News - Diffraqtion - See Further, Think Fasterhttps://diffraqtion.one/news/Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:08:36 +0000en-USSite-Server v@build.version@ (http://www.squarespace.com)Quantum Computing Report: Diffraqtion Secures $4.2 Million Pre-Seed to Bypassing Optical Limits in Space ImagingOmri NahmiasFri, 16 Jan 2026 22:02:47 +0000https://quantumcomputingreport.com/diffraqtion-secures-4-2-million-pre-seed-to-bypassing-optical-limits-in-space-imaging/671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6a4d69776c3e33148538212bPermalink

]]>Quantum Computing Report: Diffraqtion Secures $4.2 Million Pre-Seed to Bypassing Optical Limits in Space ImagingFierce Sensors: Diffraqtion’s quantum camera for space apps draws $4.2M roundOmri NahmiasFri, 16 Jan 2026 21:58:24 +0000https://www.fiercesensors.com/sensors/diffraqtions-quantum-camera-space-apps-draws-42m-round671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6a4d68707561db2890945de0Permalink

]]>Fierce Sensors: Diffraqtion’s quantum camera for space apps draws $4.2M roundDigital Camera World: This quantum camera captures 96% more light than standard sensors – and it's backed by US$4.2 million in fundingOmri NahmiasFri, 16 Jan 2026 21:39:25 +0000https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/cameras/this-quantum-camera-captures-96-percent-more-light-than-standard-sensors-and-its-backed-by-us-usd4-2-million-in-funding671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6a4c12818ac46b07f8921901Permalink

]]>Digital Camera World: This quantum camera captures 96% more light than standard sensors – and it's backed by US$4.2 million in fundingPulse 2.0: Diffraqtion: $4.2 Million Pre-Seed Closed To Build Quantum Camera Imaging Constellations For Space and Earth ObservationOmri NahmiasTue, 13 Jan 2026 22:07:38 +0000https://pulse2.com/diffraqtion-4-2-million-pre-seed-closed-to-build-quantum-camera-imaging-constellations-for-space-and-earth-observation/671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6a4d6a9a8d6eb571cb982bbfPermalink

]]>Pulse 2.0: Diffraqtion: $4.2 Million Pre-Seed Closed To Build Quantum Camera Imaging Constellations For Space and Earth Observationsatnews: Diffraqtion Secures $4.2 Million to Deploy Quantum Camera Constellations for SDAOmri NahmiasTue, 13 Jan 2026 21:53:43 +0000https://satnews.com/2026/01/13/diffraqtion-secures-4-2-million-to-deploy-quantum-camera-constellations-for-sda/671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6a4d67562278ed2418dc64d6Permalink

]]>satnews: Diffraqtion Secures $4.2 Million to Deploy Quantum Camera Constellations for SDAcitybiz: Diffraqtion raises pre-seedOmri NahmiasTue, 13 Jan 2026 21:53:01 +0000https://www.citybiz.co/article/792966/diffraqtion-raises-pre-seed/671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6a4d66a8f3fd362b912a4017Permalink

]]>citybiz: Diffraqtion raises pre-seedQuantum Zeitgeist: Quantum Camera Speeds Image Processing 1,000xOmri NahmiasTue, 13 Jan 2026 21:27:06 +0000https://quantumzeitgeist.com/diffraqtion-quantum-camera-faster-processing/671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6a4c0f9e0af31419d11e0cb6Permalink

]]>Quantum Zeitgeist: Quantum Camera Speeds Image Processing 1,000xThe Quantum Insider: Diffraqtion Raises $4.2M to Build Quantum Camera-Enabled Satellite and...Omri NahmiasTue, 13 Jan 2026 21:11:55 +0000https://thequantuminsider.com/2026/01/13/diffraqtion-raises-4-2-million-to-build-quantum-camera-enabled-satellite-and-telescope-constellations/671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6a0c6c1a4c1ba6274bf8bf5fPermalink

