Ab Astra raises $2M pre-seed to image lithium and critical minerals with cosmic-ray muons
What's the deal? Ab Astra, an Argentine deeptech startup that uses cosmic-ray particles called muons to create high-definition underground images, has closed a $2M pre-seed round led by Draper CygnusDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. CITESDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — which had previously invested $275,000 — participated as anchor investor, alongside Air CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and two angel investors.
The company was founded in December 2024 in Neuquén, Argentina, by Germán Serrano, a former director of special projects at YPFDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (Argentina's state energy company), and Hernán Asorey, a former researcher at the country's National Atomic Energy Commission. Both hold physics PhDs from the prestigious Instituto Balseiro.
Why now? Global demand for critical minerals — lithium, copper, uranium, and rare earths — is surging as the energy transition accelerates. Traditional exploration methods are costly and imprecise. Ab Astra claims its muography technology can deliver up to 100x better spatial resolution than comparable alternatives, using compact next-generation sensors, advanced reconstruction algorithms, and AI-powered 3D/4D interpretation models.
"Ab Astra is set to revolutionise mining exploration on a global scale," said Nicolás Tognalli, managing partner at CITES. "This round will allow it to run a pilot in production environments and close its first commercial deals."
The fresh capital will fund the design and construction of the first mining-specific muography equipment, refinement of subsurface interpretation models, and initial proof-of-concept tests on a lithium salt flat.
What could go wrong? The technology is still pre-commercial. Ab Astra has run yard tests and developed early algorithms, but it hasn't yet proven the system works reliably in real mining conditions. Scaling from lab to salt flat — and then to paying customers — remains a significant leap. The startup also operates in a niche where potential clients are large, slow-moving mining companies with long procurement cycles.
The signal: Draper Cygnus, the lead investor, is part of the Draper Venture NetworkDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → — a global alliance of funds known for backing frontier technology bets across emerging markets. Its involvement lends Ab Astra cross-border credibility as the startup prepares to commercialise in a region that holds over half the world's known lithium reserves. With mining companies under growing pressure to de-risk exploration and shorten discovery timelines, a non-invasive imaging tool purpose-built for critical minerals could command outsized interest relative to its early stage.
Read more: iproup.com
