Argotec Secures €50M to Scale Industrial Satellite Output
Italian smallsat specialist Argotec has raised €50M in a funding round led by NUO Space to expand manufacturing capacity from 52 to 80 units annually.
Production Upscale: 80 Units Per Year
Italian smallsat manufacturer Argotec has secured €50 million ($55.8 million) in a funding round led by NUO Space S.p.A., the space-focused division of a Milanese private equity firm. According to Payload, the capital injection is designed to shift the company’s manufacturing capacity from its current output of 52 satellites per year to a target of 80 units.
Founded in 2008, Argotec has established significant flight heritage with hardware integrated into high-profile NASA missions, including the DART kinetic impactor and Artemis I. The firm specializes in platforms weighing up to 350kg.
Strategic Expansion and R&D
The funding will be directed toward several key technical and geographic fronts:
- Infrastructure: Accelerating integration timelines at the recently opened Florida facility and expanding telecommunications and RF capabilities in California.
- Computation: Enhancing onboard edge computing, data processing, and AI software suites.
- Ongoing Programs: Supporting existing commitments such as Italy’s Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) constellation, ESA’s solar-weather focused Heliospheric Pioneer, and the joint JAXA/ISRO LUPEX lunar water hunt.
The Growth Roadmap
CEO David Avino characterized the €50M round as an initial down payment, confirming that a significantly larger follow-on round is already in development. This phased capital strategy aims to solidify Argotec's position as a dominant European manufacturer in the global smallsat market. With increasing demand for sovereign Earth observation and interplanetary defense systems, the firm is positioning its industrial roadmap to capture larger commercial and institutional contracts.