Latest news with #PierSight
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Business Standard
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
PierSight gains strategic investors to grow satellite maritime surveillance
Space-tech startup PierSight has secured additional capital through a seed extension round, bringing its total funding to $8 million. The company is developing a constellation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) satellites to deliver continuous, all-weather maritime surveillance. The funding will support the firm's expansion plans and hiring across multiple engineering roles. 'We have the necessary resources in place to reach our upcoming targets,' said Gaurav Seth, co-founder and chief executive officer of PierSight. 'This round was about welcoming partners who bring frontline experience in ocean sustainability and port operations, and can help us build a world-class team.' The new investment comes from the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) and its venture arm, Seabird Ventures, along with CE-Ventures—the corporate venture capital platform of Crescent Enterprises. Other investors include Nandan Reddy (co-founder, Swiggy), Natasha Malpani Oswal (investor, Boundless), and Sahil Lavingia (founder, Gumroad). 'It's a strong validation to have CE-Ventures as a backer, given that the parent, Crescent Enterprises, operates the region's largest privately-owned independent port operator through its subsidiary, Gulftainer,' said Vinit Bansal, co-founder and chief technology officer of PierSight. PierSight is working with coast guards, insurers, shipping lines, port operators, and ocean conservation NGOs to tackle maritime challenges. These include monitoring Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), detecting illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, tracking oil spills, identifying dark vessels, and preventing marine insurance fraud. 'PierSight's ocean-focused satellite constellation will be highly scalable for conservation outcomes by exposing the 'dark side' of ocean activities like illegal fishing and offshore pollution dumping,' said Matt Mulrennan, head of investments at the Sustainable Ocean Alliance. 'Enforcing ocean regulations and achieving full ocean monitoring by 2030 is an area where conservationists, governments, and big ocean industries are all eager to collaborate.' The company successfully launched its technology demonstration satellite, Varuna, in December 2024 and qualified its payload subsystems to TRL-7. PierSight's first commercial SAR + AIS (VDES-enabled) satellite is in development and scheduled for launch in mid-2026. Its maritime analytics platform, MATSYA, is also under development, with a release expected in Q4 2025. A drone-borne SAR system is currently undergoing flight testing and is slated for commercial availability by Q4 2025. 'PierSight is pioneering a new frontier in satellite-based maritime intelligence with its innovative use of Synthetic Aperture Radar technology,' said Sudarshan Pareek, senior vice-president and head of ventures at CE-Ventures. 'The team is building the next-generation ocean observability stack, solving critical challenges in global shipping, security, and environmental tracking.'
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Space-tech startup PierSight adds strategic investors, bringing total funding to $8 million
PierSight, a space-tech company building a constellation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Automatic Identification System (AIS) satellites for 24/7, all‑weather maritime intelligence, today announced it has secured additional capital in a seed extension, bringing the company's total funding to $8 million. 'We have the necessary resources in place to reach our upcoming targets,' said Gaurav Seth, Co‑founder & CEO of PierSight. 'This round was about welcoming partners who bring frontline experience in ocean sustainability and port operations and can help us build a world‑class team.' The new investment comes from the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) and its venture arm, Seabird Ventures, as well as CE-Ventures, the corporate venture capital platform of Crescent Enterprises, and leading technology operators Nandan Reddy (Co-founder, Swiggy), Natasha Malpani Oswal (Investor, Boundless), and Sahil Lavingia (Founder, Gumroad). 'Our mission aligns well with UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is about conserving and sustainably using the oceans and marine resources. Sustainable Ocean Alliance's (SOA) investment is a strong signal that we take this mission seriously,' added Seth. 'It's a strong validation to have CE-Ventures as a backer, given that the parent, Crescent Enterprises, operates the region's largest privately-owned independent port operator through its subsidiary, Gulftainer,' said Vinit Bansal, Co-founder & CTO of PierSight. PierSight is collaborating with coast guards, insurers, shipping lines, port operators, and ocean conservation NGOs to address challenges such as monitoring Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), detecting Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, monitoring oil spills, dark-vessel detection, and marine insurance fraud, among others. 'PierSight's ocean-focused satellite constellation will be highly scalable for conservation outcomes by exposing the 'dark side' of ocean activities like illegal fishing and offshore pollution dumping. Enforcing ocean regulations and achieving full ocean monitoring by 2030 is an area where conservationists, governments, and big ocean industries are all eager to collaborate.' Matt Mulrennan, Head of Investments, Sustainable Ocean Alliance. 'PierSight is pioneering a new frontier in satellite-based maritime intelligence with its innovative use of Synthetic Aperture Radar technology. Gaurav and Vinit's technical depth, combined with their proactive business thinking, has been incredible. We are proud to back a team that's building the next-generation ocean observability stack, solving critical challenges in global shipping, security, and environmental tracking.' Sudarshan Pareek, Senior Vice President and Head of Ventures, CE-Ventures. The company successfully launched its technology demonstration satellite, Varuna, in December 2024 and qualified payload subsystems to TRL-7. PierSights's first commercial SAR + AIS (VDES‑enabled) satellite is in development for a mid‑2026 launch. Its maritime analytics platform, MATSYA, is under development with a planned Q4 2025 release, while a drone‑borne SAR system is in flight‑testing, slated for commercial availability in Q4 2025.
