Space startup SpinLaunch raises $30M to accelerate Meridian Space LEO broadband constellation

Space startup SpinLaunch is betting big on its next chapter. The Long Beach-based startup, best known for rethinking how we access space, just closed a $30 million round to speed up the development of its Meridian Space project—a low-earth orbit satellite broadband constellation built to challenge the economics of satcom.

The funding, led by ATW Partners with continued backing from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, will help SpinLaunch move from testing into commercialization. CEO Massimiliano Ladovaz said the funding is proof of investors’ confidence in the company.

“We’re not just building momentum—we’re earning trust. From technical milestones to collaboration with early adopters, the continued backing of insiders and partners like Kongsberg underscores the credibility of our approach and the progress we’ve made,” Ladovaz said.

With $30 funding, SpinLaunch aims to push forward cost-efficient LEO broadband systems

SpinLaunch is aiming to light up its first customer link in the second half of 2026. The company says early demand points to interest in a satcom system that’s cheaper to build, easier to integrate, and open by design. That openness, executives argue, will give customers more flexibility than traditional LEO networks that often lock users into rigid infrastructure.

For Kongsberg, the investment is about betting on a platform with global relevance. Eirik Lie, president of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, put it this way: “We chose to partner with SpinLaunch because we saw a bold vision backed by a uniquely capable team. This investment reflects our shared belief in their ability to deliver a new model for satellite communications through the Meridian Space constellation.”

Behind the funding is a technical milestone SpinLaunch has been working toward: the successful full-scale test of its reconfigurable reflectarray antenna. Unlike conventional satellite antennas that can be bulky and expensive to operate, this design is smaller, cheaper, and less power-hungry—critical for scaling a constellation meant to deliver broadband at lower costs. David Wrenn, SpinLaunch’s chief innovation officer, called it a turning point: “Validating our reconfigurable reflectarray antenna through full-scale testing confirms we can deliver multi-band capability without the cost and complexity of traditional designs. This is a critical step toward the development of the Meridian Space constellation and achieving both our technical and operational objectives.”

Founded in 2014, SpinLaunch has spent the past decade building technology aimed at lowering the barrier to space access. With Meridian Space, the startup is moving into the satellite broadband market, where giants like SpaceX’s Starlink and OneWeb are already competing for dominance. SpinLaunch’s bet is that its leaner architecture and novel antenna design will give it an edge in cost and scalability.

For now, the $30 million injection gives the company more runway as it races to prove Meridian Space can deliver on its promise—and carve out a place in a crowded satellite broadband market.