Swiss satellite manufacturer Swissto12 has secured US$70 million in a Series C funding round to expand production of its HummingSat microGEO satellite platform and increase manufacturing capacity as demand for compact geostationary satellites continues to rise.
The company said the new capital will be used to scale satellite production and system integration capabilities to support a growing pipeline of commercial and government contracts.
Funding to support manufacturing expansion
Chief Executive Officer and founder Emile de Rijk said demand for satellite infrastructure is increasing as space-based communications become more important across multiple industries.
“Space is increasingly recognized as essential infrastructure for the global economy. In this expanding market, our solutions across payload and satellite lines are creating significant new opportunities for customers.”
He said the company’s technologies are supporting applications including direct-to-device communications, media broadcasting, intersatellite data relay and sovereign communications infrastructure.
“This Series C funding round accelerates our ability to execute on this growing demand across any payload, any platform and any orbit.”
HummingSat targets lower-cost GEO missions
Swissto12’s HummingSat platform is designed as a compact geostationary satellite that offers an alternative to conventional large GEO spacecraft.
According to the company, each HummingSat has a launch mass of approximately 1,000 kilograms, supports payloads weighing up to 200 kilograms and provides roughly 2 kilowatts of onboard power over an expected operational life of 15 years.
Swissto12 said the platform can reduce mission costs by up to tenfold compared with traditional geostationary satellites.
The company positions HummingSat alongside other compact GEO platforms in the market, including Boeing’s 702X, the European Space Agency’s SGEO platform and satellites developed by Astranis.
Orders continue to grow
Founded in 2011 as a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), Swissto12 has secured seven HummingSat contracts with satellite operators.
Its customer base includes SES, Viasat, Astrium and Space Compass.
The company reported revenue of approximately US$140 million during 2025 and said its total contracted business now exceeds US$500 million, contributing to positive EBITDA in 2026.
Since its founding, Swissto12 has raised more than US$200 million from investors including Swisscom Ventures, UBS, Zürcher Kantonal Bank, Venture Kick and the European Space Agency.
The latest funding is expected to help the company expand manufacturing capacity as demand for smaller, lower-cost geostationary satellites continues to grow across commercial and government communications markets.
Source: SpaceMagz