Italian startup Involve, which develops stratospheric balloon technology for real-time Earth monitoring, telecommunications, and infrastructure, has secured €2.5 million in seed funding.
Who invested in Involve?
Led by Earlybird Venture Capital (which recently invested in Grand Games and Proofs), the round was supported by Takeoff, the accelerator dedicated to aerospace and advanced of the CDP Venture Capital National Network, co-invested by Unicredit, Fondazione CRT, and Plug and Play which manages it also operations.
Also participating in the round is TLI Space, a structure specialised in venture capital investments in the space and technology sector, promoted by Cenciarini & Co, a holding company for early-stage ventures. The round is supplemented by €500k in convertible loans. With this investment, Involve becomes the first Italian startup chosen by Earlybird-X.
Funds utilisation
Involve will use the funds to accelerate the development of its stratospheric balloon technology to achieve several technical milestones. These include enhancing flight duration, optimising control systems through artificial intelligence, and expanding payload capacity.
The company also plans to grow its team with new hires in key areas such as aerospace engineering, software development, and data management teams. It will also continue to expand its international presence by strengthening existing partnerships and developing new ones, particularly in the surveillance, environmental monitoring, and telecommunications sectors.
Earlybird-X partner Dr. Philipp Semmer commented: “We are excited to partner with Jonathan, Claudio, and the entire Involve Team in building the next generation of high-altitude balloon platforms. The team convinced us with their execution capabilities of gathering substantial initial traction with very little capital. Additionally, they were able to attract some of the leading heads in the space such as Alastair Westgarth. Involve will define a new category of earth observation technology, and we are happy to be part of the journey, alongside CDP and TLI Space.”
New appointees
In addition to the investment, Involve welcomed Alastair Westgarth, former CEO of Google’s Project Loon, to its executive Board of Directors, and renowned astronaut Paolo Nespoli to its Advisory Board.
The company also announced the formation of its new board of directors. Founder Jonathan Polotto will continue to serve as CEO and Chairman. He will be joined by Alastair Westgarth, former CEO of the pioneering Google Loon ballooning project, known for his innovative contributions to global connectivity and aerospace. Claudio Piazzai, a partner and Chief Operating Officer, will remain instrumental in supporting the growth of the company, especially abroad. The astronaut Paolo Nespoli, who brings along extensive space experience, will join the Advisory Board.
What does the company do?
Founded by Jonathan Polotto, Involve revolutionises Earth monitoring through the use of advanced stratospheric pseudo-satellite platforms and intelligent software. It monitors everything that moves at human speed, providing real-time, high-resolution data that enables timely and informed interventions.
Understanding what happens on the ground is only possible by rising to observe it from above. Its cutting-edge technology provides a clear and detailed view, essential for environmental protection, natural resource management, and infrastructure security.
Through its innovative approach, Involve offers sustainable solutions that not only enhance the understanding of the planet but also have a tangible impact on people’s daily lives. It transfiorms earth observation into concrete actions for a better future.
“Our next step should be somewhere near Houston, USA,” said Involve founder Jonathan Polotto. “Here, for more than a month, I had the opportunity to develop contacts and do quite a bit of networking. This will be, very soon, our next step, thanks to our board member Alastair Westgarth and business developer Courtney Stadd, former Deputy Associate Administrator at NASA and ex-Director of Commercial Space at The White House.”
