La startup española de satélites Sateliot busca 150 millones de euros para transmitir 5G directamente a teléfonos inteligentes desde órbita.

La startup española de satélites Sateliot busca 150 millones de euros para transmitir 5G directamente a teléfonos inteligentes desde órbita.

      TL;DR: Sateliot is aiming to raise up to €150 million to provide satellite-to-smartphone 5G by 2028 and has partnered with Telefonica. The EU is setting aside airwaves for domestic companies.

      Barcelona-based satellite startup Sateliot is looking to raise up to €150 million ($172 million), a 50% increase from the €100 million funding round announced in April. The company operates a network of low-Earth orbit satellites and intends to use the funds to deploy 16 additional satellites over the next year. By early 2028, it aims to launch larger satellites that will transmit 5G data, voice, and video directly to standard smartphones.

      "A new opportunity has emerged: integrating 5G within a satellite," said CEO Jaume Sanpera in an interview with Bloomberg. Founded in 2018, Sateliot originally focused on connecting IoT devices, such as shipping trackers and utility sensors, via satellite. The shift toward smartphones marks a major expansion for the company. Sateliot is collaborating with Telefonica on technology for direct-to-device connections and has also formed partnerships with other network operators to extend coverage in remote areas.

      This funding effort coincides with Europe's intensified investment in satellite technology to reduce reliance on Elon Musk's Starlink. The European Space Agency is investing €22 billion over three years, while the European Commission has suggested reserving airwaves for domestic satellite communication providers. The global competition for satellite connectivity is heating up, with Amazon’s Project Kuiper also working towards competing with Starlink. Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile's joint venture, Satellite Connect Europe, is pursuing a similar direct-to-phone service, but its qualification for the reserved European spectrum remains uncertain due to the US company’s 50% ownership.

      Sateliot is still in search of a lead investor and indicated that the additional €50 million might be raised through debt, with expectations of up to 50% public co-financing. Meanwhile, the IRIS² constellation, led by Eutelsat, SES, and Hispasat, will initially prioritize broadband rather than direct-to-device connections, which presents a market opportunity for Sateliot. While Starlink continues to increase its prices as it expands, a European alternative providing direct services to existing phones and carriers could attract interest from operators looking to avoid routing through a Musk-controlled network.

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La startup española de satélites Sateliot busca 150 millones de euros para transmitir 5G directamente a teléfonos inteligentes desde órbita.

Sateliot is seeking to raise as much as €150 million to launch 16 satellites next year and provide direct-to-device 5G services by 2028. Europe is allocating spectrum for local companies instead of Starlink.