Urban Sky, a company specializing in high-altitude balloon technology, has successfully secured a new round of funding led by Altos Ventures. The investment round also included contributions from New Legacy Ventures, Lerer Hippeau, Catapulto Ventures, Lavrock Ventures, New Stack Ventures, TenOneTen, DA Ventures, Union Labs VC, and Techstars.
According to the company, the newly acquired funds will be used to further develop and bring to market a suite of advanced aerial products designed to maximize the potential of the tactical stratosphere. These innovations aim to serve both military and commercial customers, providing enhanced data collection, intelligence capabilities, and real-time monitoring solutions.
Under the leadership of CEO Andrew Antonio, Urban Sky is pioneering next-generation solutions for accessing and utilizing the stratosphere—the atmospheric layer between 10 and 50 kilometers above Earth’s surface. The company’s flagship product, the Microballoon™ (mHAB), is a high-altitude balloon system capable of long-duration, controlled flights in the stratosphere.
Urban Sky’s technology ecosystem includes:
– High-altitude balloons designed for extended missions
– Custom-built stratospheric payloads for data collection and monitoring
– Advanced control software for precise operation
– AI-powered forecasting and autonomous flight control systems for optimized performance.
Urban Sky’s technology is designed to support a wide range of commercial applications, including real-time wildfire detection, climate monitoring, and environmental research. By leveraging high-resolution imaging and persistent aerial coverage, these systems provide critical data for decision-makers in industries that rely on up-to-the-minute information about atmospheric and ground conditions.
For the defence sector, Urban Sky’s innovations offer a unique advantage. The Microballoon system functions as a “personally deployable satellite,” delivering asymmetric, long-duration, and deep-reach aerial intelligence capabilities. This provides U.S. and allied defence forces with a tactical alternative to traditional satellite and drone-based reconnaissance systems, enabling:
– Secure communications support in high-altitude environments
– Extended intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations
– Persistent monitoring over large areas for strategic mission planning
Urban Sky’s advancements in stratospheric technology mark a significant shift in how governments, industries, and research institutions can access and utilize high-altitude aerial platforms. With this latest round of funding, the company is well-positioned to expand its product offerings, enhance operational capabilities, and drive innovation in both the commercial and defense sectors.
As high-altitude balloon systems continue to prove their value in providing affordable, flexible, and scalable solutions for aerial data collection, Urban Sky is poised to become a leader in this rapidly growing field.
