January 19, 2026
Safran’s Seeing230 optical payload for Marble's satellite constellation
Bremen, Germany and Paris, France
Marble Imaging and Safran have established a strategic partnership focusing on developing next-generation optical payloads for a future Earth Observation constellation, advancing and jointly commercializing downstream services.
In this context, the companies will work together on the design, development and integration of very-high-resolution optical payloads for Marble’s planned constellation of more than 20 VHR Earth Observation satellites. Both parties acknowledge the strategic value of strong European industrial collaboration and aim to build a long-term, scalable partnership model.
"With Safran Reosc, we have a strong and established European partner at our side, whom we trust completely to reliably deliver high-performance payloads in the required quantities", says Robert Hook, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder. "At the same time, we can further strengthen Marble's German-French relationships."
Marble-Safran meeting in Paris in August 2025
The companies also seek to deepen their collaboration across key thematic downstream areas – including defense applications, critical infrastructure monitoring, maritime surveillance, climate intelligence, crisis response, mobility and logistics, and advanced geospatial analytics – and plan to jointly engage in relevant tender opportunities and proposal consortia.
December 1, 2025
The Marble Imaging management team Robert Hook, Dr. Gopika Suresh, and Alexander Epp in November 2025 in Bremen
Bremen, Germany
That Marble is perfectly aligned with the momentum of the moment is also reflected in the latest outcomes of last week’s ESA Ministerial Council 2025 in Bremen. Member states of the European Space Agency committed to a total budget of €22.1 billion for the next three years – the highest funding level in ESA’s history. Particularly encouraging is Germany’s decision to increase its contribution to more than €5 billion making it the largest contributor.
"Marble Imaging is addressing a critical European capability gap in the very-high resolution domain and I do not see any other company tackling it faster than Marble does. The need for independent, timely and VHR optical data will only increase in the coming years and I’m happy to support the founders building a European star for a global market", says Koen Geurts, Senior Investment Manager at HTGF.
HTGF is one of the leading and most active early-stage investors in Germany and Europe. Its fund investors include numerous corporations and family offices, as well as the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and KfW Capital. In addition, Marble has attracted a strong group of further investors who share the mission, including BAB Beteiligungs- und Management-gesellschaft Bremen mbH (BBM), Lightfield Equity, Oslo Venture Company, nwk | nwu Beteiligungsgesellschaften der Sparkasse Bremen, Sentris Capital, Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund and SpaceFounders.
The investment will enable Marble to significantly scale its development team and accelerate completion of its intelligence, maritime, and trafficability tools – solutions that already serve early customers and are now being prepared for broad commercial rollout. It will also support the build-out of Marble’s end-to-end data-processing chain and customer data portal, ensuring a seamless experience for initial users. The funding positions Marble to finalize its rapidly growing pipeline of data customers and be fully commercial-ready at the launch of satellite number one. Additionally, it will allow Marble to expand its operational expertise and establish a dedicated operations center for its planned satellite constellation.
"We’re very happy to welcome a strong European investor consortium that will help drive the growth of our dual-use Earth Observation solutions", says Robert Hook, Chief Executive Officer of Marble and Co-Founder. "With this round, we can speed up the enhancement of our capabilities to keep pace with rapidly rising demand."
The first Marble satellite, which will deliver very high-resolution multispectral data, is scheduled to be launched in Q4 2026. Marble Imaging plans to gradually expand its own constellation to up to 20 satellites by the end of 2028.
Rendering of MarbleSat1 "Morgana" by Marble’s partner Reflex Aerospace
The demand for strong and innovative sovereign solutions from Europe now runs through nearly all major institutions. Nowhere is this more evident than in the fields of security and climate tech, where the need for timely, very high-resolution Earth Observation data and advanced AI-powered analytics has become immense.
Marble Imaging’s activity detection & monitoring tool used for ship detection in a Sentinel-2 image
The company led by Co-founders Robert Hook, Dr. Gopika Suresh, and Alexander Epp has reached another key milestone with the successful closing of the round, attracting not only prominent business angels and institutional investors but also generating strong enthusiasm among leading venture capital firms.
Earlier, the Marble team had already gained attention by securing more than €10 million in non-dilutive funding for the development and launch of its first satellite – financing obtained through the DLR Small Satellite Payload Competition and ESA InCubed. The company further validated the strong demand for high-quality European data and analytics with its first €3 million anchor contract under ESA’s Copernicus Contributing Missions program.
Due to being oversubscribed, not all investors could participate in this round but to accelerate the build-out of the constellation, Marble is preparing a Series A – offering a new opportunity to become part of the company’s growing success story.
