 billion by 2033. This isn't just about saving lives; it's about creating entirely new industries and ensuring economic dominance. It will power everything from autonomous vehicles to next-generation finance.

Tom Banks

And it paves the way for true 5G and even 6G connectivity from orbit. Imagine seamless, high-speed internet everywhere, from the most remote village to a ship in the middle of the ocean. This direct-to-device connectivity could finally close the global digital divide.

Tom Banks

Looking ahead, the future really lies in this convergence of technologies. 5G's low latency combined with satellite's global reach, all powered by AI at the edge, creates an incredibly powerful network. It’s the central nervous system for a truly connected planet.

Mask

It's the beginning of a new utility. Connectivity will be like air and water. 6G won't just be an evolution; it will be a network designed with AI as a fundamental principle, not an add-on. This enables a level of automation and intelligence we can barely conceive of today.

Tom Banks

That's the end of today's discussion. Thank you for listening to Goose Pod.

Mask

See you tomorrow.

## EDGX Secures €2.3 Million Seed Funding to Revolutionize Satellite Data Processing with Edge AI **News Title:** EDGX closes €2.3m funding to boost AI compute for satellites **Report Provider:** ComputerWeekly.com **Author:** Joe O’Halloran **Publication Date:** August 11, 2025 ### Executive Summary Belgian space technology company EDGX has successfully closed a **€2.3 million seed funding round** to accelerate the commercialization of its **Sterna edge AI computer for satellites**. This funding aims to address a critical bottleneck in the rapidly growing space communications industry: the inefficient handling of massive data volumes generated by satellite constellations. EDGX's Sterna product, powered by NVIDIA technology and its SpaceFeather software stack, enables **high-performance, in-orbit data processing**, eliminating the need to transmit raw data to Earth. This innovation promises faster, more efficient, and data-driven satellite services across various applications, including spectrum monitoring, Earth observation, and enabling 5G/6G connectivity from space. ### Key Findings and Conclusions * **Addressing a Bottleneck:** The space communications industry is experiencing rapid growth but faces a fundamental bottleneck due to outdated "store and forward" architectures that struggle with massive data volumes. * **Edge AI Solution:** EDGX's Sterna computer, a high-performance data processing unit (DPU), brings computational performance and AI acceleration directly into orbit. * **Benefits of In-Orbit Processing:** This capability allows satellites to process complex algorithms and analyze data onboard, leading to: * Faster decision-making. * More efficient missions. * Reduced operating costs. * Real-time situational awareness. * Elimination of the need to send massive raw datasets to Earth. * **SpaceFeather Software Stack:** The accompanying SpaceFeather software stack enhances Sterna's capabilities with features for autonomous, resilient, and upgradeable satellite operations, including a space-tested Linux OS, supervisory system for health monitoring, and an in-orbit application framework. * **Diverse Use Cases:** Sterna and SpaceFeather are being utilized for: * **Spectrum Monitoring:** Real-time location and classification of radio signals for efficient frequency allocation and interference avoidance. * **Earth Observation:** Onboard analysis of high-resolution imagery for intelligent surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), enabling immediate detection of objects and response to time-sensitive events like natural disasters. * **5G/6G from Orbit:** Moving base station processing capabilities to space to enable direct-to-device connectivity in remote or disaster-affected areas. ### Key Statistics and Metrics * **Seed Funding Secured:** €2.3 million * **Multi-Unit Deal Value:** €1.1 million with a satellite operator. * **Planned In-Orbit Demonstration:** February 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission. * **Additional Flights Scheduled:** Two further flights are planned for 2026. ### Material Financial Data * The **€2.3 million seed funding round** was co-led by the imec.istart future fund and the Flanders Future Tech Fund (managed by PMV), with participation from existing investor imec.istart. * EDGX has also secured a **€1.1 million multi-unit deal** with a satellite operator. ### Significant Trends and Changes * **Shift to Edge Computing in Space:** The investment highlights a significant trend towards decentralizing data processing in space, moving away from traditional ground-based processing. * **AI Integration in Satellites:** The increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into satellite operations for enhanced data analysis and autonomous capabilities. * **Strengthening European Position:** The funding is seen as a move to strengthen Europe's technological position in the strategic sector of space infrastructure. ### Notable Risks or Concerns The news does not explicitly mention any notable risks or concerns. However, the reliance on NVIDIA technology and the success of the planned in-orbit demonstrations are critical factors for the company's future. ### Critical Statements * **Roald Borré, Head of Venture Capital at PMV:** "This round of financing will enable us to support EDGX’s strong team in bringing promising Flemish technology to market and developing it further. EDGX is one of the few European players to offer a product that is high-performance, accessible and robust, giving it unique advantages in the fast-growing market for edge computing in space, not least in terms of strengthening Europe’s technological position in a strategic sector such as space infrastructure." * **Kris Vandenberk, Managing Partner at imec.istart future fund:** "EDGX represents exactly the kind of transformative infrastructure play we look for. EDGX is solving [the fundamental bottleneck issue] by bringing AI-powered edge computing directly into space, enabling satellites to analyse and act on data in real-time rather than waiting for ground processing." ### News Identifiers * **URL:** `https://www.computerweekly.com/news/366628858/EDGX-closes-23m-funding-to-boost-AI-compute-for-satellites` * **Topic:** Technology (AI, Space Technology) * **SubTopic:** AI

