Satellite internet startup Univiti has also secured a €31 million contract from French space agency CNES, with a total of €68 million to help support efforts to launch more than 3,000 satellites.
A European competitor is seeking to challenge the dominance of American communications satellites, with a 68 million euro investment from France. Unity closed a Series A funding round on Thursday, backed by French state investment bank Bpifrance, investment platform Blast, venture capital fund Expansion and others.
The €68 million support will see Unity launch its first two satellites and then move to an infrastructure financing model for large-scale deployment over the next two years, with support from “deep-rooted investors” such as infrastructure funds and carriers.
Connect directly with carriers
Founded in 2022, Unity aims to take on industry giants like Starlink and Amazon (which sells connectivity directly to consumers) by instead targeting carriers, sharing infrastructure and selling space-based internet and mobile services. Agreements have already been signed with 16 carriers on four continents.
The partnership highlights the growing demand among carriers looking to integrate satellite connectivity into their networks.
“In the new era of satellite communications promoted by Starlink and Amazon, mass production and recurring pricing are the name of the game.”[field]” said Charles Delfeux, the CEO who left the World Bank to start Univiti.
“One way to provide a competitive service to our clients is to bring production in-house.”
Production in Europe delivers European satellite fleet
Unity, which has production facilities near Toulouse, plans to build a fleet of up to 3,400 satellites in very low orbit (VLEO) approximately 375 km (233 miles) above Earth, making it Europe’s largest satellite operator. For comparison, Starlink has about 10,000 satellites in orbit, while Amazon Leo plans to launch about 7,000 satellites.
The move reflects a broader trend in which carriers around the world are signing deals with satellite providers to expand coverage in remote areas.
Such partnerships can help fill connectivity gaps that arise when ground infrastructure upgrades are costly.
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