About Marble Imaging
Marble Imaging is a big-data EO company founded in August 2023 in Bremen, Germany, building its constellation of VHR satellites to provide up to hourly EO data and analytics for time critical insights of our planet. The data and derived EO-based analytics will be vital in supporting rapid decision-making with regard to defence, climate security, crises & disaster management, green and sustainable energy transitions, infrastructure and mobility and much more. Marble already offers advanced data analysis services, including object detection for situational intelligence, terrain analytics and trafficability assessment, coastal asset monitoring and land cover classification.
Press contact:
Alexander Epp
For more information, please visit https://www.marble-imaging.de
About HTGF - High-Tech Gründerfonds
HTGF is one of the leading and most active early-stage investors in Germany and Europe, financing startups in the fields of Deep Tech, Industrial Tech, Climate Tech, Digital Tech, Life Sciences and Chemistry. With its experienced investment team, HTGF supports startups in all phases of their development into international market leaders. HTGF invests in pre-seed and seed phases and can participate significantly in later-stage financing rounds. Since its inception in 2005, HTGF has financed around 800 startups and achieved 200 successful exits. HTGF has a fund volume of over 2 billion euros. Fund investors in the public-private partnership include the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, KfW Capital as well as 45 companies and family offices.
For more information, please visit HTGF.de or follow us on LinkedIn.
About BAB Beteiligungs- und Managementgesellschaft Bremen mbH (BBM)
In order to promote the innovative strength of the Bremen economy, the Senator for Economics, Ports and Transformation has set up the “EFRE Beteiligungsfonds Bremen II” and commissioned BAB Beteiligungs- und Managementgesellschaft Bremen mbH (BBM) to manage it. The funding is granted in the form of open investments and additional subordinated loans. These include up to 40% funds from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). BBM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bremer Aufbau-Bank GmbH (BAB). BAB – the promotional bank for Bremen and Bremerhaven - in turn supports the State of Bremen in matters of regional development, as well as structural and economic policy, and supports companies through all stages of their development. In partnership with local banks and Sparkassen, BAB focuses on all economic activities that are in the interest of the federal state of Bremen.
For more information, please visit www.bab-bremen.de
About Lightfield Equity GmbH & Co. KG
Lightfield Equity GmbH & Co. KG is an entrepreneurial-led family office investing its own capital in innovative startups. Lightfield backs ambitious founders with patient, hands-on capital to turn strong technologies and business models into resilient, scalable companies. With a clear, disciplined investment approach and a long-term mindset, Lightfield focuses on real value creation.
About Oslo Venture Company
Oslo Venture Company partners with ambitious founders to build and back early stage ventures, combining hands-on strategic support with access to capital. We are entrepreneurs at heart, and our team brings experience in strategy, design, and technology to help founders increase value from day one. Through our curated network of angel investors, we also enable investments into high-potential startups, reflecting our commitment to backing teams and technologies that push industries forward.
For more information, please visit https://osloventurecompany.com
About nwk | nwu Beteiligungsgesellschaften der Sparkasse Bremen
nwk | nwu are two investment companies wholly owned by the Sparkasse Bremen Group. Since 25 years, we have been acquiring minority stakes in companies in Northern Germany and across the country, without a specific industry focus. Currently, nwk | nwu's portfolio comprises 26 companies. We provide equity capital without time limits, as well as mezzanine capital or a combination thereof, to medium-sized businesses, without any strategic interests.
For more information, please visit https://www.nwk-nwu.de/
About Sentris Capital
Sentris Capital is an investment firm focused on single- and dual-use technologies in resilience, defence, and aerospace. With a team joint portfolio of more than 20 investments, we actively source and evaluate VC and PE opportunities across these sectors on a pan-European scale.
For more information, please visit https://www.sentriscapital.com/
About Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund
Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund is Germany’s first gender-focused venture capital fund, investing in the next generation of female-(co-)founded companies driving systemic change. With €45 million in assets under management and 35 investments to date, Auxxo backs Europe’s most promising female-led startups at pre-seed and seed stage - combining alpha and impact to back tomorrow‘s category leaders. Auxxo drives equitable participation of women as founders and investors in venture capital – powered by network, experience, and wholeheartedness.
For more information visit, please visit https://auxxo.de/
About SpaceFounders
SpaceFounders is an acceleration program – a partnership between the French Space Agency (CNES), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and Bundeswehr University Munich and a platform to connect private and public sector pioneers shaping the future of space. As an investment activity, SpaceFounders is the venture arm of the French Space Agency (CNES).
For more information visit, please visit https://spacefounders.eu/
June 25, 2025
Marble’s CSO and Co-Founder Dr. Gopika Suresh holding the contract next to ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Dr. Simonetta Cheli (middle), and ESA CCM team at Living Planet Symposium 2025
Bremen, Germany and Vienna, Austria
Marble Imaging has signed a €3 million contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to provide very high-resolution data from its upcoming satellite constellation, with the first satellite set to launch in 2026.
The contract is part of ESA's Copernicus Contributing Missions program, in which Marble positions itself as an emerging European data supplier.
