OroraTech raises €25m to scale forest fire early warning system

OroraTech, a Munich-based startup specializing in high-tech solutions for early detection of forest fires, has announced that it has raised €25 million in a new round of funding. The funds will allow the company to expand its global markets and further improve its AI-based fire warning and monitoring system.

The funding will allow the company to expand its global markets and further improve its AI-based fire prevention and monitoring system.

Investing for Growth

The investment round was led by Korys, the investment arm of Belgium’s Colruyt family, one of the country’s most prominent noble families. The European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF) also made a significant contribution, as did existing investor Bayern Kapital.

OroraTech plans to use the funding to accelerate its growth and expand into markets outside of Europe, as well as to further improve its wildfire detection and prediction technology. With the new investment, the startup will be able to strengthen its global position and develop innovative approaches to firefighting.

OroraTech will use the funding to accelerate its growth and market penetration outside of Europe, as well as to further improve its wildfire detection and forecasting technology.

OroraTech: AI and satellites to protect forests

The technology platform OroraTech Wildfire Solution utilizes images collected from both the company’s satellites and more than 20 other Earth observation satellites. The system combines data from various sources and uses artificial intelligence algorithms to automatically detect signs of fires. What’s more, AI can predict how a fire will spread, enabling authorities to respond quickly to the threat.

An AI can predict how a fire will spread, enabling authorities to respond quickly to the threat.

OroraTech has emerged as a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich. To date, the startup has launched two satellites, the most recent of which was launched into orbit last June on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. These satellites provide around-the-clock monitoring of forested areas, which greatly improves authorities’ ability to respond to forest fires.

Satellites can be used to monitor forests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Wildfires: a global problem requiring high technology

With climate change accelerating, wildfires are becoming more frequent, intense and long-lasting. Last year, more than 500,000 hectares of forests burned across the European Union – an area twice the size of Luxembourg. In response to the growing threats, more and more countries are turning to innovative solutions.

In June 2024, Greece’s Ministry of Digital Governance awarded OroraTech a €20 million contract to build a satellite-based forest fire early warning system. This national project will include four thermal satellites as well as a network of ground-based sensors and data services. The European Space Agency (ESA), several Greek universities and companies will be involved in the development of the system.

The system will be developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), several Greek universities and companies.

The full launch of the Greek fire monitoring system is scheduled for 2026, when the entire OroraTech satellite constellation of 100 shoebox-sized satellites will be put into orbit. However, the startup is already providing data to Greece through its existing network of its thermal platforms and Wildfire Solution platform.

The startup is already providing data to Greece through its existing network of thermal platforms and Wildfire Solution platform.

The company’s third satellite, FOREST-3, is scheduled for launch in November 2024. In addition, OroraTech is testing eight new thermal camera satellites that the company plans to launch in early 2025. These satellites will significantly improve the accuracy and speed of fire detection and help prevent fires from spreading at an early stage.

The satellites will significantly improve the accuracy and speed of fire detection and help prevent fires from spreading at an early stage.

Other “firetech”

startups.

OroraTech joins a growing group of startups in the so-called “firetech” field. One such company is Dryad Networks, which has developed an “internet of trees” sensor network that can “sense” the start of a fire before it gets out of control. Other examples include startup BurnBot, which has created a robot to perform controlled burns, and Rain, which is developing autonomous helicopters for firefighting.

In Europe, a number of fire departments have already begun using technology, such as long-range drones created by Dutch startup Avy, to detect fires early and help ground-based firefighting crews track fire spread in real time. In Portugal, researchers are developing a drone capable of extinguishing flames from the air.

The researchers are also developing a drone capable of extinguishing flames from the air.

With climate conditions worsening, we can expect more and more innovative technologies to be used to fight fires. Ultimately, this could help save not only natural resources but also human lives by providing a faster and more accurate response to threats.

At the end of the day, we can expect more and more innovative technologies to be used to fight fires.