]]>The Quantum Insider: Diffraqtion Raises $4.2M to Build Quantum Camera-Enabled Satellite and...Defense One: Quantum cameras could remake space-based intelligenceJohannes GalatsanosTue, 13 Jan 2026 14:28:37 +0000https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2026/01/quantum-cameras-could-remake-space-based-intelligence/410636/?oref=d1-featured-river-top671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6966565329298272d2f36547Permalink

]]>Defense One: Quantum cameras could remake space-based intelligenceBreaking Defense: DARPA backs Diffraqtion to demo ‘quantum camera’ for space, Earth surveillanceJohannes GalatsanosTue, 13 Jan 2026 14:07:26 +0000https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/darpa-backs-diffraqtion-to-demo-quantum-camera-for-space-earth-surveillance/671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:69665182882cb41ad9af6680Permalink

]]>Breaking Defense: DARPA backs Diffraqtion to demo ‘quantum camera’ for space, Earth surveillancePayload: Quantum Imaging Startup Diffraqtion Emerges from StealthJohannes GalatsanosTue, 13 Jan 2026 14:04:53 +0000https://payloadspace.com/quantum-imaging-startup-diffraqtion-emerges-from-stealth/671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:696650dec1d0ff419e8b6433Permalink

]]>Payload: Quantum Imaging Startup Diffraqtion Emerges from StealthDiffraqtion Raises Pre-Seed to Build Quantum Camera-Enabled Satellite and Telescope ConstellationsJohannes GalatsanosTue, 13 Jan 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://diffraqtion.one/news/diffraqtion-raises-pre-seed-to-build-quantum-camera-enabled-satellite-and-telescope-constellations671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6965ac5e7c3f6316513555bc

From left to right: Johannes Galatsanos, Prof. Saikat Guha, Christine Wang

Photo credit: Diffraqtion

Boston, MA — Diffraqtion, an MIT and University of Maryland spinout developing satellite constellations powered by a novel quantum camera, today announced the close of their pre-seed funding round, led by QDNL Participations, with participation from milemark•capital, Aether VC, ADIN, Offline Ventures, and a non-dilutive DARPA SBIR Direct-to-Phase 2 contract supporting space situational awareness capabilities. The total amount of funding between dilutive and non-dilutive raised is $4.2 million.

Founded by Johannes Galatsanos, Christine Wang, Ph.D., and Prof. Saikat Guha, Diffraqtion has developed a first-of-its-kind quantum camera that enables satellites and telescopes to see farther and process visual information dramatically faster than conventional systems. Built on Prof. Guha’s research with NASA and DARPA, the technology delivers up to 20 times higher resolution and 1,000 times faster processing than conventional cameras and processors, enabling ultra-high-resolution imaging systems at a fraction of the cost of today’s satellites and ground-based telescopes.

Diffraqtion’s novel approach enables the company to deploy large constellations of low-cost, high-precision satellites for space domain awareness, defense, and commercial Earth observation. These satellites support applications ranging from orbital safety and intelligence to agriculture, disaster response, and environmental monitoring.

In recent months, and in addition to the money raised, the company has received multiple major recognitions, including:

  • First place at SLUSH 100, selected from over 1,000 startups, resulting in an $1.1M equity prize from Cherry Ventures and General Catalyst

  • TechConnect’s “2025 Best Space Innovation” $100k award

Diffraqtion is also part of the U.S. Space Force’s Apollo Accelerator, where it is actively demonstrating and refining its quantum imaging technology with government partners. In early 2026, the company plans to conduct on-sky demonstrations with the University of California Observatories, followed by space-based demonstrations focused on space domain awareness.

“Space-based infrastructure powers our communications, navigation, and defense, and through Earth Imaging, it supports everything from agriculture to disaster response,” said Johannes Galatsanos, CEO and Co-Founder of Diffraqtion. “Yet despite the boom in low-cost launches, we still lack clear, continuous visibility of what’s happening above and below the atmosphere. Our quantum camera changes that: it tracks smaller, faster objects to keep assets in orbit safe, while delivering ultra-high-resolution imaging for critical applications on Earth.”

