Satellites on Fire raises US$2.7M from Dalus Capital to scale its AI platform

Satellites on Fire has secured US$2.7 million in a seed round to accelerate its artificial intelligence-powered platform, designed to detect and respond to wildfires more quickly and effectively around the world.

The round was led by Dalus Capital and included participation from Draper Associates, VitaminºC, Draper Cygnus VC, and other investors.

A software-based approach to fire detection

Founded and led by CEO Franco Rodriguez Viau, the climate-tech startup is developing an end-to-end protection platform that combines satellite imagery updated every five minutes, cameras installed on towers, fire spread simulations, and real-time alerts via WhatsApp, email, or SMS.

The goal is to enable emergency teams to act sooner and improve containment outcomes.

“In 2025, our system helped respond to more than 600 wildfires,” Rodriguez Viau said. “Our mission is to use technology to protect communities and preserve biodiversity and forests before it’s too late.”

Unlike traditional solutions that rely on proprietary satellites or costly infrastructure, Satellites on Fire operates as a software platform capable of integrating multiple detection technologies. This approach allows it to identify fires an average of 35 minutes earlier than NASA’s FIRMS system, significantly improving response times.

John Mills, CEO of WatchDuty and an adviser to the company, praised the platform’s performance: “What Satellites on Fire is achieving with the data currently available is truly remarkable. Our team was genuinely surprised by its results.”

Building data and scaling globally

The startup has developed what it describes as the largest database of validated fire reports in Latin America. Through a freemium model with more than 55,000 users, the company has trained its AI on more than 20,000 fire reports verified in the field.

The platform currently monitors territories in 21 countries and 4 continents, serving clients such as forestry and agricultural companies, energy utilities, insurers, carbon credit projects, and government agencies.

Companies such as Forestal Argentina, Genneia, and Quilmes already use the platform to protect their operations and advance their sustainability goals.

Diego Serebrisky, co-founder and managing partner of Dalus Capital, said:

“We look for companies that use technology to solve the planet’s most critical problems. Satellites on Fire has shown that, by making smart use of AI and processing satellite data in real time, it is possible to anticipate environmental disasters.”

Insurance integration and real-world results

The platform has also been integrated into all of AON’s forestry insurance policies in Latin America, where it is used to calculate and mitigate risk, helping reduce premiums for policyholders.

From the customer perspective, Generation Forest Invest highlighted its impact:

“We were able to detect several fires early and act quickly. The system is agile, accurate, and extremely useful in the field.”

Expanding in the U.S. market

With wildfires estimated to cost US$424 billion annually in the United States, the company is expanding its presence in that market. The fires in Los Angeles in early 2025 underscored the urgent need for faster, more accurate detection systems.

Satellites on Fire is already running pilot programs with U.S. agencies and collaborating with organizations such as Watch Duty to strengthen response capabilities.

What’s next for Satellites on Fire

The funding will be used to scale operations in the United States, optimize AI models, and develop new solutions, including a parametric wildfire insurance product in partnership with AON.

The company also plans to launch an intelligence dashboard to improve its clients’ protection strategies and develop tools to measure the CO₂ emissions avoided through faster fire containment.

The round also included participation from Savia Ventures, Avesta Fund, Reciprocal, Zenani Capital, Innventure, Air Capital, Gain VC, Antom VC, and Embarca Tech.