British broadband terminal startup Isotropic has won a $42 million funding round, which it says brings the firm closer to its first commercial product rollout.
The round, led by satellite company SES, includes equity funding by the UK government. Additional backing arrives from aerospace headliners including Boeing Horizon X Global Ventures, Space Angels and Firmament Ventures, will allow Isotropic to unveil its flat-panel antenna systems—capable of working with multiple satellite systems—next year. The company is increasing staff at its Reading headquarters from 70 to 110, as its funding tops $70m in total.
Isotropic began life in 2013 to cater to the commercial broadband industry, but has since switched to high-end applications such as logistics, aeronautics and government. The company “is developing the world’s most spectrally efficient, low profile antennas that are con-formal, multi-band and electronically steerable, according to its website.
Isotropic Systems tested with the US Army last year, and CEO John Finney said that today’s round “gets us substantially closer to product launch.”
“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,” said SES chief Steve Collar. “Our investment reflects the potential that we believe this breakthrough technology has for SES and for the industry as a whole.”