In space, power is everything. Satellites, spacecraft, and other space systems need reliable energy to operate, communicate, collect data, and complete their missions. But launching things into space is complicated and capacity is limited, so every component has to earn its place. The heavier a power system is, the more it can constrain mission design, increase launch costs, and displace other critical equipment.

That makes lightweight, compact solar technology especially mission-critical: it must generate dependable power while being as efficient as possible.

That is where Verde Technologies, a CORI Innovation Fund portfolio company, sees a major opportunity.

Based in Waterbury, Vermont, Verde is developing next-generation thin-film perovskite solar technology: ultra-lightweight, flexible solar panels designed to deliver high power with far less weight than traditional solar panels.

Why space, and why now

Verde's focus on space markets is strategic. The commercial space economy is growing quickly, driven by rising demand for satellites, Earth observation, national security applications, and other space-based services. As more companies and governments look to space infrastructure to power critical systems, the need for reliable, lightweight, high-performance energy solutions is becoming more urgent. That creates a clear opening for Verde.

Space also offers Verde a timely path to commercialize and scale its technology today, while supporting the company's longer-term vision of bringing lower-cost, flexible solar technology into broader markets here on Earth.

The company's momentum is backed by both public and private validation. Verde closed a priced investment round earlier in 2026 with support from existing and new investors, won the grand prize in the U.S. Perovskite Startup Prize, and has received support from the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Energy.

New leadership for Verde's next stage