News from Stratolia, supported by ENSTA Alumni

Last February, we informed you of the grant awarded by ENSTA Alumni to Stratolia, as part of the Crocos Entrepreneurship program.

As a reminder, the Stratolia project aims to deploy a Europe-wide Earth imaging service by operating a fleet of stratospheric balloons.

Here are the latest developments at Stratolia, illustrating its continuing progress in the field of Earth observation, by Louis HART-DAVIS (ENSTA Paris 2022,5).

"Acceptance into the ESA BIC scheme

We are proud to announce our inclusion in the ESA BIC program, which supports startups working with space technologies. This acceptance validates our potential and strengthens our network in the European space industry. In particular, we'll be enlisting the help of CNES and ESA engineers on a number of design topics.

Technical advances

We have carried out advanced tests on our gondola, approaching the stability target of 30 cm resolution. Our ultimate goal is to achieve 10 cm resolution, which would put our services at the forefront of the industry.

Preparing to raise funds

We are currently preparing to raise 2 million euros to finalize the development of our hardware and launch our commercial operations. In the meantime, we are building a financial bridge via Air BSAs with Business Angels, enabling an investment convertible into shares at the time of the future fund-raising. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you are interested in this project.

Market commitment and awareness

We have stepped up our market presence by taking part in major events such as the ESA CommEO in Frankfurt and the EO Summit in London. In addition, we are launching a podcast in English targeting end-users of Earth observation data. We are particularly focused on the roofing intervention sector, crucial for insurance companies who value accurate risk assessment and targeted repairs. The images we produce from balloons are also of strategic interest to defense applications, where accurate and reliable observation is vital.

These advances are therefore crucial to our growth and demonstrate our commitment to innovation and excellence in Earth observation. We thank the ENSTA community for its support and look forward to continuing this exciting adventure."