"We are excited to enter this contract with the European Space Agency", says Robert Hook, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder. "Earth Observation data is playing an increasingly important role, therefore it is essential to ensure the secure supply of this data as an independent European provider. We are happy to have taken the first step toward a long-term business relationship with ESA."
The first Marble satellite, which will deliver very high-resolution data, is scheduled to be launched in 2026. Marble Imaging plans to gradually expand its own constellation to 20 satellites by 2028. This will allow areas of interest to be monitored up to hourly, providing valuable insights both in the fields of security and defence, as well as climate security and business intelligence.
Dr. Gopika Suresh, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder: "Having personally worked with commercial very high-resolution data from the CCM portfolio, I’m delighted that Marble’s data will now be part of this distinguished suite. The enhanced resolution and frequent revisit capabilities of the Marble constellation will be a game-changer – enabling faster mapping of time-critical events and providing a crucial validation layer for existing Copernicus-based products."
Marble plans to offer data that can be seamlessly integrated into the existing Copernicus ecosystem of the European Space Agency, harmonized with the Sentinel-2 satellites – at significantly higher resolution and more frequent revisits. This will offer immense opportunities for the already large Sentinel-2 user base.
"The aim of integrating emerging European New Space companies into Copernicus is to ensure the programme remains at the forefront of Earth Observation in a fast-evolving sector. I warmly welcome the newest members to the Copernicus Contributing Missions programme", says Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes.
There is an urgent need for improvement, particularly in the area of very high-resolution multispectral data, which Marble directly addresses. Here, Europe is heavily dependent on non-European Earth Observation data providers, especially from the United States and Marble Imaging aims to disrupt this.
Earlier this year, the consequences of such dependency became apparent: U.S. President Trump made good on his threat and partially restricted the flow of intelligence and satellite data to Ukraine. Since then, many users of Earth Observation data and providers of analytics have increasingly been seeking alternative sources to ensure continuity for their service offerings.
"The signed contract confirms that the data we will offer with our constellation fills a significant market gap, both for European governmental and scientific organizations, as well as for global commercial customers, many of whom are already lining up. We are on the right track", says Alexander Epp, Chief Business Development Officer and Co-Founder.
About Marble Imaging:
Marble Imaging is a big-data EO company based in Germany, building its constellation of VHR satellites to provide up to hourly EO data and analytics for time critical insights of our planet. The data and derived EO-based analytics will be vital in supporting rapid decision-making with regard to defence, climate security, crises & disaster management, green and sustainable energy transitions, infrastructure and mobility and much more. Marble already offers advanced data analysis services, including object detection for situational intelligence, terrain analysis and trafficability assessment, coastal asset monitoring and land cover classification.
Press contact:
Alexander Epp
June 3, 2025
[M] Marble Imaging with Sentinel-2-data
Bremen, Germany
The "Dragoscope" project, which runs until the end of June 2026, will deliver the prototype for Marble's geospatial data portal "Kaleidoscope", allowing users to easily access public data as well as future Marble data and analytics.
The project is co-funded with €450,000 via the "LuRaFo Bremer Luft- und Raumfahrt-Forschungsprogramm 2027" program by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ports and Transformation as well as the European Union and managed by BAB – the development bank.
Offering data and analytics for time critical events, at near-real-time-speeds and in an easily understandable way, that is what Marble Imaging wants, to enable increased uptake of the enormous treasure trove of Earth Observation (EO) data. As part of the "Dragoscope" project, the NewSpace start-up Marble Imaging and Bremen based software company tenics announce the start of a prototype development for Marble’s future data portal.
Users will be able to process data from various EO sources such as the Copernicus Sentinel missions, Landsat missions as well as Marble Imaging's own data (available in Q3/2026). Accessing the data portal will be possible via a user-friendly graphical user interface as well as API.
"Earth Observation is no longer only for science, it is of utmost importance to make EO data and analytics more accessible and understandable so they can be used in strategic decision making. The "Dragoscope" project together with tenics marks our first steps into making EO and Marble data more inclusive, while also emphasizing the importance of German cooperation and support of BAB for technological innovation", says Dr. Gopika Suresh, Co-Founder, CSO and Head of Product Development of Marble.
The user-friendliness will be high, and the architecture behind the portal will be advanced. Offering catalogue searching of archived multispectral data from Sentinel-2 and Landsat as well as analytics developed by Marble, the portal will be developed as a microservice architecture. Algorithms are being developed for the processing of raster and vector data and corresponding storage solutions are being implemented for the efficient management of large volumes of data.
Dirk Roßkamp, CEO of tenics: "We’re proud to partner with Marble Imaging in the development of the prototype for their data portal. This project is a prime example of how high-performance geodata infrastructure can unlock meaningful insights for better decisions in areas like food security, energy, and climate – fast, reliable, and user-friendly. We’re especially pleased that this strategic work is supported by the state of Bremen through the BAB, strengthening innovation and digital capability at our home base."
