Northwood’s Post

I don't understand their value proposition vs Starlink, OneWeb, or similar. "Bridgit Mendler is no stranger to reaching millions of people — now she wants to change how satellite data reaches the ground. A former Disney Channel star and singer — with a filmography including “Good Luck Charlie,” “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “The Clique” — Mendler has spent the past several years studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Law School. By way of her self-described “engineering household” and time at the Federal Communications Commission’s new Space Bureau, where she “completely fell in love with space law,” Mendler is launching a new career in the space industry as CEO of startup Northwood Space, based in El Segundo, California. “The vision is a data highway between Earth and space,” Mendler told CNBC. “Space is getting easier along so many different dimensions but still the actual exercise of sending data to and from space is difficult. You have difficulty finding an access point for contacting your satellite.” Rather than build rockets or satellites, Northwood aims to mass produce ground stations. Also known as teleports, ground stations are the typically large and often circular antennas that connect to satellites in space. Already, Northwood is attracting high-profile venture investors, with about $6 million in initial funding raised from investors including Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz and Also Capital. ... Northwood’s name stems from a lake in New Hampshire where Mendler said the idea for the company originated while she was spending time with family during the Covid-19 pandemic.  ... “For me, why the ground-side matters is because it actually is about bringing the impacts of space home to people,” Mendler added. Cleverly emphasized that the space industry’s growth means there is now a “colossal” amount of data trying to travel to and from satellites. “We need an approach so that those companies can get the data down reliably and in the quantities that they need,” he told CNBC. Northwood aims to build satellite ground stations that are designed with fast production and deployment flexibility first in mind. Luthra said Northwood wants to deliver ground stations “within days, not months,” so that satellite operators don’t spend time reconfiguring their networks to properly support what’s happening on Earth. “If you want a dedicated antenna, you have to wait 18 months to get the antenna delivered, installed and built out for you,” Luthra said. The startup plans to target services for satellites in low Earth orbit initially, for companies that don’t want to spend the money to build their own ground station networks. Northwood is looking to resolve a bottleneck it sees in shared ground stations making it difficult for customers to find availability on existing teleports. ..."

🚀 Big News🌌 I stumbled upon something super cool that merges my geeky love for space tech with a dash of Disney nostalgia. Remember Bridgit Mendler from "Good Luck Charlie" and "Lemonade Mouth"? Yep, that Bridgit Mendler. She's now venturing into the space industry with her new startup, Northwood, and honestly, I couldn't be more thrilled! Northwood is all about making it easier for companies to get into the satellite game without needing a fortune to set up their own ground stations. It's a game-changer, especially for startups and smaller ventures in the space world who often struggle to book time on shared ground stations. Northwood is stepping in to fix this, and it sounds like they're on to something big. What's so cool about this is how Bridgit has taken a leap from the world of entertainment to tackling a real, tangible challenge in the space sector. It's a bold move that's both inspiring and a bit mind-blowing. But here's the kicker: as a woman in engineering, seeing Bridgit make this transition is incredibly empowering. It's a vivid reminder that women can lead and innovate in any field, including the traditionally male-dominated space industry. Her journey is a beacon of inspiration, showing that with enough passion and drive, diving into new territories can lead to some pretty innovative solutions. I'm genuinely excited to watch Northwood grow and see the impact it'll have on making space more accessible for everyone. Bridgit Mendler's journey from TV screens to the final frontier is not just a story of career change; it's a testament to the power of women's leadership and innovation in every sphere. So, here's a toast to crossing paths from childhood TV favorites to the vast expanse of space, and to the exciting adventures and discoveries that await. 🌠 #SpaceTech #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Northwood #WomenInTech

She is the example of planning every step in your life leads you to sure success.

Talk about a career trajectory... From Disney star, to Space Entrepreneur - with a trail of academic accolades from USC, MIT and Harvard behind her 💪 This is awesome! Bridgit Mendler, known for her roles on Disney Channel, has co-founded Northwood Space, aiming to innovate satellite data communication. Her vision for enhancing connectivity from Earth to space is well underway, having already secured $6.3 million in seed funding from VC firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Founders Fund! We love to see it! 👉 Link to article below.

Seraphim Space Ventures II (SSV II): Our Partners on the Fund 🤝 🌌 By focusing on investing globally and at an early stage, the new Fund will strengthen Seraphim's ability to support SpaceTech’s brightest stars through every step of their journey. We are delighted to share the Seraphim Space Partners and their views on the new fund. James Bruegger, CIO and Managing Partner, says: “Investors increasingly recognise SpaceTech’s outlier potential, with record numbers of VC investments being closed every quarter. This starkly contrasts the recent contraction in investment activity in the wider VC market. With a ten-fold increase in the number of satellites in orbit anticipated over the coming decade and the cost for both launching to and returning from orbit continuing to fall, we believe that the impact of SpaceTech will reshape much of the world as we know it. By helping to turn science fiction into science fact, the companies we are aiming to back with the new fund hold the promise of unlocking the future – and in the process, themselves becoming planetary-scale successes.” 🚀 Find out more information on the fund here - https://lnkd.in/eS_9w7c3

Definitely one of the ones to watch within the new space economy. 👀 Really interesting article from Yahoo Finance talking to Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice. 🌌 https://lnkd.in/exa_nA2g #preipo #ipo #newspace #startup ICP Search

For all those feeling overwhelmed by the commercialization of this day, SpaceFounders has a message for you. Celebrate Love for the Stars ✨ Indeed, we feel it too! SpaceFounders, driven by a team of passionate space aficionados tells you: Space loves you back. ❤️ Echoing the philosopher Harry Frankfurt, who remarked on love's capacity to provide us with reasons, we channel our passion for space and its pioneers as a motive to create meaningful change. So, here's to the new aficionados of space, the dreamers and builders of spacetechs, and the starry-eyed optimists. May your Valentine's Day be imbued with a love that not only transcends dimensions but also ignites the engines of your aspirations. For more spacetech startups and space leaders of tomorrow. 🌌 What´s left to do? Spread some (celestial) love and tag your fellow space enthusiasts. #spaceloversunited #spacelovers #newspaceeconomy #valentinesday picture: AI generated by Stephanie Wißmann ©

What a privilege it was to advise the QIC private equity team who led Gilmour Space Technologies Series D fundraising. It was a truly collaborative process with the company and the co-investors Blackbird, Main Sequence, Hostplus and HESTA. An especial thanks to Adam Gilmour and James Minchinton. We can’t wait to see what’s next for Adam and the team. #privateequity #privatecapital #venturecapital #technology #space #spacetech #queenslandbusiness #startup Friedrich Kuepper Spandan D. Tom Lyons Ben Seymour

Venture Capital News - Venture Capital News Headlines

https://lnkd.in/giYkYnXu There’s plenty of unexplored territory in the global space market – and it’s looking pretty lucrative. 1.1 trillion by 2030 within a market is a lot of value, and the article does not even broach the subject of humans in space. We’re on the cusp of a new golden age in space ventures.