French NewSpace startup Skynopy has raised €15 million in a fast-tracked funding round to accelerate the global deployment of its high-throughput satellite ground station network.
The financing was led by venture firm Alven, joined by Expansion, Omnes, and France’s space agency CNES, via its SpaceFounders programme.”
Founded in late 2023, Skynopy considers itself as a disruptor in the satellite ground segment market. The company offers high-speed, hybrid ground station services focused on S, X, and Ka bands, targeting both commercial and institutional satellite operators.
In less than a year the startup has scaled rapidly, building out a network of over 15 antennas. The company announced in September 2024 a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deploy 12 additional stations.
“With Skynopy, we believe the ground segment shouldn’t be a bottleneck,” said Pierre Bertrand, co-founder and CEO. “This fundraising marks a turning point. In less than 18 months, we have demonstrated that an agile, interoperable, and CAPEX-free model can challenge industry giants.
Thanks to the support of our investors, we are now positioned to deploy a truly global, large-scale ground network that combines both performance and ease of use.”
Lead investor Alven commented on their decision to back the company.
“Skynopy has rapidly become a standout in the satellite ground segment,” said François Meteyer, partner at Alven. “By integrating existing infrastructure with proprietary innovation, and by focusing on real-world operator needs, they’ve created a scalable service model that’s already attracting strategic clients. We were particularly impressed by the team’s technical depth and remarkable execution speed. We’re confident they are poised to become a global category leader.”
The newly raised capital will be used to fund the rollout of AKAR, Skynopy’s next-generation ground segment project. AKAR is a unified, real-time orbital connectivity network capable of supporting the exponentially growing data demands of Earth observation constellations, remote sensing platforms, and other LEO missions.
Scheduled for full deployment by 2028, the AKAR network is designed to handle increasingly complex downlink needs while offering enhanced interoperability across different satellite missions.
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