Berlin Whether in California or Yakutia, on the coast of Greece or in the heart of Australia: every year, huge areas of forest around the world are destroyed by fire. Since climate change favors drought and heat, such catastrophes will occur even more frequently in the future – which in turn accelerate global warming through the release of CO2 and methane.
Forestry companies and authorities post employees on observation towers or let planes circling in order to detect smoke and flames at an early stage. But that is tedious, especially in large, thin or unpopulated areas.
The German start-up Orora Tech wants to make fire fighting more efficient with digital technology: It has developed an early warning system that evaluates satellite data. “We’re bringing the whole thing into the 21st century,” says Thomas Grübler, head of the Munich company.
With this mission, Orora Tech won the German digital prize The Spark, awarded by Handelsblatt and McKinsey, on Thursday evening. The jury explained its decision that it is a “disruptive novelty” in forest fire prevention. In addition, the solution offers a holistic contribution to the fight against climate change.
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That was the focus of the competition this year: “Net Zero Tech” was the motto – it was about technologies that enable the transformation to an emission-free future.
Prototype goes into space in January
The electrical engineer Grübler can visualize the disasters of the past summer with a simulation. The software shows the sources of fire and endangered regions on a map. In Australia, for example, large areas turn red – major bush fires occur on the continent every year.
Orora Tech currently uses images from weather and research satellites operated by the space agencies Nasa and Esa for the analysis. However, the data is incomplete: In the afternoon there is a gap of six to nine hours, reports Grübler – the systems mostly use the morning because of the lighting conditions.
That is why the start-up wants to shoot satellites into orbit 600 kilometers above the earth, which have a self-developed thermal imaging camera on board. “A first prototype is expected to fly into space on January 10th,” reports Grübler – the transport to the USA, where the rocket operator SpaceX has its launch pad, is imminent. The first device for operational use will “probably be ready for use in 2023”.
From left: Björn Stoffers, Rupert Amann, Florian Mauracher and CEO Thomas Grübler founded Orora Tech in 2018.
(Photo: press photo)
The development was not trivial. The cameras are installed on nanosatellites from the US company Spire, which do not allow the electronics to be cooled. The founders – in addition to Thomas Grübler, there are Björn Stoffers, Florian Mauracher and Rupert Amann – have therefore developed a system with their 50-person team that works without cooling.
Orora Tech plans to put around 100 shoebox-sized satellites into operation over the next five years. Then the infrared cameras of the start-up will scan the entire earth, at any time of the day or night. The company could offer its services worldwide, including in Europe, where forests are smaller and fires have to be discovered more quickly.
German “New Space” scene is growing
In order to build such a network, however, the start-up must raise additional capital. The cost of rocket launches has fallen significantly thanks to private rocket providers such as SpaceX. In addition, the miniaturization of the electronic components enables significantly smaller satellites. For the transport of a system from Orora Tech that weighs around eight kilograms, according to estimates from industry circles, a sum of up to several hundred thousand euros is still due.
In a first institutional financing round, the so-called Series A, the company received 5.8 million euros in June from investors such as Findus Venture, Ananda Impact Ventures, Apex Ventures and Bayern Kapital. In the coming year, the management wants to raise capital again. This Series B usually takes place in the growth phase of a start-up.
Orora Tech is part of a growing scene: More and more start-ups are recognizing the economic potential of space. According to a study by the research and consulting agency Capitol Momentum on behalf of the Federal Association of German Industry, there are 125 “New Space” companies in Germany, a third of which are less than five years old. Investments doubled last year to 308 million euros. Munich in particular, where Orora Tech is located, has developed into a hotspot.
The scene benefits from the fact that the cost of rocket launches is falling thanks to new technology. German start-ups are also contributing to this. Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory and Hyimpulse are developing launch vehicles that will bring small and light satellites into orbit at low cost. This is the basis for new business models such as the analysis of data from space.
Insurance companies and oil companies as potential customers
Orora Tech’s network is still being established, but the company has already started marketing the service. “Our software is already used by customers all over the world and was able to successfully prevent forest fires this summer,” says Grübler. They already have customers in ten countries.
Commercial forestry companies in Australia and South America have signed contracts – billed per month and per hectare. The company also sees potential in insurance and reinsurance, which, for example, can control damage and assess risks. The company does not disclose the current turnover.
With the satellite network up and running, Orora Tech plans to develop additional revenue streams. The data from the thermal imaging cameras are suitable, for example, for local weather forecasts, reports Grübler. The routine flaring of gas during the production of oil, known in technical jargon as gas flaring, can also be monitored with the technology. In a project with the European space agency Esa, the World Bank and several oil companies, the start-up demonstrated how it works.
More: “The space industry will change dramatically” – these are the space plans of the major states.