Matter Intelligence, a California-based remote sensing startup, has raised $12 million in seed funding led by Lowercarbon Capital. The round also saw participation from Toyota Ventures, Pear, Mark Cuban, and E2MC.
The funding will be used to accelerate the development of Matter’s sensing infrastructure. Matter Intelligence plans to launch space sensors capable of capturing never-before-seen data about all matter on Earth, from surface to atmosphere.
“Matter is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in Earth observation. We are developing sensors that allow us to understand material makeup at the molecular level—capturing composition, temperature, and structure from orbit with sub-meter precision. This is a game changer for industries that rely on detailed, real-time data to make critical decisions,” said co-founder and CEO Vishnu Sridhar.
“Matter is building the most sophisticated hyperspectral sensors to ever study our planet, allowing us to uncover critical resources we can’t see and measure climate-driven costs in real-time,” explained Shawn Xu, Partner at Lowercarbon Capital.
Company advisor Colleen Laughlin, former Director of the Defense Innovation Board, added, “We are in the middle of a new space race that will define the future, and Matter Intelligence is at the forefront of providing the technology we need to protect our national and economic security.”
Matter Intelligence is founded by former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) engineers Vishnu Sridhar and Thomas Chrien, and former Caltech scientist Nathan Stein. The company’s CEO, Vishnu Sridhar, has led key NASA missions like the SuperCam on the Perseverance rover and REASON on the Europa Clipper deep space mission, and served as the Flight Director for the Mars Opportunity rover. Technical Director, Thomas Chrien, pioneered hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy, developed the first airborne hyperspectral broadband imaging spectrometer, and directed the U.S. Air Force ARTEMIS payload for TacSat-3, the highest resolution publicly known hyperspectral mission.
Matter specializes in advancing sensor infrastructure that captures incredibly detailed, beyond-visible data of both natural and artificial materials – creating the most comprehensive “extreme resolution” Earth observation dataset ever compiled. This data will power industries and helps AI models better understand and predict real-world events like never before.
Matter Intelligence’s sensors use hyperspectral imaging, a method that captures thousands of narrow spectral bands of light to distinguish unique material properties. This allows Matter to detect and classify objects and materials that are invisible to traditional optical, radar, or multispectral sensors. Matter’s sensors, designed for deployment on satellites, drones, and aircraft, will offer the world’s first sub-meter hyperspectral and thermal satellite capability.
EARTH-1 will be Matter’s first satellite and provide sub-meter hyperspectral and thermal imaging capability. Matter will soon announce EARTH-1’s launch date. EARTH-1 will map and monitor Earth’s materials in real time, from mineral composition and vegetation health to atmospheric conditions. With this satellite, Matter is building the first global encyclopedia of Earth’s material composition – capturing the most detailed, multi-dimensional data across the planet.
