Tencent investing in space exploration startups

Tencent is best known for super-app WeChat and its relentless pace of startup investment. Now the Chinese social media giant is looking beyond Earth-bound opportunities. China’s largest corporation has invested in Moon Express, a startup that aims to put drones on the lunar body; Argentina’s Satellogic, which specializes in satellite imagery; and Planetary Resources, which is looking into asteroid-mining. They’re an unusual trio of investments for a company that typically seeks out terrestrial entertainment content and up-and-coming technologies such as artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Tencent’s increasingly adventurous deal spree reflects a growing ambition that’s driven China’s new crop of internet titans, including Alibaba, beyond their core businesses and home markets, according to Bloomberg. Alibaba, which began as an e-commerce shop, is now investing aggressively in AI and cloud computing. Baidu, a search service, has voiced its targets for autonomous car-making.