Charlottesville satellite imaging and data analytics company Astraea has been acquired by Nuview, an Orlando geospatial tech company whose backers include Leonardo DiCaprio.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Astraea, founded in 2016 and led by co-founder and CEO Daniel Bailey, has established partnerships with major satellite firms and sells satellite imaging time to companies and nongovernment agencies. Astraea either provides data analytics on the images or lets clients conduct their own analysis. It sells software-as-a-service packages based on a client’s specific needs, with a focus on the real estate, renewable energy, agriculture and conservation finance sectors.
Nuview intends to build the world's first commercial lidar (light detection and ranging) satellite constellation so it can 3D map the Earth's entire land surface for the first time — and then do so annually.
According to Nuview, Astreaea’s AI analytics and distribution platform can interpret changes documented in its imaging, offering data and insights to clients. Nuview said the acquisition would allow it to diversify and improve its position in several markets, giving it an expanded client base and more expertise.
Last year, DiCaprio participated in a Series A round for Nuview that also included Los Angeles-based MaC Venture Capital; Palo Alto, California’s Broom Ventures; Oklahoma City’s Cortado Ventures; Tampa’s Florida Funders; New York City’s Industrious, San Diego’s Liquid2 Ventures; and Berlin’s Veto Capital. TechCrunch reported in June that Nuview had raised $15 million since its launch and that the ongoing Series A round totaled $12 million at that time.
DiCaprio, an Academy Award-winning actor, has a portfolio of investments that emphasizes companies with an environmental bent. Neat Burger, LØCI, Beyond Meat, Califia Farms and Hippeas — all of which he has invested in — are purveyors of vegan or plant-based products that replace products tied to high methane emissions.
In 2022, Astraea raised $6.5 million in an oversubscribed Series A round that was led by Aligned Climate Capital, a bicoastal investment firm focused on companies decarbonizing the economy, and Earlysville, Virginia’s Carbon Drawdown Collective. Other participants in the round included University of Virginia nonprofit network CAV Angels; Vero Beach, Florida’s Tydall Investment Partners; and a return investment from the University of Virginia Seed Fund. The company has raised $16.5 million since its founding.
