Japanese startup secures $30Mn to build space robot workforce
TOKYO, JAPAN — Japanese tech firm Gitai has raised US$30 million in a recent funding round to develop an affordable robot workforce for space operations.
The startup aims to reduce the risk and cost of space tasks usually performed by humans or expensive equipment.
CEO Sho Nakanose believes the bottleneck of the space industry has been changing rapidly.
“Huge space companies such as SpaceX and BlueOrigin are solving the space transportation problem, and now the bottleneck has changed from transportation costs to operational costs,” Nakanose said in a Bloomberg TV interview.
Gitai plans to create a robotic workforce capable of handling routine tasks on the moon and Mars at a fraction of the cost of existing options. Nakanose said this development could decrease the existing operational costs “by 100 times,” much like how SpaceX lowered the costs of rocket launches.
With the US$30 million funds, the Tokyo-based company will recruit more engineers in the United States, marking the start of Gitai’s expansion in the country.
“We have successfully conducted our first tech demo inside the International Space Station in 2021. And we are conducting the next tech demo — this time outside the ISS — within this year,” Nakanose added.
Many space startups globally are being attracted by the surge of NASA contracts given to private firms. The American space agency envisions these investments to contribute to developing a lunar economy.
Recognizing the limitations of the Japanese space market, Nakanose has set his sights on the U.S. for business expansion. Gitai’s recent funding was backed by Global Brain Corp., Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., and Yamato Holdings Co.
