Tellus
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Tellus does
Tellus Inc. (株式会社Tellus) operates Japan's largest satellite data platform, aggregating 45+ satellite datasets and one ground-based data source totaling 18PB as of mid-2025, serving over 43,000 registered users. The platform provides cloud-based API access to optical, SAR, and greenhouse gas satellite data (including GOSAT series for CO2/CH4 monitoring and ALOS-4 L-band SAR imagery) sourced primarily through partnerships with JAXA, the Ministry of the Environment, NIES, PASCO, and RESTEC. Its product architecture comprises three layers: the core Tellus platform for data discovery and access, the QGIS GOSAT Plugin for non-expert GIS users, and two enterprise tiers launched in 2025 — Tellus AI Playground (NVIDIA H100 GPU + foundation models including SAM2 and GeoRSCLIP + labeled datasets, ¥979,000/month) and Tellus Pro (enterprise cloud workspace with Drive, SatHub, and Pipelines).
Tellus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tellus
- Legal name
- 株式会社Tellus
- Website
- https://corp.tellusxdp.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tellus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Satellite Data Platform
- NAICS
- Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (5182), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery) (HDAAAEAL), Remote Sensing & Earth Observation Analytics (Satellite/UAV/LiDAR, Image Processing) (EUAHAKAD), Satellite/Aerial/Remote Sensing MRV (Methane plumes, land-use change) (EUAHADAL)
Keywords
Where Tellus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tellus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Satellite Data Platform Subscription/API Access: Platform access providing satellite data APIs, data catalog browsing, and cloud-based analysis environments. Revenue generated through subscription tiers and usage-based API access fees.
- Tellus AI Playground: AI model development environment service providing labeled datasets, foundation models, and GPU infrastructure at a fixed monthly rate (¥979,000 basic plan). Generates recurring subscription revenue from enterprise R&D and business development teams.
- Tellus Pro: Enterprise cloud workspace with tiered plans (Standard, Premium). Revenue from cloud workspace subscriptions including Drive storage, SatHub tas ordering, and Pipelines processing fees.
- Satellite Data Sales (ALOS-4, GOSAT, GRUS, ASNARO-1): Distribution and sales of satellite data products through Tellus platform and partner channels (PASCO, RESTEC). Revenue generated through data licensing and transaction fees for satellite data purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Tellus AI Playground Basic Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | Tellus Pro Standard and Premium Plans |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Tellus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tellus operates Japan's largest satellite data platform, providing cloud-based aggregation and API access to 45+ types of satellite data (optical, SAR, greenhouse gas sensors) and 1 ground-based data source, totaling 18PB. The platform supports satellite data search, acquisition, processing, and analysis, enabling enterprise users, researchers, and developers to build AI applications and businesses on top of geospatial data.
Product overview
Tellus operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on the Tellus satellite data platform. The core Tellus platform provides API-based access to 45+ satellite datasets and 1 ground dataset (18PB as of June 2025), with registered users exceeding 43,000. Supporting modules include Tellus AI Playground for AI model development with foundation models and GPU infrastructure, Tellus Pro enterprise workspace with Drive (storage), SatHub (tasking ordering), and Pipelines (processing) components, and specialized tools like the GOSAT Plugin for QGIS integration. Additional offerings include the on-demand satellite tasking system and content platform 宙畑 (Sorabatake).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Tellus AI Playground: AI model development and verification environment for satellite data, offering labeled datasets, foundation models, and high-performance GPU environments for enterprises.
- Tellus Pro
- 宙畑 (Sorabatake)
Products and services
- Tellus Platform Japan's flagship cloud-based satellite data platform providing API access to 45+ types of satellite data and 1 ground data source, totaling 18PB of aggregated data. Serves enterprise users, researchers, developers, and government agencies needing satellite imagery and geospatial data for analysis, AI model development, and business applications.
- Tellus AI Playground Development and verification environment for satellite data AI models, providing labeled datasets (Tellus Sentinel-2 Features with OSM-based land cover labels), foundation models (SAM2, GeoRSCLIP), and NVIDIA H100 SXM 80GB GPU infrastructure as a package. Targeted at enterprise R&D teams and AI developers needing to fine-tune satellite data applications.
- Tellus Pro Enterprise cloud workspace for satellite data acquisition, processing, and sharing. Includes Drive (enterprise storage for large-scale satellite data), SatHub (multi-satellite cross-task ordering), and Pipelines (container-based cloud processing with GPU support). Targeted at enterprise teams requiring integrated satellite data workflow capabilities.
