A decade of Duke University research is making its way out of the lab and into the real world - and eventually, outer space.
Extellis is a satellite imaging company founded by Michael Boyarsky out of the lab of Duke engineering professor David Smith .
Building on metamaterial advances pioneered by the lab, the new imaging approach would allow satellites to capture up to 10,000 images per day. That's 100 times more than current systems.
Now the company is one step closer to its goals, thanks to $6.8 million in seed funding that included Duke Capital Partners .
"While today's satellites only cover a tiny fraction of Earth, ours will reliably monitor Earth at an industrial scale," said Boyarsky, Extellis co-founder and CEO. "Across energy, agriculture, and other industries, customers have limited adoption of satellite monitoring due to cost and reliability concerns." The startup was featured last year at the sixth annual Invented at Duke event.
Unlike traditional satellite cameras, Extellis' antennas use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to see through clouds and at night, delivering real-time images within 15 minutes. This leap in capability opens doors for applications ranging from precision agriculture and pipeline monitoring to disaster response and Arctic navigation.
The funding will support the launch of Extellis' first satellite and expand its team and partnerships.
"Whether you're a general or a farmer, you can't see what's wrong if you can't see what's normal," Boyarsky said. "Our technology makes satellite monitoring reliable and affordable for industries that have long been priced out."
Development of the technology at Duke was supported by the Gilhuly Accelerator Fund and Duke New Ventures .
Learn more on Duke's Pratt School of Engineering website.
