Starcloud Valued at $1.1B After $170M Raise, Uses Nvidia H100 GPUs
Starcloud secured $170 million in Series A funding, valuing the orbital data center start-up at $1.1 billion and equipping its first satellite with an Nvidia H100 GPU. The firm plans to launch Starcloud 2 with Nvidia Blackwell chips and AWS server blades later this year, targeting cost-competitive power at $0.05/kW-hour.
1. Series A Funding and Valuation
Starcloud closed a $170 million Series A round led by Benchmark and EQT Ventures, valuing the company at $1.1 billion just 17 months after its Y Combinator debut. This rapid funding milestone underscores strong investor backing for space-based data centers.
2. Deployment of Nvidia GPUs in Orbit
The start-up launched its first satellite in November 2025 equipped with an Nvidia H100 GPU. Starcloud 2 will carry multiple GPUs including Nvidia Blackwell modules alongside an AWS server blade and a bitcoin mining computer by year-end.
3. Cost Targets and Launch Timeline
Starcloud projects power costs around $0.05 per kW-hour if Starship launch fees drop to $500 per kilogram. With commercial Starship flights expected in 2028–2029, interim deployments will rely on Falcon 9 rockets until higher launch cadence is achieved.
4. Nvidia's Vera Rubin Space-1 Modules
Nvidia unveiled its Vera Rubin Space-1 chip modules at its annual GPU conference, though none have yet been manufactured or distributed to development partners. These early-stage modules signal Nvidia’s intent to expand its footprint in orbital computing hardware.