The rapid surge in satellites and space debris has heightened the risk of collisions. Currently, more than 23,000 pieces of debris larger than a softball orbit Earth at incredible speeds, posing a threat to satellites and spacecraft. With projections of up to 70,000 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in the coming decades, the risk of collisions and disruptions is rising dramatically. To address this pressing need for Space Traffic Management (STM), OKAPI:Orbits deploys AI-driven platforms to ensure safer and more sustainable space operations in an increasingly congested orbital environment.
Today, OKAPI:Orbits, Europe’s leading Space Traffic Management solutions provider, announces €13M in total seed funding. The round is led by Ventech, a pan-European early-stage venture capital firm with strong German roots, alongside significant investment from Matterwave Ventures, a European industrial deep-tech investor, and existing investors, including the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund. This brings OKAPI:Orbits’ total funding to over €18M.
The financing round also attracted notable individual investors, including Christian Miele, former chairman of the German Start-up Association. The funding will accelerate the company’s growth through enhanced technical capabilities, team expansion, and broader international presence.
OKAPI:Orbits: transforming orbital safety through innovation
Founded in 2018 as a spin-off from Technische Universität Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig), OKAPI:Orbits emerged from the vision of Kristina Nikolaus (Co-Founder & CEO), Jonas Radtke (Co-Founder & COO), and Christopher Kebschull (Co-Founder & CTO). The company’s university origins reflect its commitment to scientific rigour, initially focusing on advanced algorithms for space situational awareness (SSA) and satellite manoeuvre optimisation. Drawing on 14 years of institutional research, the founding team developed innovative solutions to mitigate space debris and prevent collisions.
OKAPI:Orbits’ mission is straightforward: to make space operations safer, more sustainable, and more efficient. The company helps satellite operators maximise the lifespan of their assets while minimising environmental impact, protecting investments, and leveraging opportunities in the expanding space market to address Earth’s challenges.
Their vision encompasses a future where orbital operations follow collaborative, data-driven protocols that ensure long-term sustainability in orbit. By 2030, OKAPI:Orbits aims to become the standard STM platform for European satellite operators, while expanding its presence across the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific region.
Behind space traffic management solutions
OKAPI:Orbits safeguards space missions through advanced AI-based SSA and STM platforms. Its three core platforms manage the entire mission lifecycle, from pre-launch through de-orbiting, offering mission simulation, compliance checks, collision avoidance, and active traffic coordination. The technology integrates data from multiple sources, including radar, telescopes, in-orbit sensors, and laser-ranging, to create a comprehensive, real-time map of space objects and predict potential risks.
OKAPI:Aether creates a unified, real-time map of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) objects by combining data from various sensing systems. It achieves 95% accuracy in predicting conjunctions while reducing false alarms, enabling more efficient manoeuvre planning.
OKAPI:Astrolabe facilitates real-time communication between satellite operators during critical conjunction events, featuring automated manoeuvre strategy negotiation and event-driven data sharing. Meanwhile, OKAPI:Soteria optimises mission design and ensures regulatory compliance by simulating scenarios to evaluate risks and environmental impacts before launch.
Through this comprehensive technology stack, OKAPI:Orbits offers real-time mapping of space objects and risk prediction. The company has already supported over 50 spacecraft and 150+ users worldwide, including agencies, commercial operators, and insurers.
Growing network of space innovation partners
OKAPI:Orbits demonstrates its commitment to innovation and sustainability through strategic partnerships. In 2024, they partnered with Aurora Propulsion, a Finnish developer of water-based propulsion systems for small satellites, to create an integrated solution for collision avoidance and sustainable deorbiting.
In 2022, ESA chose OKAPI:Orbits to pilot commercial collision avoidance services for its SWARM mission, achieving a remarkable 99.8% success rate in risk prediction and manoeuvre planning. The company also collaborates with universities, such as the Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin), to incorporate cutting-edge academic research into its platforms.
“Our goal is to create lasting value for our customers while ensuring the long-term viability of our orbital environment. This round enables us further to solidify our leading role in the space industry. Based out of Europe and backed by the best worldwide talent, we are in the unique position to build resilient and independent Space Domain Awareness capabilities for commercial and institutional customers internationally,” commented Kristina Nikolaus, the company’s CEO.
The European space industry’s focus on sustainability, as outlined in frameworks such as the EU Space Act and ESA’s Strategy 2040, underscores the growing need for innovative infrastructure and services, precisely where OKAPI:Orbits excels.
OKAPI: Orbits directly addresses the Kessler Syndrome threat—a potential cascade of collisions that could render low Earth orbit (LEO) unusable. Its platforms reduce collision probabilities by 60% for subscribed satellites and slow debris accumulation through optimised deorbiting protocols. While U.S. firms like LeoLabs and Kayhan Space lead the North American STM market, OKAPI:Orbits distinguishes itself through European data sovereignty, modular solutions, and robust industry partnerships.
What investors have to say about OKAPI:Orbits
Nicolas Barthalon, Principal at Ventech, adds: “As the interest in space skyrockets, satellite operators urgently need an extensive space asset catalogue, trustworthy collision risk predictions, predictable space mission unit economics, and an industry-vetted collaboration platform. OKAPI brings the full package thanks to its strong IP and ties to key industry players. We are thrilled to support OKAPI:Orbits in becoming the backbone for safe and sustainable space missions, along with new and existing investors.”
Benedikt Kronberger, Partner at Matterwave Ventures, adds: “Billions of consumers, businesses, and governments increasingly rely on satellite-enabled services. OKAPI:Orbits offers the most advanced and reliable Space Traffic Management solution we have seen, setting new industry standards. Europe needs strong tech champions, particularly in space tech, and we are committed to supporting the team at OKAPI:Orbits as they scale their impact and drive European leadership in the space sector.”
Wolfgang Neubert, Partner at Amadeus APEX Technology Fund, comments: “We are delighted to reinvest in OKAPI:Orbits as they strengthen their European foothold with established investors, addressing the critical issue of Space Traffic Management where daily conjunctions occur, and operators rely on inadequate communications. Rather than being merely investors, we view ourselves as long-term business partners and are consistently impressed by how the team addresses genuine market challenges. Their German-engineered solution serves as a neutral, non-political platform where operators can communicate bidirectionally, creating a coordinated protocol for safer orbital operations.
