GITAI brings in $15M in expanded Series B round

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GITAI USA and GITAI Japan, two branches a space robotics startup based in Japan, have brought in $15 million more in funding from an expanded Series B round. This, along with the initial $30 million raised in the round, brings the company’s total Series B funding to $45 million. 

GITAI plans to use the additional funding to expand its business in the US and to help cover the cost of its lunar surface demonstration. 

For this round, GITAI raised funds through a third-party allotment from the following companies and funds: Green Co-Invest Investment Limited Partnership, Pacific Bay Fund 1 & 1A Investment Limited Partnerships (Pacific Bays Capital), and MSIVC 2021V Venture Capital Investment Limited Partnership (MITSUI SUMITOMO INSURANCE Venture Capital Co.). GITAI also secured additional funds through a loan from MUFG Bank. 

GITAI’s Lunar Inchworm Type robot is a robotic arm with grapple end-effectors on both ends of the arm. The grapple end-effectors are GITAI’s proprietary technology that allows the end of robotic arms to be interchangeable. This allows users to connect various tools to the robot to perform multiple tasks and allows the arm to move autonomously if it has an end effector at both ends of the arm.

The company’s Lunar Rover combines high-performance capabilities with affordability. It can aid in constructing essential lunar infrastructure, like solar panels, communication antennas, and habitat modules. 

In August 2022, GITAI completed various tests with its robotic inchworm arm and lunar rovers corresponding to Level 3 of NASA’s Technology Readiness Levels (TRL). The tests were completed in a simulated lunar environment at the JAXA Sagamihara Campus. During the demonstration, GITAI’s robots emulated tasks that could be required for lunar exploration and lunar base construction. The robots completed mobility and capability performance verification tests.