About Marble Imaging
Marble Imaging is a big-data EO company based in Germany, building its constellation of VHR satellites to provide daily EO analytics and insights of our planet. The data and derived EO-based analytics will be vital in supporting rapid decision-making with regard to food security, green and sustainable energy transitions, climate change, infrastructure and mobility, global security and much more. Marble already offers advanced data analysis services, including deforestation monitoring, water health assessment, and coastline monitoring.
For more information:
Alexander Epp
alex@marble-imaging.de
https://marble-imaging.de
About tenics:
tenics is a specialized software engineering partner for the space industry, based in Bremen, Germany. The team combines deep experience from decades of operational space missions with modern, lean engineering practices. tenics develops flight software, ground segment solutions, and high-performance data platforms for satellites and space-based services. The company is trusted by satellite primes, space agencies, and emerging commercial players to deliver mission-critical software on time and to the highest standards. In addition to tailored engineering services, tenics offers reusable building blocks such as its Dragonfly microservice suite for geodata-driven applications. By bridging proven reliability with fast, focused execution, tenics enables its clients to turn complex space software into robust operational systems.
For more information:
Dirk Roßkamp
dirk.rosskamp@tenics.de
https://www.tenics.de
This project is funded by:
April 30, 2025
Coastal regions worldwide are threatened by climate change, [M] Marble Imaging, Unsplash
Bremen, Germany
Marble Imaging officially announces the development of an advanced coastal monitoring solution called "Precious Coast Information System" (PCIS) to deliver timely Earth Observation based assessments for coastal regions worldwide.
The project is co-funded with €150,000 through the Start-up Funding Bremen (BRE-Up) program by Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven, a division of BAB – the development bank, and the European Union
The project, which will run until November 2026, will deliver valuable insights for commercial companies, scientific institutions and political decision-makers interested in the coastal areas of our planet.
Almost one billion people worldwide live near the coast. Climate change and human-driven transformations increasingly endanger these economically vital areas. With PCIS Marble Imaging offers an innovative modular software solution for the sustainable management of our oceans and the protection of the world's coastal regions. The AI-supported Earth Observation (EO) analyses assess the risk of coastal regions and provide valuable and timely insights regarding threats like water pollution, deforestation, erosion, or flooding, all affecting the natural environment, economy, and society.
PCIS consists of building blocks of geospatial tools that combine EO data and products, in-house AI based methods and socio-economic datasets to provide holistic information about coastal vulnerability – in an easily understandable way.
Marble analytics offered as building blocks within PCIS, with Sentinel-2 imagery
"With PCIS, we will offer an innovative EO based software solution to help monitor, preserve and understand risk affecting our coasts – this is crucial for increasing coastal resilience to climate change impact and for climate change adaptation. In combination with the very high-resolution multispectral data from the Marble satellites PCIS will deliver detailed, timely and precise insights", says Dr. Gopika Suresh, Co-Founder, CSO and Head of Product Development of Marble.
EO based data and products play a vital role in analyzing coastlines, offering insights that in-situ measurements or drones do not offer: Cost-effective, regular scans of large areas to monitor assets and detect trends. This data is crucial for government agencies and commercial clients across sectors like environmental monitoring and disaster management.
Ralf Stapp, Managing Director of BAB: "We are glad to have these cutting-edge technologies in Bremen. It is important to us to support this innovative solution for detecting and mitigating the effects of climate change."
With the generated insights, Marble Imaging targets various industries vital to the global economy, including tourism, shipping, aquaculture, insurance, infrastructure, construction and real estate development. Together with the Aquaculture site suitability tool developed within the scope of the ESA Kickstart Blue Capital project AquaMap, Marble aims to increase coastal resilience and increase food security.
Starting from 2026, Marble plans to have the capability to integrate very high-resolution data from their own satellites, giving them a market advantage with more affordable, precise analytics. Until 2028 Marble plans to deploy their own constellation of 20 satellites to offer up to hourly coverage over areas of interest in Europe.
About Marble Imaging
Marble Imaging is a big-data EO company based in Germany, building its constellation of VHR satellites to provide daily EO analytics and insights of our planet. The data and derived EO-based analytics will be vital in supporting rapid decision-making with regard to food security, green and sustainable energy transitions, climate change, infrastructure and mobility, global security and much more. Marble already offers advanced data analysis services, including deforestation monitoring, water health assessment, and coastline monitoring.
For more information:
Alexander Epp
This project is funded by:
November 27, 2024
Marble Imaging CEO Robert Hook together with Rovsing CEO Hjalti Pall Thorvardarson at Space Tech Expo Europe 2024 in Bremen
Rovsing A/S and Marble Imaging AG are pleased to announce the signing of a cooperation agreement, marking the beginning of a strategic collaboration aimed at developing joint services utilizing Earth Observation (EO) data. This partnership will focus on two key areas: Environmental and Security Applications, ensuring relevance for commercial and governmental stakeholders alike.
