Moon exploration company iSpace secured $90.2m yesterday in a series A round it claims is the largest ever raised by a Japan-based startup, with several corporates taking part.
Media company Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), office equipment provider Konica Minolta, engineering firm Shimizu, marketing agency Dentsu, telecommunications firm KDDI, aviation company Japan Airlines, printing services supplier Toppan and motor vehicle maker Suzuki were among the investors.
The corporates were joined by public-private partnership Innovation Network Corporation of Japan, asset management firm Sparx, the government-owned Development Bank of Japan and Real Tech Fund, a joint venture for microalgae producer Euglena and financial services group SMBC.
Founded in 2010, iSpace is looking to launch two lunar missions by the end of 2020. The first will orbit the moon and relay data to earth while the second will land on the moon in order to test the transportation of payloads of up to 30kg in weight.
The company’s end goal is to tap lunar resources such as water for use on earth, and it believes the moon could support a community of about 1,000 people as soon as 2040. The funding will support development of its lunar lander as well as the 2020 missions.
Takeshi Hakamada, iSpace’s founder and CEO, said: “With this funding, iSpace will begin the development of lunar lander to establish a flexible and regular lunar transportation system, and lead the exploration and development of lunar surface through micro-robotic systems.
“In addition to our Tokyo Headquarters, we will actively embark on projects at our offices in Luxembourg and USA to lead the global space resource development. With the network and knowledge of our new shareholders, we will not only expand commercial space activities centred around lunar resources, but also create a sustainable living sphere beyond Earth.”
– Image courtesy of iSpace Technologies.