Space solar power startup mPower Technology closed a $21M Series B to help scale production of its solar modules.
Razor’s Edge Ventures led the round, which also included participation from Shield Capital. The funding allows mPower to expand its automated manufacturing line for its flexible solar array tech as well as grow its workforce, CEO Kevin Hell told Payload in a statement.
“The entire space ecosystem is on the cusp of transformational growth, and nothing happens in space without power. It is a critical enabler,” Mark Spoto, managing partner of Razor’s Edge, said in a statement. “The confidence we have in mPower is based on real-world proof: Its solar solutions are in orbit, and delivering value now.”
Meet mPower: The Albuquerque-based company, which spun off from Sandia National Laboratories in 2015, raised a $21.4M in a pair of Series A rounds. Its core product is DragonSCALES, a flexible, lightweight mesh made of silicon solar cells. The material can provide power to everything from LEO constellations to space logistics flights to missions on the Moon and Mars, according to mPower’s website.
The tech already reached orbital success—DragonSCALES flew for the first time aboard a Lynk Global direct-to-device sat in 2021.
What’s next: This year, mPower will start delivering DragonSCALES to provide solar power for 200+ Airbus satellites. The value of the contract, which was awarded in October, was not disclosed. While Hell said he sees lots of opportunities in LEO, he expects the Trump administration’s focus on the Moon and Mars will drive business for DragonSCALES.
“Our silicon technology performs well in the cold, and our resilient and flexible DragonSCALES architecture is well-suited for handling a variety of lunar use cases,” he said.
Correction: This story has been updated to more accurately characterize the size of the solar cells and update the amount raised in the Series A.
