What Slooh does

Slooh, founded in 2003 and headquartered in Washington Depot, Connecticut, operates an online astronomy and space-education platform built on a global network of robotic, internet-controlled telescopes. The physical infrastructure spans three observatory sites at premium dark-sky locations: the flagship site at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands (six telescopes including a half-meter instrument at 9,000 ft elevation), the southern hemisphere site in Chile operated with the Catholic University (three telescopes), and the newer Siding Spring, Australia observatory (PlaneWave CDK20 half-meter telescope). Members and institutional users can schedule observations, capture images, run spectroscopy and BVR photometry, and download calibrated FITS data files accepted by peer-reviewed journals and databases such as the Minor Planet Center.

The platform's commercial model is subscription-based with tiered individual plans (Free Observer, Explorer at $4.95/month, Advanced at $19.95/month, Pro at $499/year) and separate institutional pricing (College Introductory Astronomy at $30 per student/year, Education Starter at $300 for 35 seats, and multi-year contracts). Distribution is hybrid: self-serve direct-to-consumer for individuals, plus sales-assisted outreach to K-12 districts, universities, STEM networks, and science museums such as Purdue, Plano ISD, West Sound STEM Network, COSI, and Summer Science Program International. Engagement metrics cited on the platform include 400,000+ explorers, 13.8+ million observations captured, 65,000+ Quest learning activities completed, and 50,000+ missions shared.

The learning product is organized around 83+ Quest activities aligned to NGSS standards, supported by gamification through Gravity Points, badges, leaderboards, the Gravity Awards program, Star Parties, and a quarterly Gravity Chats podcast hosted by President Dr. Emma Louden. The company is privately held, was founded by Michael Paolucci, raised nearly $5 million in October 2023 from Connecticut Innovations and family offices, and operates with a small 1-10 person team. Recent strategic activity includes a new Australian observatory (2024), an Earth Science expansion through SkyFi satellite feeds (March 2025), and a spectroscopy telescope plus upgraded mounts and solar camera at the Canary Islands site (June 2025).

Name

Slooh

Legal name

Slooh LLC

Website

https://slooh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Slooh operates a global network of robotic telescopes across the Canary Islands, Chile, and Australia, providing live online access to professional-grade astronomical equipment for K-12 and higher education students, hobbyists, and researchers through tiered subscriptions and educational site licenses.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Astronomy Education Platform

NAICS

Web Search Portals and All Other Information Services (51929), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM)

Keywords

• Online telescope access
• Astronomy education platform
• Robotic telescope network
• Space science learning
• Celestial observation software

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington Depot

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual Subscriptions: Monthly and annual subscription tiers for individual consumers (Explorer, Advanced, Pro plans) providing access to telescope control, Quest learning activities, and community features. Discounts available for annual billing.
2. Educational Site Licenses: Per-student annual pricing for school districts, colleges, and universities. Includes teacher/admin accounts, curriculum alignment tools, and LMS integration (Schoology, Brightspace/D2L).
3. Institutional Partnerships: National and regional partnerships with educational organizations (Davidson Institute, West Sound STEM Network) providing platform-wide access to students and teachers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Slooh operates an online platform that provides live, internet-based control of a global network of professional robotic telescopes located at observatories in the Canary Islands, Chile, and Australia. Users can schedule observations, capture images, run guided Quest learning activities aligned to NGSS standards, and access research-grade data (FITS files, spectroscopy, photometry) for astronomy education and citizen science.

Product overview

Slooh is an online telescope and space education platform offering a tiered membership structure centered around its core platform and Quest learning activities. The product portfolio includes Explorer ($4.95/month), Advanced ($19.95/month), and PRO ($499/year) memberships providing varying levels of telescope access and features. Educational institutions access specialized offerings including College Introductory Astronomy ($30/student/year) and Education/Homeschool Starter Memberships. The platform operates a global network of robotic observatories in the Canary Islands, Chile, and Australia, providing 24/7 coverage. Advanced capabilities include Spectroscopy (Star Analyser 100), Photometry (BVR filters), Astrometry, and FITS file data for research-grade analysis. The learning experience is structured around Quest learning activities with gamification through Gravity Points and badges, plus community features like Star Parties and the Gravity Awards. Slooh also offers partnerships including SSPI Alumni and COSI member programs, plus published content like The Saturn Above It anthology and the Gravity Chats podcast.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Slooh Platform Online subscription platform providing live control of professional telescopes and Earth-monitoring instruments, image capture, community sharing, and gamified learning. Available in tiered subscriptions (Observer free, Explorer, Advanced, PRO) for individuals, families, and hobbyists.
• Quest Learning Activities Structured, NGSS-aligned learning activities that guide students through astronomical exploration via telescope scheduling, image capture, and data analysis. Includes educator guides, lesson plans, student assignments, and formative/summative assessments.
• College Introductory Astronomy University-level offering priced at $30 per student per year, providing unlimited Quest learning activities, advanced telescope control, and curriculum-aligned materials for undergraduate astronomy courses.
• Canary Islands Observatory Flagship observatory at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands at 9,000 feet elevation, featuring 6 telescopes including a Half Meter telescope, with optimal dark-sky conditions and home to new spectroscopy and solar telescope installations.
• Chile Observatory Southern hemisphere observatory operated in partnership with the Catholic University, featuring 3 telescopes offering complete coverage of southern skies.
• Australian Observatory Observatory located near Siding Spring Observatory at Warrambungle Dark Sky Park, Australia. Home to a PlaneWave CDK20 Half-Meter telescope with research-grade CCD camera, providing 24-hour global coverage of the night sky.
• The Saturn Above It Published anthology of short fiction about space, edited by Karen Stevens, featuring 21 stories by authors including Don DeLillo, Ray Bradbury, and Kurt Vonnegut.
• Gravity Chats Podcast Quarterly podcast hosted by Slooh President Dr. Emma Louden featuring conversations with teachers, professors, and Slooh users about astronomy education and citizen science.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65,000+ Quests completed and 50,000+ missions shared by platform users
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability8 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.

