WindBorne Systems, a Palo Alto, CA-based provider of an atmospheric sensing system and AI weather model, raised $15M in Series A funding.
The round was led by Khosla Ventures. Existing investors Footwork VC, Pear VC, and Convective Capital also participated.
The company intends to use the funds to accelerate engineering across its technology stack:
- Scaling real-time data collection via its balloon constellation.
- Refining its autonomous flight software
- Advancing its global AI-based weather forecast model.
It will also expand its technical headcount as well as strategic revenue teams, such as proposals and business development as it branches into the commercial sector and international governments.
Led by CEO John Dean, WindBorne designs, manufactures, and operates the constellation of smart, long-duration sensing balloons and empowers AI global weather forecasts. Each balloon weighs a few pounds, most of which is sand ballast. The balloons are equipped with proprietary sensors and customized avionics that enable real-time communication and navigation.
Since its founding in 2019, WindBorne has executed more than 1,000 flight missions via its global network of autonomous, long-duration atmospheric sensing balloons.
The company originated as a Stanford Space Initiative project and was founded in 2019.
FinSMEs
04/06/2024