Extellis is a Durham, North Carolina, company building reliable satellite imaging for commercial and government users. The focus is on synthetic aperture radar that works in all weather and at any time of day. Extellis aims to deliver images at an industrial scale so monitoring can move from occasional snapshots to routine coverage.
The problem is capacity and reliability. Optical satellites struggle with clouds and night. Current radar constellations collect limited images each day, which restricts continuous monitoring. Extellis says its approach increases image throughput while keeping costs at a level that more industries can afford.
The difference is the antenna. According to the company, Extellis uses a patented metasurface antenna invented at Duke University with support from defense research grants. The hardware steers the radar beam across the full horizon and is designed to capture thousands of images per day. The goal is high capacity collection that makes frequent revisits normal rather than rare.
Extellis describes this as a step toward everyday use of radar imagery. Energy companies want to find pipeline leaks and spot encroaching vegetation. Utilities need to identify trees that threaten power lines before the next storm. Farmers and ag service providers benefit from routine field views that reveal irrigation issues and crop stress. Shippers and insurers want consistent route visibility over sea ice and coastal lanes. Extellis positions its service as a way to bring these tasks into regular operations.
The plan is to move quickly to orbit. In materials dated November 10, 2025, Extellis says the seed proceeds will support its first satellite and the initial imagery services. The company also notes partnerships with analytics and distribution providers so customers can buy images through familiar channels. Industry advisor Scott Herman, who previously worked at Maxar and BlackSky, frames the approach as a way to turn radar imaging into a dependable utility.
The origin of the technology traces to Duke University. A Duke Today feature from November 15, 2024, profiles chief executive Michael Boyarsky and describes a decade of work in the metamaterials laboratory of Professor David Smith. That work refined the antenna concept and pointed to commercial use cases that need frequent, reliable images.
Funding and Founders
This was a seed round. Extellis raised $6.8M USD. Oval Park Capital led the financing. The seed syndicate includes Duke Capital Partners, First Star Ventures, New Industry VC, Front Porch Venture Partners, EGB Capital, Blue Lake VC, and others. No prior institutional rounds are mentioned in the sources cited here as of November 11, 2025.
Leadership is straightforward in public materials. Michael Boyarsky is a cofounder and the chief executive. Sources emphasize the Duke research path, the patented antenna, and a near term focus on building the first satellite and expanding the team and facilities. Extellis, Oval Park Capital, and the listed investors appear throughout this post for search relevance because the investor group is part of the story of how the company plans to commercialize the antenna at scale.
Extellis is aiming at a clear niche. Customers want monitoring that works in all weather and at any hour without missing days due to clouds or revisit gaps. If Extellis can deliver reliable access and high volume collection at sensible economics, adoption should extend beyond early pilots. The first orbital demonstration and the start of imagery services will be the key tests.
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