ASTROBi Foundation
Advance humanity’s understanding of the emergence of life in the Universe by funding and conducting astrobiology research, mission concept studies, and instrument development.
About ASTROBi Foundation
The ASTROBi Foundation is a U.S. nonprofit private foundation (IRS-recognized 501(c)(3)) based in the Denver/Aurora, Colorado area that supports underfunded astrobiology research and focused mission concept development.
Its portfolio spans mission studies (centered on an Enceladus-focused concept called “Encelascope”), instrument prototyping (notably holographic microscopes and plume sensors), laboratory and computational investigations of prebiotic chemistry and microbe survival, and public dissemination of funded research.
In recent years the foundation has moved from initial capitalization into active grantmaking and in-house technical studies, reporting multi-hundred-thousand-dollar charitable disbursements and holding roughly $2M in assets (most-recent filings).
Notable achievements
Encelascope mission concept
Developed and advanced a low-cost Enceladus fly-through mission concept centered on a holographic microscope to maximize direct life-detection potential while minimizing mission complexity.
Holographic microscope prototypes
Designed and built prototypes and multiple flight-like designs of a holographic microscope intended to image and track motile organisms in three dimensions for high-probability life detection.
Significant early grantmaking and partnerships
Transitioned from start-up capitalization to active disbursements and technical partnerships with university groups and research institutes, supporting computational and wet-lab studies that feed mission and instrument requirements.
At a glance
- Total assets
- $2.0M
- Tax status
- 501(c)(3)
- EIN
- 86-3755635
- Location
- Aurora, CO
- Website
- astrobi.space
- On Mahalo since
- November 2025
Financial figures from the IRS Business Master File, the IRS’s registry of tax-exempt organizations.
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