Interstellar Technologies Inc. has successfully raised 3.1 billion yen in the firm’s Series E round, via third-party share allocation to new investors such as SBI GROUP and NTT DOCOMO, INC., alongside financing from Resona Bank,Ltd. — this addition brings the cumulative funding, including subsidies, to about 17 billion yen.
Interstellar is pursuing Japan’s first vertical integration of the rocket and satellite businesses. In September of 2023, the development of the orbital class launch vehicle ZERO was selected for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s “SBIR Phase 3” (Small Business Innovation Research).
Upon successful completion of two stage-gate evaluations, as much as 14 billion yen will be granted by fiscal year 2027, supporting steady progress towards the inaugural launch.
Interstellar’s proposed ‘Satellite Communication 3.0’ enables direct connections with ground terminals such as smartphones, promising high-speed, high-capacity communication comparable to terrestrial networks. With this concept, the satellite department focuses on areas where the strengths of owning a rocket company can be maximized, aiming to enter the satellite communication market led by ventures such as SpaceX’s ‘Starlink’.
Joint research with the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) commenced in September 2023, with NICT also participating as an investor in this round.
Additionally, in June 2024, the company was entrusted with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ “Expanding Wireless Communication Spectrum Research Project.”
As Japan’s first vertically integrated rocket and satellite startup, Interstellar will use this newly secured funding to accelerate both its rocket and satellite operations.