- GOSAT Plugin for QGIS QGIS plugin enabling non-expert users to search, visualize, and perform basic analysis of GOSAT series greenhouse gas observation satellite data (CO2, CH4, H2O column amounts and vertical distributions) on the open-source QGIS GIS platform. Distributed as open-source tool for global users.
- ALOS-4 Satellite Data Provision Provision of advanced radar satellite observation data from ALOS-4 (Daichi-4) launched July 2024, distributed through the Tellus platform and reseller partners PASCO and RESTEC. Provides comprehensive archive data access for ALOS, ALOS-2, and ALOS-4 series.
Companies that use Tellus
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tellus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability8 records
Feature5 records
Tellus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, major and core.
- SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, 総合研究大学院大学)supportingMutual cooperation agreement for human resource development and research activities in academic fields. Tellus provides satellite data, cloud computing environment, and internship opportunities for doctoral students. Joint educational and research promotion activities.
- Degas Ltd.majorPartner in the JAXA Space Strategy Fund project 'AI-Driven Satellite Data Utilization Infrastructure for Space Information Industry Ecosystem Creation.' Degas contributes AI development capabilities and domain-specific expertise alongside Tellus, NEC, and SpaceShift.
- NEC CorporationmajorPartner in the JAXA Space Strategy Fund project. NEC contributes extensive AI development experience and satellite data analysis expertise to the AI-driven satellite data utilization infrastructure initiative.
- SpaceShift Inc. (株式会社スペースシフト)majorPartner in the JAXA Space Strategy Fund project contributing satellite data analysis AI and social implementation expertise. SpaceShift also partnered with Tellus and Halex on the world's first generative AI satellite tas system linked to weather information, and operates the SateLab business co-creation program.
- Chiba Institute of Technology (千葉工業大学)supportingComprehensive partnership agreement with Chiba Institute of Technology and SAKURA Internet for education and research in space and security fields. Tellus provides satellite data and hosting for educational and research activities.
- The University of Tokyo, Yokoya LaboratorysupportingJoint research agreement with Prof. Naoto Yokoya's laboratory at the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Frontier Sciences. Collaborative development of AI agent foundational technology for autonomous information extraction and decision support in satellite data analysis using Tellus AI Playground.
- RESTEC (Remote Sensing Technology Center)majorRESTEC (一般財団法人リモート・センシング技術センター) is a partner in the ALOS-4 data distribution partnership alongside PASCO and Tellus, contributing to data service provision and customer support for satellite data users.
- Japan Space Forum (JSF, 一般財団法人日本スペースフォーラム)supportingResearch partner in the JAXA Space Strategy Fund 'Satellite Data Utilization System Overseas Demonstration' project. JSF was selected by JAXA to lead the feasibility study, with Tellus responsible for infrastructure development. Target countries: Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia.
- JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)coreJAXA is the primary source of satellite data for Tellus. JAXA projects including GOSAT/GOSAT-2 (jointly with MOE and NIES) and ALOS-4 data are distributed via the Tellus platform. Tellus was designated by the Ministry of the Environment as the GOSAT data distribution platform from April 2024. JAXA also selected Tellus as a partner in the ALOS-4 observation data service business alongside PASCO.
- National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)coreNIES is a joint project partner with JAXA and MOE for the GOSAT satellite series. NIES provides the GOSAT data processing tools and support documentation referenced on Tellus's GOSAT special website.
- Halex Corporation (株式会社ハレックス)majorPartner in the world's first demonstration of a generative AI satellite tas system linked to weather information. Halex provides weather information and meteorological expertise, and contributes to the on-demand tas system development. Also jointly hosted a seminar on satellite data and weather data for disaster prevention with Tellus and SpaceShift.
- PASCO Corporation (株式会社パスコ)majorPASCO is the primary contractor for JAXA's ALOS-4 observation data service business, with Tellus as a partner distributor. PASCO and Tellus also collaborate on providing ALOS series data (ALOS, ALOS-2, ALOS-4) through Tellus, offering comprehensive archive data access.
- Bascule Inc. (株式会社バスキュール)supportingCollaborated with Tellus to create a preliminary 3D product using GOSAT satellite data, exhibited at COP29 (UNFCCC 29th Conference of the Parties) demonstrating innovative visualization of greenhouse gas data.
