Kymeta, a start-up that developed electronically-scanning satellite antennas and terminals for high-throughput communications for land, sea and air, is teaming up with Intelsat to offer a new satellite service with by-the-gigabyte pricing.
The KĀLO high-throughput access service will use fully integrated KyWay terminals and mTennau7 antenna subsystem modules (ASMs) to provide reliable wireless mobile connectivity. The service leverages the IntelsatOne Flex managed services platform. Commercial launch is expected this year.
Dushyant Sukhija, Kymeta’s newly appointed Senior Vice President and General Manager of the KĀLO BU, who joined Kymeta’s executive leadership team in July 2017, will lead the KĀLO BU and the upcoming launch of the service. Sukhija, author of the bestselling leadership book “The Cisco Way” is a former Cisco executive.
“I’m excited to work with our partner, Intelsat, to build a global communication and internet service solution,” said Sukhija. “Having worked with numerous communications companies, that spanned 142 countries, over 65 telecommunications service providers, and more than 1.9 billion subscribers while I was at Cisco, I know the complexities of a solution like this. Doing this with a global network that brings high-throughput internet access to a multitude of mobile platforms will dramatically expand the reach of satellite communications, while simplifying the buying process for everyone.”
“Satellite services today are expensive and difficult to buy,” said Sukhija. “Current satellite services customers often must predict their usage in advance. Imagine having to know exactly where you will be using your phone and how much data you will use three, six or even 36 months from now. With KĀLO internet access services, we’re focused on taking the guesswork out of purchasing satellite services, and making it as easy as purchasing a cell phone data plan.”
“Combining Kymeta’s disruptive flat panel antennas and terminals with our unique global, mobile internet services will make connectivity possible where it has never been before,” said Dr. Nathan Kundtz, President and CEO of Kymeta.
Kymeta Raises $50 Million for Broadband Satellite Antennas
Kymeta, a start-up based in Redmond, Washington, closed a $50 million Series C financing for its Metamaterials Surface Antenna Technology (MSA-T). The company was incubated by Intellectual Ventures and is backed by investments from Bill Gates, Liberty Global and Lux Capital.
Kymeta has said its mTenna product line will simplify the satellite connection needed for broadband Internet on the go, anywhere in the world. The company uses metamaterials to manipulate electromagnetic radiation to electronically point and steer a radio signal toward a satellite. The technology could be used to maintain a continuous broadband link between a satellite and a moving platform such as an aircraft, car or boat. The metamaterials could be manufactured using established lithographic techniques. The technology will be used in flat, thin, light, and highly adaptable antennas and communication terminals.
Kymeta has already demonstrated a metamaterials-based antenna establishing a connection with a Ka-band satellite. The connection used an aperture size of 15 by 17 inches and was about one centimeter thick. The antenna was powered by a USB cable using less than three watts of power to drive the electronic beamforming antenna.
In the latest funding round, existing Kymeta investors including Bill Gates, Lux Capital and Liberty Global were joined in the financing by Osage University Partners and The Kresge Foundation.
- Kymeta is the second company to spin out of Intellectual Ventures. The first, TerraPower, was created in 2008 to develop a new class of nuclear reactor.
