Australian in-space imaging startup HEO is opening a new US office in Washington, DC, to boost its work with DoD and government agencies.
“We are excited to take this significant step in our global expansion journey,” Dr. Will Crowe, HEO cofounder and CEO said in a statement. “With our current highly engaged group of customers and partners in the US, the decision to open this office underscores our dedication to meeting the needs of our stakeholders in North America.”
HEO 101: The company focuses on non-Earth imaging, including inspecting other spacecraft or debris in orbit both to facilitate new missions like in-space servicing and to increase overall transparency for operations in space. HEO, which announced its $8M Series A in August, is already working with government, national security, and commercial customers in Australia, the US, and the UK.
The startup’s HEO Inspect software hitches a ride on other company’s birds to collect data and images using their sensors.
Some context: The country’s expansion to the US follows NOAA lifting many of its commercial remote sensing licensing conditions this year. In August, the agency lifted 39 restrictions on commercial remote sensing, including allowing the collection of higher-res imagery and removing restrictions on non-Earth imaging (the latter of which is key for HEO).
Who’s who: Nate Notargiacomo, a former intelligence community officer who most recently worked as the senior director of strategy and government relations at Velos, will lead HEO’s US office.
