Investment
An entrepreneur aiming to launch the world’s first service streaming live video from space has raised more than £2 million in an investment round led by Mercia.
Charles Black’s company Sen allows users around the world to view free ultra high-definition (UHD) videos of Earth from cameras on its satellites, and also offers a premium service to commercial users.
Sen will launch its app in the new year to allow users to view Bhoomi’s daily videos and live streams. The latest funding will enable orders for two more satellites to be placed in preparation for a Series A funding round early next year.
Black said: “By broadcasting real-time video to billions of people around the world, Sen aims to democratize space. Our service raises awareness of planetary changes and supports those directly affected by events on Earth.
“We use augmented reality on top of video to provide users with additional insights to tell a story and provide new perspectives unique to humanity. We are delighted to welcome Mercia to help us achieve our goals.
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A lifelong space enthusiast, Black founded London-based Sen in 2014 following the flotation of his previous company Nastar, a cloud computing business.
Five years after developing UHD video technology, it was successfully trialled in 2019 when the first cameras were launched into space on a commercial satellite.
The company aims to build an array of 100 satellites orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes to transmit thousands of real-time and real-time video clips every day.
Sen’s free service allows users to view storms, fires, floods and other major events on Earth and learn more about planetary changes and help humanitarian organizations respond to disasters.
The company also operates paid premium services for commercial users who want to download and analyze videos, or commission Sen to film specific events or areas of interest.
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Static images from satellites are widely used by governments, insurance companies and other large businesses for purposes such as weather forecasting, mapping or storm damage assessment. But Sen’s service was the first commercially available video service.
The latest funding brings the company’s total raised to over £7 million. Existing investors include US venture capital firm SpaceFund, which has backed SpaceX and Axiom Space.
Mercia invested from its northern VCTs. Lee Lindley from Mercia’s VCT team said: “Sen is not only creating a new form of media suitable for mass consumption, but is also expanding the ‘earth observation’ market by offering unique features of video for data analytics.”
Luke Philpott of Mincoffs provided Mercia with legal advice on the investment.