- Ministry of the Environment (MOE) of JapancoreMOE selected Tellus as the designated platform for providing GOSAT series satellite data from April 2024. Tellus has been working on data visualization and publication preparation for GOSAT greenhouse gas observation data under this designation.
- SAKURA Internet Inc. (さくらインターネット株式会社)coreParent company relationship. SAKURA Internet founded Tellus and provides cloud infrastructure (data centers, GPU resources) supporting the Tellus platform. CEO Kunihiro Tanaka serves as Director of Tellus. Company spun off from SAKURA Internet in 2024.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights6 records
Tellus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Synspective: Japanese SAR satellite constellation operator focused on infrastructure monitoring and disaster response analytics. Comparable to Tellus as a Japanese SAR data provider with enterprise data and analytics services for similar end markets.
- Axelspace: Japanese microsatellite operator providing Earth observation data and a satellite imagery platform (AxelGlobe) with multi-satellite optical data. Directly comparable as a Japanese satellite data provider with similar target markets (agriculture, disaster, infrastructure).
Direct peers
- SkyWatch: Operates a satellite data marketplace and EarthCache platform aggregating multiple satellite data sources for developer and enterprise access. Directly comparable to Tellus's cross-satellite tasking ordering (SatHub) and multi-source data aggregation model.
- Planet Labs: Operates the largest commercial Earth observation satellite constellation and a cloud-based data platform (Planet Insights) for analytics. Closely comparable to Tellus in providing high-cadence satellite data via APIs with developer and enterprise self-serve access.
- UP42 (Airbus Defence and Space): Airbus-owned geospatial data marketplace and developer platform aggregating satellite imagery and analytics from multiple providers. Directly comparable to Tellus in offering API-based access, processing infrastructure, and cross-provider data ordering.
- BlackSky Holdings: Provides satellite imagery, geospatial analytics, and a data platform for government and enterprise customers with tasking and monitoring services. Comparable to Tellus in combining satellite tasking ordering, data delivery, and AI-enabled analytics in an integrated platform.
Broad incumbents
- Maxar Technologies: Global leader in satellite imagery and Earth observation with high-resolution optical and SAR data products. Compares to Tellus as a satellite data platform serving government and enterprise customers with image products and analytics services, though at much larger scale and global footprint.
Emerging players
- ICEYE: Operates a SAR satellite constellation providing high-resolution imagery and analytics, including through partner distribution platforms. Comparable to Tellus as a satellite data source/provider with focus on SAR capabilities relevant to Tellus's ALOS-4 SAR offerings.
- Capella Space: US-based SAR satellite operator offering high-resolution imagery through a developer platform and direct API access. Comparable to Tellus as a SAR data provider competing in the same Earth observation data market.
- Satellogic: Operates a high-resolution Earth observation satellite constellation with tasking services and analytics for government and enterprise customers. Comparable to Tellus in providing tasking-based satellite imagery with platform/analytics layers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tellus social profiles
Digital presenceTellus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tellus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Tellus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tellus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tellus
What does Tellus do?
Tellus operates Japan's largest satellite data platform, providing cloud-based aggregation and API access to 45+ types of satellite data (optical, SAR, greenhouse gas sensors) and 1 ground-based data source, totaling 18PB. The platform supports satellite data search, acquisition, processing, and analysis, enabling enterprise users, researchers, and developers to build AI applications and businesses on top of geospatial data.
Is Tellus a public or private company?
Tellus is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Tellus founded?
Tellus was founded in 2021.
Where is Tellus based?
Tellus is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Tellus make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Satellite Data Platform Subscription/API Access are the primary driver. The others are tellus AI Playground, tellus Pro and satellite Data Sales (ALOS-4, GOSAT, GRUS, ASNARO-1).
Who are Tellus's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Synspective and Axelspace. Direct peers are SkyWatch, Planet Labs, UP42 (Airbus Defence and Space) and BlackSky Holdings. Maxar Technologies is listed as a broad incumbent. Emerging players are ICEYE, Capella Space and Satellogic.
Does Tellus have an API?
Yes. Tellus provides API access to satellite data including GOSAT series data, ALOS-4 data, and various other satellite datasets. The platform offers API-based data provision for satellite imagery and related analysis. Developer documentation is at www.tellusxdp.com/en-us/catalog/data.
What industry is Tellus in?
Tellus's product category is Satellite Data Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAMANAM, Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms, with a secondary code of HDAAAEAL, Remote Sensing & Geospatial Vision (satellite/drone imagery). Its NAICS code is 5182 and its SIC code is 7370.