“Quantum sensing can bring new capabilities to monitoring and protecting orbital infrastructure,” said Chad Rigetti, Venture Partner at QDNL Participations “Diffraqtion’s team combines deep photonics and quantum expertise with practical defense and space insight - exactly what’s needed to bring quantum imaging into operational reality.”

“We are beyond excited to invest in this unique trifecta —AI, Quantum, Space— where we expect tremendous value to unlock” said Sebastian Barriga, Founder and GP at milemark•capital.

Diffraqtion’s technology marks a significant leap forward in intelligent vision for space, defense, and autonomous systems. 

About the Leadership

Johannes Galatsanos, Co-Founder and CEO, has over 15 years of experience in AI, Quantum Tech, and Operations. He's an MIT and Oxford graduate, and has been an MIT researcher, Executive Director at Novartis, and Technical Consultant with a track record of building teams delivering Data and AI products across Manufacturing and R&D. 

Christine Wang, Co-Founder and CTO, did her Ph.D. at Harvard and Post-Docs at EPFL and Max Planck Institute. She has over 20 years experience in designing and prototyping photonics and optics devices for defense and commercial use, latest as Director of Optics and Photonics at Riverside Research and Principal Scientist at Draper Labs.

Prof. Saikat Guha, Co-Founder and CSA, is a world-renowned scholar in quantum sensing with over 100 papers and patents, over 10,000 citations, and inventor of Diffraqtion’s patented quantum imaging IP. He's an IEEE Fellow, Distinguished Chair Prof. at the University of Maryland, adjunct faculty at MIT, and Director at the NSF Center for Quantum Networks.

Mark Michael, Head of Product, is the ex-CTO and Co-Founder of Kepler Communications, one of North America’s largest space companies. He is an Engineering graduate from University of Toronto and worked at IBM before Kepler.

About Diffraqtion

Diffraqtion is a Somerville, MA, space startup building the world’s first quantum camera powering the largest ultra-high-resolution imaging satellite network. Combining quantum photonics and AI, Diffraqtion enables machines to see further and think faster, advancing space exploration, defense, and intelligent systems worldwide.

About QDNL Participations

QDNL Participations is a $70 million specialized investment fund dedicated to investing in early-stage quantum technology companies worldwide. Established in 2022 by General Partner Ton van ‘t Noordende, the fund’s investment team operates across the Netherlands, the UK, and the US.  

Media Contact:
 media@diffraqtion.one
diffraqtion.one

]]>Diffraqtion Raises Pre-Seed to Build Quantum Camera-Enabled Satellite and Telescope ConstellationsForbes Greece - Slush 2025: The Greek startup founder who won the “Slush 100” competition and $1 millionJohannes GalatsanosFri, 21 Nov 2025 22:55:00 +0000https://www.forbesgreece.gr/forbes-elliniki-ekdosi/3958312671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:6964271541fe2470852553d9

Translated from Forbes Greece: https://www.forbesgreece.gr/forbes-elliniki-ekdosi/3958312

Mission to Helsinki – Eleftheria Piperopoulou

Diffraqtion, founded by Greek entrepreneur Johannes–Giannis Galatsanos, was the big winner of this year’s Slush 100 competition at Slush 2025 in Helsinki, Finland—one of the world’s most important innovation festivals.

Out of more than 1,000 applications, Diffraqtion advanced successively to the Top 50, Top 20, and finally the three finalists, ultimately taking first place and securing a €1 million investment in exchange for equity from General Catalyst and Cherry Ventures.

Speaking to Capital.gr and Forbes Greece, the Greek startup founder talked about his journey, Diffraqtion’s technology, and the contacts he has already begun with Greece for applications in the defense sector.

Diffraqtion is a spin-off from MIT and is based on a quantum camera technology capable of “seeing” up to 20 times more information than a conventional camera, while processing data up to 1,000 times faster than a typical processor. The company had previously raised $1.5 million from DARPA (the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and $2.5 million from U.S. venture capital funds.

The technology

Image capture with conventional cameras results in the loss of 95% of photon information. Today’s satellites and imaging systems suffer from low resolution, constrained by a fundamental physical limit: the diffraction limit.

