Marble Imaging, a Bremen-based startup founded in 2023, has raised €5.3 million in an oversubscribed seed round to develop a fleet of multispectral satellites capable of delivering ultra-high-resolution Earth observation (EO) imagery as frequently as every hour. The funding round was led by High-Tech Gründerfonds and supported by investors including BAB Beteiligungs- und Management-gesellschaft Bremen mbH (BBM), Lightfield Equity, Oslo Venture Company, nwk | nwu Beteiligungsgesellschaften der Sparkasse Bremen, Sentris Capital, Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund, and SpaceFounders.
The fresh capital will enable Marble to expand its team, enhance its technology, and prepare for the launch of its first satellite in 2026. Additionally, it will accelerate development of its analytics tools for intelligence, maritime monitoring, and terrain analysis, which early customers are already testing. The company has also secured over €10 million in non-dilutive funding and signed a €3 million anchor contract with the European Space Agency (ESA).
Addressing Europe’s EO Gap
Europe faces a growing need for timely, independent, and high-resolution Earth observation data for applications in defense, climate monitoring, disaster response, energy, and infrastructure projects. Existing providers often fall short in speed, sovereignty, and precision, leaving critical decisions hampered by limited data. Marble Imaging aims to fill this gap with a European-controlled constellation of satellites, combining fast revisit times with high-quality analytics.
About Marble Imaging
The company was co-founded by Robert Hook (CEO), Dr. Gopika Suresh (CSO), and Alexander Epp (CBDO), bringing over a decade of expertise in space systems, EO science, satellite data processing, and EO business development. Hook previously led major European EO programs, including the Copernicus CO2M mission.
Marble’s satellites use multispectral cameras covering visible, near-infrared, and short-wave infrared bands, paired with AI-powered analytics for real-time insights. The platform enables terrain mapping, trafficability checks, coastal monitoring, land cover classification, and object detection for both civilian and defense purposes.
Unlike competitors such as Maxar Technologies, Planet Labs, and ICEYE, Marble emphasizes European sovereignty, rapid revisit rates, and actionable analytics tailored for urgent European needs.
Looking Ahead
Marble Imaging plans to expand its constellation to 20 satellites by 2028, providing near-hourly coverage for defense, climate, and crisis response sectors. Early contracts and pilot programs demonstrate strong demand for the company’s high-resolution, independent, and timely EO data.
“Marble Imaging is addressing a critical European capability gap in very-high resolution data, and no other company is moving as fast to fill it. The demand for independent and timely EO data will only grow, and I’m proud to support Marble in building a European star for a global market,” said Koen Geurts, Senior Investment Manager at HTGF.