€73 Million Investment Round into SWISSto12

SWISSto12 is on the move. I think that the firm owns one of the most promising and profitable applications for 3D printing, RF components, and it is showing real growth and progress. We’ve previously written about the company’s expansion into Spain, its plans to make antennas for SES, its acquisition of Hanwha’s phased-array business, purchase of four Additive Industries machines, work with Northrop Grumman, €30 million to make an ESA satellite, a maritime satellite contract, $27 million in credit, and a partnership with CAES. 

As well as forging ahead in RF components, the company is also continuing to build its own satellite, the HummingSat.

The HummingSat is being released at a time of global uncertainty. Many countries are looking to develop their own capabilities in secure communications, regular satellites and spy satellites, and general intelligence gathering. With the US’s fickle stance and threats to allies, many nations around the world are coming to the conclusion that they can no longer depend on the US in any way, shape, or form. All of a sudden, they will figure out that everyone needs their own eyes in the sky. And in that kind of world, being Swiss is a real asset.

In the second half of last year, SWISSto12 already raised money privately, and raised CHF25 million in 2023, and 18 million in 2019. The current €73 million is aimed squarely at producing more HummingSats at scale to satisfy demand, and the company aims to launch in 2027. Additionally, they will invest more into R&D and improved phased array capabilities. This will be an important part of communicating with HummingSat and securing communications generally.

The funding comes via the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) HummingSat Partnership Project, from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Norway, and Canada. Notably, Canada is a Five Eyes partner, among the US’s closest intelligence allies. Recently, NATO countries have restricted intelligence sharing with the US in light of the administration’s threats against Denmark. France has replaced the US as the main source of intelligence for Ukraine as well. France is home to Eutelsat, Arianespace, Thales, and Safran. It’s currently the only country in the world that could develop a full satellite intelligence capability on its own, and the only one with an ecosystem of firms generating commercial revenue to support further satellite development. Russia has a now-limited capability but no real market anymore, while the US generally dominates the business, and China is trying to develop its own capability at breakneck speed. India is developing its own offering, but its notable pro-Russia stance makes this problematic.

For other countries without a space industry, and even without a stake in Ariane, Airbus, Safran, and/or Thales, options are limited. It’s truly the age of de Gaulle, really. His intransigence and investments into France as a global superpower, clutching onto relevance, and the general French paranoia over the US culturally and as an ally are starting to look a lot like prescience for many people. For those without the history of French independence, a non-US partner can not really be found, except for SWISSto12 of course.

SWISSto12’s use of additive in RF and satellite components generally also means that this particular bus is more like a scooter. Smaller, cheaper to produce and launch, and faster to deploy, this is a satellite optimized for commercial launch at scale.

ESA Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications Laurent Jaffart said, 

“We are proud to continue our support of SWISSto12, particularly in creating cost-effective solutions for satellite systems that answer to the satcom ecosystem’s ever-increasing demands. ESA is committed to elevating Europe’s future in space through our support of industry, and by accelerating next-generation satellite technologies.”

SWISSto12 CEO Emile de Rijk stated,

“The recent subscriptions of Member States and Cooperating States at the ESA Ministerial Council to the HummingSat Project, and the latest round of funding from European private investors sends a strong message to the global market that SWISSto12 is at the heart of satellite communications innovation. With our growing suite of agile, cost-effective and highly performant SatCom solutions, we provide a credible answer to some of the most pressing challenges facing the space economy, including the critical issue of enabling satellite sovereignty – something, until now, out of reach for most of the world’s nations.”

Of course, you can spend your career trying to convince people to change from what they know and trust to 3D printing. You could trudge from one soulless multinational to another, preaching change. And it’s so amazing doing jigs and fixtures. But what if you could use 3D printing as a lever to change the world? What if you can own an application and, in so doing, help nations determine their own fate? What if you could make better shapes and therefore shape the world? Maybe, just maybe, that’s a better business than the one you’re in.