Diffraqtion’s technology leverages quantum innovations developed for NASA, aimed at discovering life on other planets. Its cameras are the first to surpass this limit and can “see” 20 times farther than any known camera in human history.

The technology was developed in collaboration with DARPA and NASA for high-precision applications in space situational awareness, such as tracking objects in space.

As explained by Giannis Galatsanos, Co-Founder and CEO of Diffraqtion, this patented technology is installed on low Earth orbit satellites, approximately 500 kilometers above Earth. The goal is to contribute to fields such as defense, security, and even wildfire detection from space.

The startup was founded in late 2024 by Mr. Galatsanos, his professor at the University of Maryland and MIT, Saikat Guha, and Christine Wang, who holds a PhD from Harvard and has many years of industry experience. The company is headquartered in Boston.

From Germany and Crete to Boston

Giannis Galatsanos is a graduate of MIT and Oxford University in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and entrepreneurship. He has more than 15 years of experience developing advanced AI technologies and has served as Executive Director at Novartis.

Speaking about his personal journey, he noted that he was born in Germany but raised in Greece, initially in Athens and later in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. He graduated from a Greek school, sat the national university entrance exams, and in 2006 returned to Germany to continue his studies. His mother is German, his father Greek, and his family lives permanently in Crete, which he visits frequently. In recent years, he has been based in Boston.

Contacts with the Greek government

Despite Diffraqtion’s limited presence in Greece so far, new contacts have begun with the Greek government through Endeavor Greece, at an exploratory level for potential collaborations.

Referring to the importance of the Slush win, Mr. Galatsanos emphasized that he believes it will open significant doors for partnerships, particularly in Europe and with European governments.

Sending a message to Greek entrepreneurs, he encouraged them to actively participate in events like Slush and international pitching competitions. At the same time, he stressed the need for Greece to create programs similar to those in the U.S. that facilitate technology transfer from universities to the market.

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]]>Forbes Greece - Slush 2025: The Greek startup founder who won the “Slush 100” competition and $1 millionNordic Startup News - Slush 2025: Diffraqtion Took It AllJohannes GalatsanosThu, 20 Nov 2025 23:09:00 +0000https://diffraqtion.one/news/i2i6k9pqeee85ie41nuahoss7ar1oc671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:69642d98228a7f501c5a557bNordic Startup News - Slush 2025: Diffraqtion Took It AllEntrepreNerd: Diffraqtion crowned winner of Slush 100 at Slush 2025Johannes GalatsanosThu, 20 Nov 2025 22:56:00 +0000https://www.entnerd.com/en/diffraqtion-crowned-winner-of-slush-100-at-slush-2025/671ec84566ce0628097b3c17:6964271541fe2470852553d8:69642aba6dbb9076326fc7d9fter an intense hour filled with tension and excitement, the stage erupted in celebration and applause culminating in a giant check and a well-deserved victory for Diffraqtion.

"Creating the next generation of visual AI hardware and software to make satellites and machines see further and think faster" — that is the mission set by Diffraqtion, the startup crowned winner of the Slush 100 competition at this year’s Slush 2025.

The Founder Stage became the arena for the final showdown between the three startups: Diffraqtion, Kinetic, and Parsewise. Each team had to face not only the audience but also the jury’s challenging questions.

After an intense hour filled with tension and excitement, the stage erupted in celebration and applause — culminating in a giant check and a well-deserved victory for Diffraqtion.

"For those who don't know, I am of Greek-German origin. Greetings to Greece and Germany here today. After three years in the United States, it is a pleasure to receive this warm welcome and to see that transatlantic collaboration and friendship remain so strong. This was important to me, and I am extremely grateful for your hospitality. Thank you so much for coming," said Johannes Galatsanos on stage, before the winner of the competition was announced.

Diffraqtion is a quantum startup with roots in MIT, University of Maryland, and University of Arizona. They are building the next generation of visual AI hardware and software to make satellites and machines see further and think faster. This technology was developed in partnership with DARPA and NASA for high-precision space situational awareness.

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