This collaboration aligns with both Danish and German national strategies for space and defense, addressing key priorities for each country. Rovsing and Marble Imaging are committed to driving innovation in Earth Observation technologies and delivering impactful services that will benefit both nations and the broader global community.
About Marble Imaging
Marble Imaging is a big-data EO company based in Germany, building its constellation of VHR satellites to provide daily EO analytics and insights of our planet. The data and derived EO-based analytics will be vital in supporting rapid decision-making with regard to food security, green and sustainable energy transitions, climate change, infrastructure and mobility, global security and much more. Marble already offers advanced data analysis services, including deforestation monitoring, water health assessment, and coastline monitoring.
For more information:
Alexander Epp
About Rovsing
Rovsing is a recognized space industry SME based in Denmark, delivering ground testing equipment and systems, software solutions & services for critical systems, and consultancy services to the commercial, military and institutional markets. Our solutions and services enable key capabilities and critical process throughout the industry.
For more information:
Hjalti Pall Thorvardarson
November 6, 2024
[M] Marble Imaging, Sebastian Pena-Lambarri Unsplash/ESA
Bremen, Germany
Marble’s “AquaMap”-project will employ advanced EO products and technologies to analyse environmental parameters and assess the suitability of coastal habitats for aquaculture farming and operations. The feasibility study integrating available EO datasets for aquaculture site suitability analysis is built around increasing food security and providing actionable insights to stakeholders, promoting sustainable practices, and enhancing operational efficiency.
The feasibility study will show that EO data will be invaluable in selecting aquaculture environments, aiding aquaculture standard certification and offering significant advantages in data accuracy and timeliness over traditional methods.
Mussel aquaculture farms detected in Ria de Arousa, Galicia, Spain, on Sentinel-2 imagery
”Fish products from the ocean are threatened and the need of the hour is sustainable aquaculture farming. For this, aquaculture operators require accurate information on habitat suitability and potential risk factors to ensure sustainable and profitable operations”, says Project Manager Dr. Gopika Suresh, Co-Founder of Marble and CSO. ” Traditional methods for these tasks are often time-consuming, costly, and lack the necessary precision to address emerging issues effectively.
Marble’s goal is to become a leading provider in EO based solutions for the Blue Economy to improve certification processes, monitor water quality and river runoffs, detect land cover changes and deforestation, improve industrial workflows, deliver early warning alerts in case of hazards and diseases and provide information for rapid decision making to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
About The Blue Capital Kick-start activity:
The Blue Capital Kick-start theme call aims to support companies in exploring the technical and economic feasibility of services for blue natural capital monitoring, preservation, and growth. It encourages using satellite and digital technologies, including IoT or Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, to create sustainable solutions and funding for the blue natural capital sector.
August 8, 2024
Consortium partners Marble Imaging and Scanway with ESA in Wroclaw, Poland
Bremen, Germany and Wroclaw, Poland
“Here at the Φ-lab Invest Office we are committed to support the European industry, and to continuously enable technical and commercial advancement of Earth Observation projects. We are excited about the SEMOViS project, and its ambition to develop a VHR payload and data,” says Pejman Nejadi, the ESA Technical Officer responsible for the activity. “The successful outcome would align with the agency’s wider objectives, namely the utilisation of space for a green future and rapid and resilient crisis response to name a few.”
“We are delighted that ESA supports our endeavour in developing our European VHR satellites and we look forward to developing this payload with Scanway in the frame of the InCubed programme”, says Marble CEO and co-founder Robert Hook.
With the successful deployment of the first demonstrator satellite, Marble Imaging plans to expand the Marble constellation with Scanway, as the key partner providing the VHR optical payloads. Marble Imaging is developing Europe's first commercial constellation of up to 200 small satellites for very-high-resolution (VHR) Earth Observation (EO), offering daily global coverage and enabling applications previously deemed challenging. From precision agriculture to urban planning, infrastructure development to climate monitoring, Marble Imaging's constellation is set to be a game-changer.
The demonstration satellite will be equipped with two optical instruments providing a ground sample distance (GSD) of 80 cm in the visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) bands, and 10 m in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) bands. The entire satellite mass of approximately 110 kg will ensure compatibility with a wide range of European micro launchers. The associated data-processing chain, up to Level 2 products, will be developed by Marble Imaging. The resulting Marble data and analyses will deliver valuable insights for many customers in the EU and worldwide. This collaboration will further strengthen the European EO industry.
About ESA InCubed Programme:
InCubed – Investing in Industrial Innovation – is an ESA Earth Observation Programme (EOP) co-funding programme managed by the ESA Φ-lab Invest Office. Supported by its signatory Member States, InCubed funds a wide scope of initiatives that exploit or enhance the value of EO imaging and data. These initiatives range from satellites to ground and downstream applications. InCubed focuses on developing innovative and commercially viable products and services that generate or exploit the value of Earth Observation imagery and datasets.
