Hyades Raises A$990k Pre-seed
Hyades, an Auckland-based startup developing a platform to transform complex geospatial data into AI-ready risk models, has secured NZ$1.1 million (AU$990,000) in a pre-seed funding round. The company leverages satellite, drone, and radar imagery to assist industries such as insurance, agriculture, and climate science in improving their decision-making processes.
The round was led by Icehouse Ventures, with participation from K1W1 and angel investors Tony Falkenstein and Tim Brown.
The funding will be directed toward securing enterprise co-design partners, recruiting AI engineering talent, and scaling the company's platform for a wider commercial release.
Founded in 2026 by University of Auckland graduates Ashin Alex, Sam Kurian, and Jimin Seo, Hyades is on a mission to enable AI agents to interpret high-dimensional, fragmented spatial data. Their product automates the collation of complex imagery and records to create actionable risk models.
Funding Details
Company Website: https://hyades.space
Company: Hyades
Raised: A$990k
Round: Pre-seed
Funding Date: July 13, 2026
Lead Investor: Icehouse Ventures
Additional Investors: K1W1, Tony Falkenstein, Tim Brown
Software Category: AI/Machine Learning