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Daily Funding Highlights

Plantible Foods

$30 million (Series B)

Plantible Foods, a plant-based technology company, secured $30 million in a Series B funding round. The company focuses on developing sustainable plant-based proteins, aiming to revolutionize the food industry with alternative protein sources.

Starfish Space

$29 million (Series B)

Starfish Space, a satellite-servicing startup, has secured $29 million in a Series B funding round led by Shield Capital. The company is developing the Otter spacecraft, designed for satellite servicing, with the first three vehicles scheduled for launch in 2026 for missions with NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and Intelsat.

Molg

$5.5 million (Seed)

Molg, a robotics company specializing in circular manufacturing, secured $5.5 million in seed funding. The company focuses on integrating robotics and automation to enhance efficiency in manufacturing processes.

Funding Roundup

$1.83B raised by 87 private companies

Industry Trends & Analysis

Space Sector: Scaling Satellite Servicing

In prior publications, we've tracked the growing momentum behind satellite servicing—a field essential for extending the lifecycle of space assets. Today's $29 million Series B funding for Starfish Space builds on this trend. Their Otter spacecraft, already aligned with missions for NASA and the U.S. Space Force, signifies a shift toward operationalizing on-orbit services.

This development echoes insights from our November 15 coverage of Firefly Aerospace, where we highlighted the increasing value placed on sustainable and cost-efficient solutions in orbital logistics. The overlap in investor focus underscores a broader industry trend: space is no longer just about exploration but optimizing existing infrastructure for long-term functionality.

Robotics: From Circular Manufacturing to Smart Sensors

Robotics funding today shows a focus on sustainability and human-like capabilities in automation, building on the trajectory noted in our November 15 analysis where we highlighted a 7-figure investment in XELA Robotics.

Featured Company Spotlight

→ Molg

Amount: $5 million
Round: Department of Energy (DOE) Grant
Lead Investor: U.S. Department of Energy

Company profile

Molg, founded in 2020 by Rob Lawson-Shanks and Mark Lyons, is a robotics and circular manufacturing company headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia. The company is dedicated to addressing the growing e-waste problem through innovative solutions that promote sustainability and resource efficiency.

Mission

Molg's mission is to revolutionize the manufacturing industry by integrating robotics and automation to enhance efficiency and sustainability. The company focuses on developing technologies that facilitate the circular economy, aiming to reduce waste and optimize resource utilization.

Products & services

Molg offers a suite of solutions designed to improve the disassembly of electronic products, including servers, laptops, and handheld devices. Their robotic "Microfactories" are capable of autonomously dismantling electronics, enabling faster and more cost-effective recovery of valuable components. Additionally, Molg is developing a Design for Disassembly (DfD) Toolchain software to streamline the design process, making products easier to disassemble and recycle.

Recent funding

In November 2024, Molg was awarded a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. This funding supports the development of an AI-enabled circular demanufacturing platform for consumer laptops, aiming to harvest batteries 50% faster and at half the cost of current processes. The project is part of the DOE's $125 million initiative under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to improve consumer battery recycling programs.

Leadership team

• Rob Lawson-Shanks, Co-founder and CEO: Prior to founding Molg, Rob was the CTO and Founder of Lifefuels, an innovative beverage technology company funded by Keurig Dr. Pepper, which was sold in 2021. He has been recognized as a 2023 Grist 50 Fixer and featured in Forbes' Unconventional Minds series.

• Mark Lyons, Co-founder: Mark co-founded Molg alongside Rob Lawson-Shanks, bringing extensive experience in engineering and manufacturing to the company.

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