About Marble Imaging:
Marble Imaging is a big-data EO company based in Germany, building its constellation of VHR satellites to provide daily EO analytics and insights of our planet. The data and derived EO-based analytics will be vital in supporting rapid decision-making with regard to food security, green and sustainable energy transitions, climate change, infrastructure and mobility, global security and much more. Marble already offers advanced data analysis services, including deforestation monitoring, water health assessment, and coastline monitoring.
With their flagship product, Precious Marble, they are developing a product suite dedicated to identifying and analysing the drivers contributing to the vulnerability of the Earth’s ecosystem. By seamlessly integrating data on risk, exposure, and sensitivity, Precious Marble highlights regions at risk, providing timely and actionable insights into the changing vulnerability status.
Marble Imaging is supported by the European Space Agency's Northern Germany Business Incubator and the winner of the “Small Satellite Initiative” competition by the German Space Agency (DLR).
About Scanway:
Scanway is a Polish company operating in the field of observation technology and machine vision. The company develops and commercialises two business lines: products for the space sector (optical instruments for EO and satellite self-diagnostics) and for the manufacturing industry (machine vision systems).
Scanway is the only entity in Poland and one of a dozen companies worldwide to have developed complete technology for EO and self-diagnostics of satellites and space vehicles. The company offers complete systems based on its dedicated algorithms for image processing and analysis. In 2023, the STAR VIBE mission included the launch of a satellite containing a vision system and an optical telescope developed and manufactured in the company's laboratories. Thus, Scanway achieved flight heritage and is providing the best space imagery yet obtained by Polish satellite instruments. The company is also a key consortium member in Poland's largest space projects, including EagleEye and PIAST.
The Company also aims to use space solutions in the manufacturing industry. Scanway provides technology solutions tailored to the needs of medium and large manufacturing plants, mainly in the area of quality control. In October 2023, Scanway made its debut on the NewConnect market.
For more information: https://scanway.space/
May 13, 2024
Winners of the DLR’s ‘Kleinsatelliten Nutzlastwettbewerb’ from left to right: Marble’s Alexander Epp (CMO), Dr. Gopika Suresh (CSO), Robert Hook (CEO), Reflex Aerospace’s Walter Ballheimer (CEO), and Dr. Daniel Kliche, SVP Innovations Center at IABG
13/05/2024
Bremen, Berlin, and Munich, Germany – Marble Imaging, with the support of strategic partner Reflex Aerospace, is set to make the first step towards revolutionizing the Earth Observation (EO) industry.
With a planned constellation of up to 200 small satellites, Marble Imaging aims to be the leading European EO company capturing images of the entire planet every day in very-high resolution (VHR). To achieve this goal, they have partnered with Germany-based satellite manufacturer Reflex Aerospace. Reflex Aerospace is one of the few NewSpace companies capable of developing satellite platforms that outperform similar systems in terms of stability and pointing accuracy, enabling very high-resolution satellite imagery.
“Our planet is facing significant challenges due to human activities impacting Earth,” says Robert Hook, CEO of Marble Imaging. “It’s crucial to understand these effects for a sustainable future. To do this, we need a big data approach to monitor these changes and develop solutions. But currently, there’s a gap in providing the necessary very high-resolution images essential for such applications.”
The derived EO data, analytics, and insights will cater to the needs of real-world applications and people. These include government organizations as well as commercial companies involved in, for example, environmental monitoring, implementation of sustainability and climate adaptation policies, ensuring food security, or providing humanitarian aid.
The initial satellite will be built for Marble Imaging by Reflex Aerospace with the funding coming via the German Space Agency at DLR in the form of an award to Marble Imaging who have won the Agency’s small satellite payload competition (‘Kleinsatelliten Nutzlastwettbewerb’). Marble Imaging’s payload will be hosted on the same platform as IABG Innovation Center’s RAISE (Resilient AI in Space and the Edge), an onboard AI computing cluster customized for robust and safe autonomous space applications – another competition winner.
“The ability to apply machine learning methods directly at the sensor and the edge in a robust and safe way is key to handling big data and enabling autonomous functions in the challenging and complex space environment,” says Dr. Daniel Kliche, SVP Innovations Center at IABG.
By developing Europe’s first EO VHR satellite constellation in partnership with Reflex, Marble challenges an overwhelmingly US-dominated market to strengthen European independence in the supply of VHR EO data. Celebrating the news, Walter Ballheimer, CEO of Reflex, explains: “At Reflex, we believe that the future of our planet depends on lightning-fast innovation in space, which is what drew us to Marble Imaging’s mission. Through this partnership, we will deploy emerging technology on tailor-made satellites to develop very high-resolution images that empower informed decision-making, positioning ourselves among the top-tier of EO platform manufacturers.”
