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Oct 30 (Reuters) - EnduroSat said on Thursday it has raised $104 million from investors, including Google Ventures, Lux Capital and the European Investment Council, as the Bulgaria-based company scales up production of its small and midsized satellites. Sign up here. EnduroSat makes satellites like building blocks with simple, modular design, which the company says allows it to assemble and test them in hours instead of months, and at much lower costs than rivals. The late-stage funding round also saw participation from investors such as Shrug Capital and Riot Ventures. The company did not disclose the valuation at which it raised funds. The new funding coincides with the launch of a 188,340-square-foot Space Center in Bulgaria, which aims to build up to two satellites a day, each weighing 200 to 500 kilograms. The new round is also the second for EnduroSat this year. In May, EnduroSat raised 43 million euros ($50.15 million) in a round led by Peter Thiel's Founders Fund. There has been a wave of investments in space ventures globally, as investors bet on satellite connectivity, launch services and in-orbit infrastructure to underpin next-generation communications and defense capabilities. Founded more than a decade ago, EnduroSat has more than 3,000 modules in orbit and has 230 employees across six locations. It serves 350 customers globally, including 100 in the U.S., where it recently expanded. ($1 = 0.8575 euros) Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab Akash reports on technology companies in the United States, electric vehicle companies, and the space industry. His reporting usually appears in the Autos & Transportation and Technology sections. He has a postgraduate degree in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds. Akash's interests include music, football (soccer), and Formula 1.
