CB Insights vs Planet

Meet the 2026 Fintech 100: The Private Companies Building the Future of Finance

CB Insights analyzed thousands of private fintechs to identify the 100 most promising startups in the world. Webinar on Nov 10, 2026.

Anthropic's IPO Filing Is a Startup Market Map

CB Insights has published a new newsletter titled 'Anthropic's IPO Filing Is a Startup Market Map' dated October 1, 2026.

These startups are building the security layer for AI agents

This month, the pressure to secure enterprise AI agents has dialed up. We used CB Insights data to analyze notable moves from the last few weeks.

Planet Launches Suncatcher, Tanager-2, and 18 SuperDove Satellites

Planet announced the launch of Suncatcher, Tanager-2, and 18 SuperDove satellites, along with several other major announcements including a landmark German federal contract, a new AI tool for the Amazon, and a 7-figure defense agreement.

Google Sends AI Chips to Space for Testing

Google's Project Suncatcher has launched its first AI chip, a Trillium TPU, into orbit as a step toward space-based data centers. The prototype satellite, built with Planet Labs and launched on SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission, carries four TPUs and tests them against radiation, vibration, and extreme temperatures. The mission runs Google's Gemma model in 15-minute intervals due to thermal constraints in a vacuum. The one-year mission aims to validate endurance; ground tests showed higher radiation resistance than expected, but silent data corruption remains a challenge. Economic viability requires launch costs below $200 per kilogram, needing about 1,800 Starship flights over ten years to transport 370,000 tons. Google published findings in Joule and plans two more satellites with laser links by early 2027, aligning with Elon Musk's vision of solar-powered orbital data centers.

• Google launched its first AI chip (TPU) into orbit via Project Suncatcher, with a satellite built by Planet Labs and launched on SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission.
• The satellite carries four Trillium TPUs, the same AI chips used for Gemini, and runs Gemma in 15-minute intervals due to thermal constraints.
• The mission lasts one year; two more satellites with laser-linked chips are planned for launch by early 2027, with networked satellite launches from early 2027.

Google to send TPUs to space with Planet

Google has provided an update on Project Suncatcher, its initiative to put AI compute in space. In collaboration with satellite imaging company Planet, Google will send some of its Trillium TPUs to orbit on the SpaceX Transporter-18 rideshare mission. The company has conducted stress tests, confirming the chips can withstand radiation doses beyond a five-year mission requirement. Cooling in the vacuum of space remains a challenge. This move reflects the growing energy and space demands of AI training and inference, potentially shifting significant compute operations off-planet.

• Google will send Trillium TPUs to space on SpaceX Transporter-18 with partner Planet.
• The chips survived radiation doses greater than a five-year mission requirement.
• Cooling in space remains a challenge for the project.