Siegfried Monser, Space Coordinator of the State of Bremen, congratulated Marble Imaging, calling it: “A good day for the Space Community in Bremen and many other regions in Germany.”
Dr. Fabian Mehring, State Minister for Digital Affairs, commented: “I congratulate the team at Reflex Aerospace for its impressive success. I am proud that the architects of progress once again come from Bavaria. Our Free State demonstrates itself once again as Europe's high-tech stronghold and ideal home for future technologies, on the fertile grounds on which the global champions of tomorrow can grow.”
Prof. Dr. Rudolf F. Schwarz, CEO of IABG added: “We congratulate Marble Imaging and Reflex on this significant step. We are proud to contribute to the success of the important first mission by providing our expertise and solutions for robust and safe AI.”
To achieve Marble Imaging’s goals, partnering with Reflex Aerospace was a logical step based on their ability to rapidly deliver the required customized high-performance technological solutions. Reflex Aerospace’s dual-use approach harnesses modern manufacturing advancements and streamlined design processes to deliver enhanced reliability, the highest-performing core avionics in class, and accelerated delivery times.
The instruments for the first satellite are currently being co-developed with Marble Imaging’s key partner, the Polish company Scanway, which delivers advanced optical instruments for space applications. Scanway’s tools will be able to provide global data of the Earth’s surface at a targeted resolution of 0.8-meter Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) in the Visual and Near Infrared (NIR) spectrum and will include a panchromatic band. Satellites of the future constellation will be equipped with the same instruments and will also image with Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) bands. The envisioned dual-instrument solution also aims to maximize synergies with the European Copernicus program.
Marble Imaging AG
Marble Imaging, founded in August 2023 in Bremen, the heart of Germany's aerospace industry, aims to disrupt the EO market. With a shared background covering the entire spectrum of Earth Observation from mission design and management, data processing, and extensive EO data usage, the company deeply comprehends the value of global data for real-world applications and the shortcomings in the existing market.
Marble Imaging AG - Press Contact
Alexander Epp
Reflex Aerospace GmbH
Based in Munich and Berlin, Reflex Aerospace enables lightning-fast innovation in space by designing and manufacturing 100 to 500 kg payload-specific, dual-use satellite platforms within 12 months. Reflex is redefining satellite development by blending verticalized in-house design and manufacturing, end-to-end support, secure-by-design modules, hardware-accelerated encryption, and the highest-performing core avionics in its class.
Reflex Aerospace GmbH - Press contact
Lauro Gabriel Hining
Lgdesouzahining@b2p-communications.com
+49 1520 2453 567
May 6, 2024
The growing Marble-Team in April 2024
The Bremen based NewSpace company Marble Imaging has completed its transition to a public limited company (AG) and welcomes its first investors.
Marble Imaging AG transition finalized, Supervisory Board appointed
Pre-Seed funding round of 650,000 Euros successfully completed
06/05/2024
Bremen, Germany – Marble Imaging is advancing rapidly. The company has transitioned from a GmbH to a public limited company (AG) and appointed Dr. Ana Fernandez del Rio, a leading data scientist at Causal Foundry, and Dr. Rüdiger Schönfeld, Director of Earth Observation at OHB, a prominent aerospace and technology company, to its supervisory board. As a distinguished economist who has previously held board positions at various major corporations and numerous supervisory boards, Peter Biewald will serve as the chairman.
Peter Biewald: ”I am really proud to get the opportunity to support this excellent team on its way to the stars. I am confident, together we will become the leading European player in our market.”
Additionally, Marble welcomes its Pre-Seed investors led by Thomas Künzle, who have invested 650,000 Euros in the NewSpace company. The funds are designated for company expansion, the development of data analytic products, and the design of the first satellite prototype in collaboration with the Polish payload manufacturer Scanway.
Thomas Künzle, Partner and CEO of Belesta AG: ”We believe in Marble‘s team and vision and we see passion, determination and knowledge. Good work combined with patience will pay off.“
Marble Imaging has made a significant stride toward its goal of developing the first commercial European small satellite constellation for daily very-high resolution Earth Observation to strengthen Europe's independence in the EO sector. Over the next decade, the company aims to put up to 200 small satellites into space, mapping the planet daily with a very high resolution of 80 centimeter ground sampling distance. Future satellites are set to capture data across eight channels in total, three of those are planned to be in the short-wave infrared range with a resolution higher than 10 meters, aiming for compatibility with Sentinel-2 data from the European Copernicus Mission.
Simultaneously, the company currently offers advanced analytical products derived from already existing satellite data, which it continues to refine and plans to make accessible via a user-friendly web portal which is also in development. These analyses focus on quantifying environmental vulnerability by identifying and monitoring contributing factors in various areas including marine ecosystems, agriculture, infrastructure, land and forests, and coasts, among others.
