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Cesium Astro

Austin, US · Founded 2022 · Delaware corporation · 518 employees on LinkedIn · 16 known investors

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CesiumAstro builds active phased array communications systems and software-defined payloads for space and defense applications, including inter-satellite crosslinks, downlinks, and 5G non-terrestrial network connectivity. Its products serve spacecraft constellations, airborne, and terrestrial platforms with multi-beam, multi-orbit connectivity.

Defense TechHardwareSpace Tech

Founders & leadership

Cesium Astro was founded in 2022 by Shey Sabripour.

SSShey Sabripour
Shey SabripourFounder & CEOShey Sabripour is the CEO and founder of CesiumAstro, a company developing active phased array communications systems for space applications. He brings over 30 years of experience in satellite and space vehicle design and development, including 24 years at Lockheed Martin Space Systems where he served as director of spacecraft design managing large teams and programs, and a role as chief technology officer at Firefly Space Systems from 2014 to 2016; he holds a B.S. in electrical and electronics engineering from North Dakota State University.
JH
Jonathan HodockNamed on SEC filing
DS
Daniel SableNamed on SEC filing

Board

TDThomas D?Halluin
Thomas D?HalluinBoard MemberManaging Partner at Airbus Ventures
WHWen Hsieh
Wen HsiehBoard directorFounding Managing Partner at Matter Venture Partners

Investors · 16

Assembly Ventureslisted by Assembly VenturesDetroit

How we know: the VCSheet dataset · Not right? Tell us

In-Q-Tellisted by In-Q-TelTysons · $100K – $2.5M

How we know: In-Q-Tel's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us

InMotion Ventureslisted by InMotion VenturesLondon · $317.5K – $2.6M

How we know: InMotion Ventures's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us

IronGate Capital Advisorslisted by IronGate Capital AdvisorsNew York

How we know: IronGate Capital Advisors's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us

Kleiner Perkinslisted by Kleiner PerkinsMenlo Park · $500K – $15M

How we know: satellitetoday.com · open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us

Matter Venture Partnerslisted by Matter Venture PartnersSilicon Valley

How we know: Matter Venture Partners's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us

MESHlisted by MESHTaipei · $100K – $60M

How we know: MESH's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us

Trousdale Ventureslisted by Trousdale VenturesWest Hollywood · $1M – $5M

How we know: Trousdale Ventures's portfolio page · a partner's Signal profile · Not right? Tell us

Woven Capitallisted by Woven CapitalTokyo · $10M – $50M

How we know: Woven Capital's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us

Airbus VenturesreportedMenlo Park · $1M

How we know: funding news · satellitetoday.com · open dataset · 5k.vc investor directory · Not right? Tell us

Lavrock VenturesreportedWashington

How we know: satellitetoday.com · the VCSheet dataset · Not right? Tell us

Also in the syndicate · 4

Forever VenturesleadFranklin Templeton Blackhorse FundHEICOL3Harris Technologies

Reported raises · per SEC filings

Form D private placements

$387.9M disclosed across 7 rounds · 2017–2025

▶$270.5MraisedJun 2026 · 37 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Phillip SarofimDirector
  • Kenneth SmithExecutive Officer
  • Krystle CaponioExecutive Officer
  • Chris Pappas IIIExecutive Officer
  • Daniel SableDirector
  • Thomas D'HalluinDirector
  • Shey SabripourExecutive Officer, Director
  • Victor See, Jr.Director
  • Jonathan HodockDirector
Offering amount
$270.5M
Amount sold
$270.5M
First sale
Jul 2025
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2022
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$30MraisedFeb 2024 · 2 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Daniel SableDirector
  • Jonathan HodockDirector
  • Wen HsiehDirector
  • Thomas D'HalluinDirector
  • Shey SabripourExecutive Officer, Director
Offering amount
$50M
Amount sold
$30M
First sale
Jan 2024
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2022
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$2.1MraisedJan 2023 · 5 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Shey SabripourExecutive Officer, Director
  • Jonathan HodockDirector
  • Daniel SableDirector
  • Thomas DHalluinDirector
  • Wen HsiehDirector
Offering amount
$2.1M
Amount sold
$2.1M
First sale
Jan 2023
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2022
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$15MraisedMar 2022 · 10 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Thomas D?HalluinDirector
  • Daniel SableDirector
  • Jonathan HodockDirector
  • Shey SabripourExecutive Officer, Director
  • Wen HsiehDirector
Offering amount
$15M
Amount sold
$15M
First sale
Oct 2020
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2022
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$60MraisedMar 2022 · 12 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Jonathan HodockDirector
  • Shey SabripourExecutive Officer, Director
  • Daniel SableDirector
  • Thomas D?HalluinDirector
  • Wen HsiehDirector
Offering amount
$60M
Amount sold
$60M
Finders' fees
$546K
First sale
Feb 2022
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2022
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$8.5MraisedJan 2019 · 4 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Jonathan HodockDirector
  • Shey SabripourExecutive Officer, Director
  • Daniel SableDirector
Offering amount
$12.4M
Amount sold
$8.5M
First sale
Jan 2019
Incorporated
Corporation, Texas, 2017
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$1.8MraisedJul 2017 · 3 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Daniel SableDirector
  • Jonathan HodockDirector
  • Shey SabripourExecutive Officer, Director
Offering amount
$1.8M
Amount sold
$1.8M
First sale
Apr 2017
Incorporated
Corporation, Texas, 2017
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗

Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.

Related companies · 1

Capella SpaceCapella Space designs, builds, and operates synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellations that provide all-weather, day-and-night Earth observation imagery at sub-0.25m resolution. It offers an automated end-to-end tasking and data delivery platform serving defense and intelligence, maritime, disaster response, and infrastructure monitoring customers.

Companies working in the same space as Cesium Astro.

Non-dilutive funding · 10 SBIR/STTR awards

Federal grants — no equity taken
AgencyPhaseYearAmount
U.S. Air ForceAir ForcePhase II2023$1.8M
Department of DefensePhase II2022$1.7M
U.S. Air ForceAir ForcePhase II2021$750K
NASAPhase II2021$749.2K
NASAPhase I2020$124.9K
U.S. Air ForceAir ForcePhase I2020$50K
Missile Defense AgencyPhase II2019$998.6K
U.S. NavyNavyPhase II2019$749.7K
Missile Defense AgencyPhase I2018$149.3K
U.S. NavyNavyPhase I2018$125K

Source: SBIR.gov award data (U.S. Small Business Administration). SBIR/STTR awards are competitive federal R&D grants and contracts — non-dilutive capital alongside any venture rounds above.

Frequently asked questions

What does Cesium Astro do?
CesiumAstro builds active phased array communications systems and software-defined payloads for space and defense applications, including inter-satellite crosslinks, downlinks, and 5G non-terrestrial network connectivity. Its products serve spacecraft constellations, airborne, and terrestrial platforms with multi-beam, multi-orbit connectivity.
Who founded Cesium Astro?
Cesium Astro was founded by Shey Sabripour in 2022.
Who are Cesium Astro's investors?
Cesium Astro's investors include Alumni Ventures, Assembly Ventures, In-Q-Tel, InMotion Ventures, IronGate Capital Advisors, Kleiner Perkins, Matter Venture Partners, MESH and 4 more.
How much funding has Cesium Astro raised?
Cesium Astro has disclosed $387.9M raised across 7 rounds.
Where is Cesium Astro headquartered?
Cesium Astro is headquartered in Austin, US.