The Bridge
Tokyo / Los Angeles-based Gitai, the Japanese telexistance robotics startup for the space industry, announced on Wednesday that it has additionally secured $15 million US in a Series B extension round. In conjunction with the $30 million (4 billion yen) funding announced in May, the total amount secured in the Series B extension round has reached $45 million.
Participating investors are Green Co-Invest, Pacific Bays Capital, and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital while the amount includes loans from MUFG Bank. The robotics startup’s exact funding sum to date has not been disclosed, however, it is believed to have reached over 9 billion yen (over $62 million) in total, including the latest funding. The company plans to use the funds to expand its business operation in the U.S. and for part of the lunar surface demonstration.
Prior to launching Gitai in 2016 (under its previous name of MacroSpace), the company’s founder Sho Nakanose previously worked for IBM Japan followed by founding an IT services company in India and sold it to an Indian company.
Some of our readers may recall that Yuto Nakanishi, a humanoid scientist/engineer and former CEO of Schaft (acquied by Google X), joined Gitai as COO (now CRO, Chief Robot Officer).
Gitai secured $4.1 million US in a Series A round in July of 2019 followed by 1.8 billion yen (about $17 million US in the exchange rate at the time) in a Series B round in March of 2021.
via PR Newswire
Masaru Ikeda