Water Quality Analysis by Marble Imaging
”We are proud to have reached this point so quickly and are grateful for the trust placed in us by the German Aerospace Center DLR and ESA, as well as by our investors,” says Robert Hook, CEO of Marble Imaging.
”The integration of Earth Observation data into scalable analytical products is the future”, Dr. Gopika Suresh, Marble’s Chief Strategy Officer adds. ”We have many ideas on how to make complex data understandable and accessible to a wide range of users, and we are working tirelessly to continue advancing in this direction.”
November 23, 2023
From left to right: Scanway – Jędrzej Kowalewski (CEO) and Mikołaj Podgórski (COO), Marble Imaging – Dr. Gopika Suresh (CSO), Alexander Epp (CMO) and Robert Hook (CEO)
Bremen, Germany and Wroclaw, Poland – Marble Imaging, a German company that develops Earth Observation (EO) services powered by a constellation of VHR-Satellites, and the Polish NewSpace company Scanway, which delivers advanced optical instruments for space, have announced a strategic partnership today.
The subject of the cooperation will be the joint development of the multispectral payload for a constellation of small satellites for Earth Observation owned by Marble Imaging. The targeted constellation will include up to 200 satellites weighing around 100 kg each, planned to be launched in several stages within the next decade, providing repeated global imaging in the very high-resolution sector.
“Our strategic partnership will strengthen European cooperation in the Earth Observation domain”, says Robert Hook, CEO and Co-Founder of Marble. “We’re looking forward to jointly developing cutting edge optical and multispectral payloads with Scanway for our constellation.”
The cooperation has barely begun and has already resulted in winning the prestigious German “Kleinsatelliten Nutzlastwettbewerb” competition by DLR, which will enable the development and launch of the demonstrator satellite for the future constellation. Winning the award includes free provision of the satellite platform and transport into space. Scanway will be responsible for developing and supplying hardware – that is, Earth Observation telescopes that will work on board the satellites to provide the best quality data. The company's team has more than seven years of experience in the development of optical payloads.
“An exciting task for Scanway in the project will be to deliver a telescope allowing a very high-resolution of less than one meter (targeted 0.7 meter). The company's long-term goal is to create solutions for constellations, which involves scaling up the production process”, says Mikołaj Podgórski, COO and Co-Founder of Scanway. “We are aware of this challenge, that’s why, starting January, we will have laboratory and workshop spaces nearly four times larger than before thanks to Scanway's new headquarters, and in the next few years we will implement further production scaling processes.”
The satellites will provide global data of the Earth’s surface at a targeted resolution of 0.7-meter Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) in the Visual and Near Infrared (NIR) spectrum and will include a panchromatic band. Future satellites will also be able to image with Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) bands. The data and derived analytics will offer valuable insights for a diverse range of clients in the EU and around the world. The cooperation between capable European companies targets to strengthen the Europe based EO industry.
“Developing our own European constellation is a big step towards breaking the dependency on the big non-European players, that are currently dominating the market”, says Alexander Epp, Co-Founder of Marble Imaging and Head of Marketing and Sales. Marble’s role will be to process, analyze and transform the obtained EO data into added value products and services. “Our goal is to create a future where rapid and informed decision-making using up-to-date, uninterrupted, accessible and detailed EO data is seamless”, says Dr. Gopika Suresh, Co-Founder and Marble’s Chief Strategy Officer.
With more than a decade worth of experience in this field, the team behind Marble has aligned themselves with the core themes of sustainability and capacity building and aims to cater their analytics and insights to the needs of real-world applications and people. These include governmental organizations or commercial companies involved in environmental monitoring, implementation of sustainability and climate adaptation regulations, ensuring food security, as well as security, stability, and humanitarian aid purposes.
About Marble Imaging
Marble Imaging GmbH was founded in August 2023 in Bremen, a center of Germany's aerospace innovation. Covering the entire spectrum of Earth Observation from mission design and management to data processing and analytics, Marble strives to set the benchmark for streamlined EO services for commercial and government customers. Marble's founders have more than 10 years of experience in space systems and satellite data processing, and CEO Robert Hook has been responsible for managing major space missions, including the Copernicus CO2M mission.
For more information visit www.marble-imaging.de
About Scanway
Scanway is a high-tech company based in Wrocław, Poland. The team specializes in the field of vision systems and optical systems for different applications in space and on Earth. The company is divided into two fields: Scanway Space (advanced optical instruments for the space industry) and Scanway Industry (vision systems for quality control). The company has more than seven years of experience in the space industry and TRL 9 for its solutions. Scanway offers two types of products: optical telescopes for Earth Observation and camera systems for space applications, and it also conducts R&D activities in the field of optoelectronics. Since 2023, Scanway is a public company with 50+ employees on board.
For more information visit https://scanway.space/
