Bootstrapped Dreams in a Laundry Room

Picture this: It’s 2023, and Ashi Dissanayake, cofounder of Spaceium, is hunched over her makeshift desk—a clothes dryer. Her legs are tucked inside the machine, her laptop perched precariously beside Tide Pods, and robotic arms scattered around her like a sci-fi movie set. This was the reality for Dissanayake and her cofounder, Reza Fetanat, as they worked late into the night in their tiny Ottawa apartment. Fast forward to today, and Spaceium has secured a $6.3 million seed round led by Initialized Capital, moved into a real office, and is gearing up for a demo mission later this year. Talk about a glow-up!

From University Labs to the Stars

Dissanayake and Fetanat’s journey began at the University of Ottawa, where their shared obsession with space exploration sparked a partnership. Together, they built rockets, propulsion systems, and parachutes, launching samples up to 30,000 feet and sending data back to Canadian labs. But as they dove deeper into their research, they uncovered a glaring problem: the lack of in-space refueling options. “The biggest bottleneck in the industry,” Dissanayake explains, “is that spacecraft have to carry all their fuel from Earth. Once the mission ends, the spacecraft becomes space debris.”

“Our big mission is to build the space super highway, where spacecraft can dock, refuel, and continue their journey.”

Ashi Dissanayake, Cofounder of Spaceium

The Vision: A Space Super Highway

Spaceium’s audacious goal? To create a network of refueling stations in space, enabling longer missions and deep-space exploration—like colonizing Mars. “Imagine a spacecraft docking at one of our stations, refueling, and continuing its journey,” Dissanayake says. But they’re not alone in this race. Competitors like Orbit Fab and Astroscale are also vying for dominance in the in-space refueling market. Yet, Dissanayake remains confident. “We’ve developed a unique system to store fuel for longer periods, something no one else has done,” she reveals, keeping the details under wraps.

The Road Ahead

Spaceium’s journey is far from over, but the cofounders are laser-focused on their mission. Dissanayake dreams of one day looking out into the cosmos and seeing their refueling stations dotting the void. “It’s not just about building technology,” she says. “It’s about enabling humanity’s next giant leap.”

Why This Matters

• Innovation in Action: Spaceium’s unique fuel storage system could revolutionize space travel.
• Competitive Edge: Despite competition, their groundbreaking approach sets them apart.
• Future-Proofing Space Exploration: In-space refueling is critical for missions to Mars and beyond.

Spaceium’s story is a testament to the power of grit, innovation, and dreaming big—even when your desk is a laundry dryer. The stars are no longer the limit; they’re just the beginning.