Draft:Satleo Labs
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Satleo Labs Private Limited is an Indian space technology company headquartered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Founded in 2023, the company is developing a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) microsatellites equipped with thermal infrared and visible imaging sensors to deliver high-resolution temperature intelligence for applications in agriculture, urban planning, disaster response, defence, and climate monitoring.
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| Satleo Labs | |
| Type | Private |
| Industry | Space technology Earth observation Artificial intelligence |
| Founded | 2023 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India |
| Founders | Shravan Singh Bhati Ranendu Ghosh Urmil Bakhai |
| Headquarters | Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Ahmedabad |
| Products | Thermal imaging satellites Thermal intelligence platform TAPAS-1 payload |
| Services | Satellite-based thermal monitoring Urban heat management Air pollution monitoring |
Number of employees | ~30 (April 2026) |
| Website | satleolabs |
Overview
[edit]Satleo Labs focuses on capturing thermal data from space with a precision of 1 degree Kelvin, using mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) bands alongside high-resolution visible imaging. The company's satellites incorporate onboard edge computing capabilities to process data in orbit, reducing latency and enabling near real-time insights.
The startup has raised a total of $5.5 million across two funding rounds as of April 2026. Satleo Labs is incubated by IN-SPACe, India's space sector promotion body.
History
[edit]Satleo Labs was founded in 2023 by Shravan Singh Bhati, Ranendu Ghosh, and Urmil Bakhai. The company initially focused on developing small satellite platforms before evolving into an end-to-end satellite data provider specializing in thermal intelligence.
In April 2025, Satleo Labs announced a $3.3 million pre-seed funding round led by Merak Ventures, with participation from angel investors across space, AI, and sustainability sectors. The company stated the funds would accelerate satellite hardware development, onboard AI module deployment, and engineering team expansion in Ahmedabad.
In April 2026, the company raised an additional $2.2 million in a seed round led by Unicorn India Ventures. Merak Ventures, Java Capital, IIMA-CIIE, and deeptech investor Manish Gandhi also participated. This brought total funding to $5.5 million. The fresh capital was earmarked for advancing the flagship thermal satellite mission and scaling the AI-powered thermal intelligence platform.
Technology and products
[edit]TAPAS-1 thermal payload
[edit]Satleo Labs' first experimental thermal payload, named TAPAS-1, was designed and delivered for satellite integration within six months of development. The payload achieved Technology Readiness Level 8 (TRL-8), indicating a system that is flight-qualified and near launch readiness. The company has stated it is positioning the system for launch.
Thermal imaging capabilities
[edit]Satleo's thermal imaging technology operates across multiple spectral bands. The MWIR sensors capture reflected and emitted thermal radiation useful for identifying surface-level heat sources such as soil moisture stress or infrastructure hotspots. LWIR sensors penetrate atmospheric obstructions to capture longer-duration heat signatures essential for environmental monitoring.
The company claims 1°K thermal accuracy, enabling detection of subtle temperature variations from orbit, such as differences between healthy and stressed crops or heat distribution across urban blocks. This precision is notably higher than typical Earth observation satellites, which often operate at 2–5°K accuracy.
Edge computing and AI
[edit]A key differentiator for Satleo is its onboard edge computing architecture. Rather than transmitting raw data to ground stations for processing, the satellites analyze thermal data in orbit using AI-on-chip modules. This approach reduces bandwidth costs, lowers latency, and enables near-real-time anomaly detection. The platform employs machine learning and deep learning algorithms to translate brightness temperature data into predictive insights.
Satellite constellation
[edit]Satleo Labs is building a microsatellite constellation in LEO to provide continuous global thermal monitoring. The network is designed for high revisit rates and scalable deployment over time.
Applications and pilot projects
[edit]Urban heat management
[edit]Satleo Labs has deployed pilot projects in urban heat island monitoring with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the city of Tumakuru, Karnataka. In Ahmedabad, the platform integrates satellite-based thermal data with AI analytics to map urban heat hotspots and deliver three-day forecasts with 2–3°C accuracy.
The heat advisory system provides location-specific warnings accessible to citizens through QR codes, with particular adoption among outdoor gig workers, delivery personnel, and cab drivers. The company uses open-source thermal datasets from MODIS and Landsat satellites, enhanced through proprietary AI-driven resolution algorithms, combined with historical data spanning 5–10 years.
Satleo's thermal intelligence has been incorporated into Ahmedabad's Heat Action Plan to predict heat impacts, with insights shared with government clinics and frontline health workers for heat-related illness preparedness.
Air pollution monitoring
[edit]The company has initiated air pollution monitoring pilots in Ahmedabad and Tumakuru. These projects have reportedly impacted over 400,000 citizens.
Commercial pipeline
[edit]Satleo Labs has reported significant growth in commercial interest, with letters of intent increasing from approximately $15 million to over $42 million within a one-year period.
Organization
[edit]Leadership
[edit]- Shravan Singh Bhati — Co-founder and CEO
- Ranendu Ghosh — Co-founder and CTO
- Urmil Bakhai — Co-founder and CSO
Team size
[edit]As of April 2026, Satleo Labs reported a team of approximately 30 employees, up from 8 members the previous year. The team comprises engineers and researchers with expertise in satellite missions, thermal sensing, and AI-driven geospatial analytics. Inc42 data lists the employee count at 23 as of May 2026.
Funding
[edit]| Round | Date | Amount | Lead investor | Other participants |
|----------|--------|------------|--------------------|------------- -----------|
| Pre-seed | April 2025 | $3.3M | Merak Ventures | Angel investors |
| Seed | April 2026 | $2.2M | Unicorn India Ventures | Merak Ventures, Java Capital, IIMA-CIIE, Manish Gandhi |
Total funding: $5.5 million.
Financial performance
[edit]For fiscal year 2024–25, Satleo Labs reported revenue of ₹3.4 lakh, a decline of 87.8% from ₹27.9 lakh in FY24. The company posted a net loss of ₹36.8 lakh for FY25, with total expenses of ₹40.2 lakh. Total assets were reported at ₹4.8 crore.
See also
[edit]- Earth observation satellite - Thermal infrared imaging - Indian space programme - IN-SPACe
References
[edit]- External links- Official website