Interstellar Lab (Future 40, 2020) raises 5M$ to develop living systems on Earth and in space
Interstellar Lab, building closed-loop sustainable living systems on Earth and in space, announced a 5M$ raise to double its workforce.
Are you ready to live on Mars? Interstellar Lab, an alumni company from STATION F’s Founders Program, just announced a 5M$ raise with Urania Ventures, Auxxo, 7percent Ventures, Seldor Capital, E2MC, Kima Ventures and BPI. Selected in STATION F’s Future 40 in 2020, the 40 most promising seed-stage startups of the campus, Interstellar Lab is developing and building closed-loop living systems on Earth and in space.
Founded late 2018 by Barbara Belvisi in Los Angeles, Interstellar Lab has now grown to a team of 20 people including former SpaceX, NASA, CNES, Trimble, Airbus, Agricool and Dassault. The company is now manufacturing its flagship product BioPod, a deployable pod optimized for plant growth, allowing the cultivation of species that cannot be grown in traditional agriculture, including high-value plants like vanilla, vetiver or patchouli. BioPod also reduces water consumption (by 98%) and energy (x20) while boosting yield (up to x300).
This funding round will allow Interstellar Lab to double its workforce by the end of 2022 to accelerate manufacturing of its first BioPods for Earth market this year. It also seeks to support the development of new products for the space market, including its recently NASA-awarded food production system.
“Becoming a multi-planet species is one of the most exciting challenges for humanity, and current advancements in the space industry are turning this dream into reality. The space race has definitely begun and, in the 5 coming years, humans will be back on the Moon and this time to stay. At the same time, we are experiencing on Earth some of the most pressing challenges for our civilization with climate change and biodiversity. Current agricultural practices need to innovate to meet these challenges. At Interstellar Lab, we are providing solutions for organizations in many sectors that need to rethink the way they cultivate certain species. This new fundraising will allow us to grow our team in the US and France and deliver value to the market more quickly”, explains Barbara Belvisi, founder and CEO at Interstellar Lab.
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