Astrolight, a Lithuanian deeptech startup developing secure laser communication systems for space, has raised €2.8 million in a seed round. Balnord led the round.
- The funding will accelerate Astrolight's development of its end-to-end laser communication platform, designed to connect satellites with securely Earth-based infrastructure — a solution the company calls the "missing link" in space data transmission.
"As space becomes increasingly contested, secure communication technologies developed here in the Baltic Sea Region will be vital not only commercially but for Europe’s technological independence. This team has the rare combination of deep technical expertise and clear market vision needed to succeed in this challenging sector," said Marcin P. Kowalik, General Partner at Balnord.
- Founded in Vilnius, Astrolight is creating a dual-use communication architecture capable of supporting space-to-space and space-to-ground optical links. Its goal is to offer laser communication as a service by integrating space-based terminals with its own ground infrastructure.
- The startup's CTO, Dalius Petrulionis, emphasized that laser links offer far more scalable bandwidth than traditional RF-based systems, which currently limit the retrieval of space-generated data to about 20%.
"The infrastructure we’re building is not just a technical solution — it’s a way to fill the operational gap in how modern space systems communicate," Petrulionis said.
- Astrolight's roadmap includes deploying its first operational optical ground station and demonstrating a hybrid optical terminal based on its ATLAS-1 modular design — a significant step towards achieving commercial readiness.
- The startup has already gained significant traction, being selected for NATO's DIANA program. Commercial contracts are also underway, including partnerships with the Lithuanian Navy.
- Besides Balnord, which led the seed round, Astrolight also attracted investors like EIFO (The Export and Investment Fund of Denmark), which backed the company following its launch of a Danish subsidiary to serve Arctic space assets, and Coinvest Capital. Existing investors 3NGLS and Rita Sakus also joined.
- Citing Goldman Sachs data, the startup notes that over 70,000 are expected to launch in the next five years. This surge is driving a sharp rise in demand for high-speed, secure communication — a need Astrolight aims to meet as a key enabler.
