KP Labs: AI-Powered Onboard Satellite Processing
KP Labs is quietly reshaping Europe’s space technology landscape. This Polish deep-tech venture, based in Gliwice, has pioneered a way for satellites to think on orbit – a breakthrough with far-reaching strategic implications. Founded in 2016 by young engineers from the Silesian University of Technology, the company develops onboard computers and AI software that allow satellites to analyze data in space rather than relay every bit to Earth. Its flagship product, the Leopard data processing unit, can filter and interpret imagery in real time, enabling a satellite to recognize targets or anomalies autonomously. By processing high-volume Earth observation data on the satellite itself, KP Labs’ technology reduces dependence on ground stations and foreign cloud services, accelerating decision-making and strengthening the resilience of European constellations. This novel approach aligns perfectly with the European Union’s push for strategic autonomy: Europe gains faster, secure access to critical information from space, without leaning on non-European providers. As NATO and EU leaders look to the heavens for better surveillance and communications, a small startup from Poland has emerged as an indispensable enabler – quietly ensuring that Europe’s next generation of satellites will be smarter, faster, and firmly under European control.