Warpspace Completes Series B Funding to Advance Space Optical Communication Development

Japan-based space optical communication tech Warpspace Inc. (CEO: Hiromitsu Azuma) is pleased to announce the successful completion of its Series B funding round. The company has entered strategic capital partnerships with Udom Co., Ltd. (Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture; President: Jun’ichi Mori) and Kohoku Kogyo Co., Ltd. (Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture; President and CEO: Futoshi Ishii). These collaborations will enhance Warpspace's development of emulators, in partnership with Udom on the software side, and communication relay devices, in partnership with Kohoku Kogyo on the hardware side.

Background and Purpose of Financing

The demand for satellite-acquired data continues to surge globally, driven by its critical applications in disaster prevention, security, and other industries. With over 2,000 satellites launched annually, the need for a robust and high-data rate space communication network has never been more pressing. To address this demand, Warpspace is dedicated to developing optical communication technologies that surpass traditional radio wave methods in terms of speed, capacity, and security. 

This funding marks a pivotal moment in the company's growth as it collaborates with Udom and Kohoku Kogyo to enhance its technological capabilities:

Udom Co., Ltd.: A systems developer for social infrastructure, is applying its engineering expertise to develop emulators for Warpspace's optical communication systems. They have been considering entering the space industry for some time, and the event “Warp Station Elements” in 2023 hosted by Warpspace led to this partnership.

Kohoku Kogyo Co., Ltd.: A leading manufacturer of optical communication components, holding over 50% of the global market share for optical isolators used in submersible cables. They are considering entering the space industry as a new area of technological development, and intend to apply their technology for optical communication device development to develop components and equipment to make the space industry a new business pillar. Kohoku Kogyo will also work with Warpspace to find new value in the space industry and how it should enter the industry.

Warpspace has been developing a space communication network using optical communication technology, instead of the traditional radio wave-based methods, to meet the growing demand for data transmission. Since 2019, Warpspace has been advancing the development of devices and software necessary to facilitate the seamless integration of inter-satellite optical communication technology. Through these collaborations, Warpspace will accelerate development toward providing an optical communication onboarding support service called “WarpON!”.

Hiromitsu Azuma, CEO, Warpspace Inc. - “I am delighted to announce that we have secured investment from Udom Co., Ltd. and Kohoku Kogyo Co., Ltd. In recent years, the demand for high-speed, secure data transmission has grown exponentially, driving heightened interest in space-based optical communication. As we focus on developing the core technologies that will underpin our business, this partnership with Udom and Kohoku Kogyo provides invaluable support and momentum. Together, we are taking a significant step toward realizing a robust and innovative optical communication network. We remain committed to advancing optical communication technology and contributing meaningfully to its evolution.”