• University of OldenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership providing students hands-on experience at Slooh observatories. Students Matti Gehlen and Jona Schrader participated in Canary Islands upgrade mission. University students set record for Gravity Points earned on platform. Professor Bjorn Poppe leads student involvement.
• Davidson Institute of Science Education (Israel)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive-year strategic partnership making Israel the first country to provide sustained, real-time telescope access to K-12 students nationwide. Includes full Quest curriculum translation into Hebrew and Arabic. National pilot with 153 teachers representing all educational sectors, with planned expansion to all 4th-6th grade classrooms.
• Center of Science and Industry (COSI)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCOSI members receive free Observer membership access to Slooh's telescopes. Special 30% discount on Explorer tier for COSI members ($35/year regular). Co-branded landing page promoting partnership.
• Summer Science Program International (SSPI)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSSPI alumni receive free Observer membership courtesy of the organization, with 20% discount on Advanced tier. Co-branded page promoting partnership and alumni access.
• Catholic University (Chile)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for Slooh's Chile Observatory located at Catholic University site. The southern hemisphere observatory features three telescopes offering complete coverage of southern skies.
• Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary IslandsflagshipTechnology or IntegrationFlagship observatory location at the Institute, situated at 9,000 feet elevation. Home to six telescopes including Half Meter telescope. The world's largest optical telescope is also located at this site.
• Siding Spring Observatory (Australia)coreTechnology or IntegrationAustralian observatory located near Siding Spring Observatory at Warrambungle Dark Sky Park. Site offers protected dark skies, superb seeing conditions, and 70% clear nights annually. Home to PlaneWave CDK20 Half-Meter telescope.
• West Sound STEM NetworkmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerExpanded partnership providing 250 teachers and 10,000 students in northwest Washington State access to Slooh's online telescope platform.
• Purdue UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull integration of Slooh into undergraduate astronomy curriculum (ASTR 263 and ASTR 264) since Fall 2023. Brightspace/D2L LMS integration. Nearly 1,000 students engaged over four semesters. Also used in SMAP outreach program for high school students.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Skynet (UNC): University of North Carolina's Skynet is a global network of robotic telescopes used for undergraduate astronomy education and research. Explicitly named by Slooh customer Purdue as a competing alternative to Slooh, making it a direct peer.
• MicroObservatory: Operated by the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, MicroObservatory is a network of automated telescopes used primarily for K-12 and public education. Directly comparable to Slooh as an online telescope-based learning platform for schools and hobbyists.
• Faulkes Telescope Project: UK-based charitable project providing free access to professional-grade robotic telescopes for schools and amateur astronomers, primarily in the UK and Europe. Directly comparable as a free/pro-bono telescope education network competing for similar institutional customers.
• iTelescope.net: Commercial online telescope rental service providing remote access to a global network of telescopes for amateur astronomers and educators. Directly comparable business model — pay-per-use or subscription-based access to shared telescope infrastructure.
• Starry Night / Simulation Curriculum: Starry Night is one of the most widely adopted planetarium/astronomy simulation software products in K-12 and consumer education. Comparable as astronomy education software, though a desktop simulation rather than live telescope access.

Broad incumbents

• Las Cumbres Observatory: LCO operates a global network of robotic telescopes for professional research and education. Comparable network architecture to Slooh but with stronger research positioning and broader institutional funding; competes for both education and research customers.
• Nearpod: Established K-12 EdTech platform with astronomy/space curriculum content. Comparable as a broader STEM-EdTech platform that may be selected over Slooh for integrated classroom delivery, though without live telescope capabilities.

Emerging players

• Zooniverse: Largest citizen science online platform, hosting astronomy projects among many disciplines. Overlaps with Slooh on engaging students in real astronomical research and data analysis, though focused on crowdsourced data interpretation rather than telescope control.
• Universe Awareness (UNAWE): International astronomy education program targeting young children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Comparable mission overlap with Slooh's K-12 outreach, though UNAWE focuses on curriculum rather than live telescope access.

Others

• Celestron: Major consumer telescope manufacturer with adjacent EdTech offerings. Indirectly competes for astronomy education budgets by enabling schools to own equipment rather than subscribe to a shared network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/slooh
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/SloohLive
• Facebookfacebook.com/180899461938159
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/slooh
• Instagraminstagram.com/Slooh

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Slooh