EDGX closes €2.3m funding to boost AI compute for satellites | Computer Weekly

Read original at ComputerWeekly.com →

NicoElNino - stock.adobe.comBelgian space tech company gains funding to aid its mission to deliver the world’s fastest edge computing service for satellite constellations, enabling fast and efficient data processing from spaceThe space comms industry has accelerated recently, but the industry could be hitting a fundamental bottleneck in terms of dealing with increasingly massive amounts of data with outdated “store and forward” architectures.

To address this issue, Belgian space tech startup EDGX has received a huge boost after closing a €2.3m seed funding round to accelerate commercialisation of Sterna its edge AI computer for satellites product.Sterna Computer is a high-performance data processing unit (DPU) powered by NVIDIA technology.

It is designed to provide the computational performance and AI acceleration needed to run complex algorithms directly in orbit. This capability is designed to eliminate the traditional bottleneck of sending massive raw datasets to Earth for processing, enabling satellite operators to deliver faster, more efficient and data-driven services.

The unit is driven by its SpaceFeather software stack, built for autonomous, resilient and upgradeable satellite operations. It includes a space-tested Linux OS with traceability, a dedicated supervisory system for autonomous health monitoring, radiation fault detection and recovery and an in-orbit application framework for deploying new capabilities post-launch.

EDGX said that, working together, SpaceFeather and Sterna enable smarter, more flexible missions with reduced downtime and lower operating costs. Customers are using EDGX’s Sterna DPU and accompanying SpaceFeather software for a variety of use cases. For spectrum monitoring, Sterna enables in-orbit processing to locate and classify radio signals and generate dynamic spectrum maps, helping operators understand how frequencies are used in real time, avoid interference and allocate bandwidth more efficiently to deliver optimal communication services.

In Earth observation, Sterna supports intelligent surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) by analysing high-resolution imagery directly onboard. This means satellites can immediately detect and flag objects such as ships, vehicles or infrastructure, and respond to time-sensitive events such as floods, wildfires or earthquakes.

The result is said to be faster decisions, more efficient missions and life-saving intelligence turning passive observation into real-time situational awareness. Sterna also enables 5G and 6G from orbit. By moving base station processing capabilities to space, such as onboard gNodeB, it enables satellites to participate directly in next-generation mobile networks.

This paves the way for seamless direct-to-device connectivity, delivering high-speed internet to remote, underserved or disaster-affected areas where traditional infrastructure falls short. EDGX has also closed a multi-unit deal with a satellite operator worth €1.1m and can already announce plans of an in-orbit demonstration on a SpaceX Falcon 9 mission in February 2026.

In addition, two further flights are already scheduled for 2026. The funding round was co-led by the imec.istart future fund and, with participation from the Flanders Future Tech Fund, managed by the Flemish investment company PMV. EDGX has also attracted further funding from existing investor imec.

istart, Europe’s university-affiliated accelerator. Commenting on his company’s participation in the funding, Roald Borré, head of venture capital and member of the executive committee at PMV, said: “This round of financing will enable us to support EDGX’s strong team in bringing promising Flemish technology to market and developing it further.

“EDGX is one of the few European players to offer a product that is high-performance, accessible and robust, giving it unique advantages in the fast-growing market for edge computing in space, not least in terms of strengthening Europe’s technological position in a strategic sector such as space infrastructure.

” Kris Vandenberk, managing partner at imec.istart future fund, added: “EDGX represents exactly the kind of transformative infrastructure play we look for. EDGX is solving [the fundamental bottleneck issue] by bringing AI-powered edge computing directly into space, enabling satellites to analyse and act on data in real-time rather than waiting for ground processing.

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