Isotropic Systems secures over $40m in funding
to accelerate growth and development of unique
multi-beam antenna ahead of 2022 launch
8
February, 2021
Isotropic Systems, a leading developer of
transformational broadband terminal
technologies, announces that is has fully
secured funding of over $40 million
providing the necessary capital required to
develop its game-changing multi-beam antennas.
The
round brings together equity and grant funding
support from the UK Government and market
leaders in Aerospace and Telecommunications. SES
led the round, along with participation from
specialised space investors Orbital Ventures, UK
government’s Future Fund and existing investors
Boeing HorizonX Global Ventures, Space Angels
and Firmament Ventures. Demand for
the oversubscribed round was driven by recent
development contracts for Isotropic Systems’
transformational terminal, advanced over-the-air
testing, and the accelerated development and
roll-out of its phase one terminal expected
early 2022.
With
funding in place, Isotropic Systems plans to
accelerate its production phase in time to
support new constellations and satellites
launching in all satellite orbits from 2022
onwards. Isotropic will also open a 20,000 sq.
ft. technology and testing facility near the
company headquarters in Reading, UK, and will
see the company create an additional 150 highly
skilled engineering roles to the UK over the
next two years.
Isotropic Systems’ patented radio frequency
optics technology enables the high-performance
multi-beam antenna to simultaneously link with
multiple satellites in multiple orbits without
any compromise in the performance of each link.
This industry first unlocks the global satellite
ecosystem for unprecedented connectivity across
a broad range of markets, including government,
defense, maritime, enterprise, and aerospace.
With multiple new space constellations being
launched by organisations including OneWeb,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, SpaceX, Amazon, SES and
Telesat, innovation in space needs to be matched
by innovation on the ground and air.
“Isotropic Systems is extremely well positioned
to unlock a new age of high-powered, multi-orbit
connectivity with our next-gen multi-beam
antenna,” said John Finney, Isotropic Systems
Founder and CEO. “As one satellite
constellation after another is announced for
launch in future years, our technology is unique
in that it allows service providers and end
users to take the best of the many thousands of
satellites going into orbit using a single
integrated terminal, unlocking the demand for
the satellite industry as a whole, radically
changing the way bandwidth services are
delivered to end-users and vastly exceeding the
capability of any single satellite system. This
unique, cost-effective solution has allowed us
to attract world class investment support from
our industry, which in turn will allow us to
unlock significant export revenue for the UK
economy and across the satellite sector. As we
grow our UK-based team, collaborative
partnerships and capabilities, we are proud to
support tech innovation in the UK to solve
connectivity challenges across a broad range of
key vertical and geographical markets around the
world.”
UK
Science Minister, Amanda Solloway MP said:“The UK space
sector is thriving and with connectivity never
having been more important, it’s vital we
support pioneering companies like Isotropic
Systems who are tapping into the benefits that
space technology can bring us all on Earth.
Backed by UK government, these new multi beam
antennas will improve connectivity for us all at
home, and for emerging technologies such as
driverless cars, while helping to create 150
highly skilled UK jobs as we build back better.”
SES
CEO Steve Collar:
“At SES, we believe in doing the
extraordinary in space to deliver amazing
experiences on earth and delivering amazing
experiences requires innovation across the
ecosystem. That’s why we are building our
next-generation system, O3b mPOWER, together
with innovators like Isotropic Systems.
Isotropic’s multi-beam antenna plays an
important role in our multi-orbit strategy and
is a key enabler for advanced satellite services
on land, in the air and at sea. Our investment
reflects the potential that we believe this
breakthrough technology has for SES and for the
industry as a whole.”
Brian
Schettler, Senior Managing Director, Boeing
HorizonX Global Ventures:
“Our continued investment in Isotropic Systems,
underlines our commitment to strengthening the
global satellite ecosystem. The development of
Isotropic’s unique RF optical technology will
further accelerate the expansion of space-based
connectivity to meet the growing demand for
satellite data, transportation and mobility
connectivity, and broadband services.”
According to Orbital Ventures/Promus
Ventures, PartnerGareth Keane, “At
Promus Ventures, we invest in early-stage
deep-tech companies with exceptional teams and
ground-breaking ideas and technologies, and
Promus Ventures is excited to support Isotropic
Systems through our space-focused Orbital
Ventures fund. Constellations and launch
companies are already getting a lot of attention
with their disruptive products and services and
now key areas such as ground segment
connectivity are likely to attract the next wave
of investment, and this UK company is leading
the charge.”