India.com
24-04-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Fortifying India's Borders: ISRO's Satellite Solution After Pahalgam
पहलगाम में 26 सैलानियों की निर्मम हत्या The recent announcement by ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, who also serves as the Secretary of the Department of Space, about India's plan to launch 100–150 satellites over the next three years has sparked hope for a more secure nation. Speaking in the wake of the tragic terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, Narayanan underscored the inadequacy of India's current fleet of 55 satellites to monitor its vast borders and 7,500-kilometre coastline. His vision, bolstered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's space sector reforms, hinges on leveraging private sector participation to bolster India's surveillance capabilities. But can this ambitious satellite expansion truly prevent atrocities like the Pahalgam attack? The answer lies in the transformative potential of space technology and the challenges that lie ahead. The Pahalgam attack exposed the vulnerabilities in India's border security apparatus. Terrorist infiltrations across rugged terrains and porous borders remain a persistent threat, often exploiting gaps in real-time intelligence. Narayanan's proposed satellite surge aims to address this by creating a robust network of eyes in the sky. Satellites equipped with high-resolution cameras, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and infrared sensors can provide continuous monitoring of border regions, even in adverse weather or at night. For instance, SAR-enabled satellites, like those planned by private startups such as PierSight, can penetrate cloud cover and detect movements across vast areas. Such technology could have potentially identified suspicious activity near Pahalgam, enabling preemptive action by security forces. With 100–150 additional satellites, India could achieve near-constant surveillance, drastically reducing blind spots along the Line of Control (LoC) and coastal areas. Moreover, the involvement of private players, facilitated by Modi's reforms, is a game-changer. Companies like Ananth Technologies, which contributed to the PSLV-C60 mission, demonstrate the private sector's growing prowess in satellite manufacturing. By handholding these firms, ISRO can accelerate production and deployment, ensuring cost-effective and scalable solutions. This public-private synergy could lead to the development of small, agile satellites—similar to those used in the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX)—capable of rapid repositioning to track dynamic threats. In the context of Pahalgam, a constellation of such satellites could have relayed real-time data to ground stations, enabling swift coordination between the Army, paramilitary forces, and local police to thwart the attack. However, the road to preventing tragedies through satellite surveillance is not without hurdles. The sheer volume of data generated by 150 additional satellites demands advanced artificial intelligence (AI) for processing and analysis. Without robust AI systems, critical intelligence could be buried under a deluge of imagery. Narayanan's mention of the AI-powered O-ARM system at Kauvery Hospital hints at the growing role of AI in precision tasks, and ISRO must similarly invest in AI-driven analytics to filter actionable insights from satellite feeds. Additionally, the integration of satellite data with on-ground intelligence networks remains a challenge. The Pahalgam attack underscores the need for seamless coordination between space-based surveillance and field operations, which requires significant upgrades to India's command-and-control infrastructure. Narayanan's vision also extends beyond security, with plans for a climate change satellite for G20 nations. This dual focus—security and global cooperation—reflects India's aspiration to be a space superpower. Yet, the immediate priority must be operationalising the satellite network to prevent incidents like Pahalgam. By combining cutting-edge technology, private sector innovation, and AI-driven intelligence, India can transform its borders into impregnable fortresses. The SpaDeX mission's success, placing India among an elite group of nations capable of satellite docking, proves ISRO's technical mettle. Now, it must translate this expertise into a security paradigm that ensures no family in Kashmir—or anywhere else—endures the pain of another Pahalgam. The skies are watching; it's time for India to act. ( The author Girish Linganna of this article is an award-winning Science Writer and a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him, at: girishlinganna@ )
