Like the subject says..Kalypso's game looks very very similar...including the very similar design for the game's logo. I'm wondering, did Kalypso buy up the originating company/IP or something, or what?

Kalypso did not buy the IP, or the rights of the first game. And to the best of my knowledge, none of the original Startopia staff works at Kalypso.

Spacebase Startopia is not a sequel, nor a remake, nor a reboot of Startopia, and is more like a spiritual sequel to the original game. Kinda like Roller Coaster Tycoon with Theme Park, Cities XL with SimCity, or all these hommages to Dungeon Keeper that have been popping up in the last decade.

PRIORITY CLAIMED UNDER SEC. 44(D) ON GREAT
BRITAIN APPLICATION NO. 2231958, FILED 5-9-2000, REG.
NO. 2231958, DATED 5-9-2000, EXPIRES 5-9-2010.

I think the trademarks that EIDOS INTERACTIVE LIMITED filed for the game expired in 2010, so Kalypso was just able to use it. But I'm not a lawyer so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