Satlyt Raises $8M Seed to Bring AI Inference to Orbiting Satellites

Satlyt Secures $8M Seed Round

Satlyt, a space computing software company founded in 2024, has raised $8 million in seed funding. The round was led by non sibi ventures, with participation from Gaingels, TLcom Capital, Launch Africa Ventures, AXIAN Investment, ENZA Capital, Demos Capital, Slauson & Co, BAG Collective, Antler, and Askya Investment Partners.

What Satlyt Does

Satlyt is not a spacecraft manufacturer. Instead, the Sunnyvale, California- and Nairobi-headquartered company installs an AI-inference software layer on partner satellites. This software can be integrated pre-launch or uploaded to satellites already in orbit.

The goal is to allow spacecraft to process data onboard, respond to anomalies in real time, and downlink only the outputs that matter. This approach reduces the volume of raw data that must be transmitted to Earth and enables faster decision-making in space.

Proven in Orbit

Satlyt's software has already flown on demonstration missions. Notably, it ran Google DeepMind's Gemma model on a Momentus-operated satellite. This demonstration highlights the company's ability to deploy modern AI models in the harsh environment of space.

Building a Virtual Orbital Data Center Network

Beyond individual satellite software, Satlyt is building a virtual orbital data center network. This network aims to turn fleets of satellites into shared, programmable compute nodes. By pooling compute resources across multiple spacecraft, Satlyt envisions a more efficient and flexible infrastructure for space-based data processing.

Founding Team

Satlyt was founded in 2024 by Rama Afullo, a former product manager at Google and SpaceX. Afullo's experience at these two companies provides a strong foundation for leading a space computing software venture.

Funding Details

• Round type: Seed
• Amount: $8,000,000 USD
• Date: October 1, 2026
• Lead investor: non sibi ventures
• Participating investors: Gaingels, TLcom Capital, Launch Africa Ventures, AXIAN Investment, ENZA Capital, Demos Capital, Slauson & Co, BAG Collective, Antler, Askya Investment Partners

Why This Matters for Acquisition

Satlyt sits at the intersection of two high-growth sectors: space technology and artificial intelligence. Its software-only model means it can scale without the capital intensity of building hardware. The company's ability to upload its software to existing satellites opens a large addressable market of current and future spacecraft.

For acquirers, Satlyt offers a ready-made AI inference layer for space, proven in demonstration missions, and a vision for a virtual orbital data center network. The seed funding will likely accelerate product development, expand partnerships with satellite operators, and grow the team across its California and Nairobi locations.

As satellite constellations continue to grow and generate ever more data, the need for onboard processing will become critical. Satlyt is positioning itself as a key enabler of that shift.