Infostellar

About Infostellar

Infostellar is a Japanese company providing Ground Segment as a Service (GSaaS) for satellite operators. Founded in January 2016 by Naomi Kurahara and Kazuo Ishigame, the Tokyo-based startup aims to simplify satellite operations by offering a cloud-based platform, StellarStation, that connects satellite operators with a global network of ground stations. Kurahara, who serves as CEO, holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and has a background in satellite ground systems engineering. Her co-founders, Ishigame and Toshio Totsuka, brought experience in business operations and development.

The company's core offering, StellarStation, is a platform that virtualizes ground station networks, allowing satellite operators to access antennas worldwide through a single API. This model enables ground station owners to monetize their antenna's idle time by sharing it with operators on the network. The service is designed to be flexible and scalable, catering to various missions from single CubeSats to large satellite constellations. Infostellar's business model involves satellite operators paying for the use of shared antennas for each pass of their satellite, with revenue shared between the antenna owner and Infostellar. The platform supports V/UHF, S-Band, X-band, and Ka-band services for applications including remote sensing, spacecraft commanding, and real-time telemetry, tracking, and control (TT&C).

Infostellar has steadily grown since its inception, closing its Series A financing round in September 2017 and launching the commercial version of StellarStation in October 2018. The company has expanded its global presence by opening a UK office in 2019 and a US subsidiary in 2022. As of January 2022, Infostellar had raised a total of $21.3 million over four funding rounds, with investors including Airbus Ventures, Sony Innovation Fund, Pavilion Capital Partners, and Mitsubishi Corporation. The company has established partnerships with other industry players like AWS Ground Station, ISISPACE, and Archangel Lightworks to expand its network and capabilities, including venturing into optical communication ground services.

In addition to its primary GSaaS offering, Infostellar provides a suite of technical services, including ground segment engineering, regulatory and spectrum licensing support, and antenna hosting services at its own teleport in Taiki, Hokkaido, and other locations.