Skylo emerges from stealth with $116M led by SoftBank to deliver satellite internet for the masses

The Internet of Things (IoT) is here, and it’s rapidly expanding. The idea to connect every imaginable object to the internet has been the dream of many companies. But, it comes with many challenges including connecting objects in locations with no cell towers and fiber-optic cables. Existing solutions fall short in one major area–too pricey and expensive for mass adoption. Enter Skylo, a tech startup that is providing a game-changing and affordable satellite solution with connectivity starting at just $1 per user and hardware.

Skylo costs 95 percent less than existing satellite solutions. It is the world’s most affordable satellite technology and will enable operations for remote businesses, increase safety, drive economic development and job creation, and help with disaster preparedness and response. The San Mateo, California-based startup brings real-time, affordable and ubiquitous Internet of Things connectivity to millions of machines, sensors and devices, even in the most remote places on Earth. Skylo’s portable, integrated satellite transceiver and IoT hub seamlessly aggregates data from previously offline sensors and sends that data to the cloud via our satellite network

Today, Skylo announced it has emerged from stealth with $116 million in total funding. The recent Series B was led by telecom giant SoftBank Group and joined by Series A co-leads DCM and Innovation Endeavors, alongside Moore Strategic Ventures. The company previously raised $13 million in a Series A round that was co-led by DCM and Innovation Endeavors, and joined by Moore Strategic Ventures. The new Series B round raised $103 million, led by SoftBank Group and joined by all existing investors.

Founded in 2017 by CEO Parth Trivedi, Chief Technology Officer Dr. Andrew Nuttall and Chief Hub Architect Dr. Andrew Kalman, Skylo brings real-time, affordable and ubiquitous Internet of Things connectivity to millions of machines, sensors and devices, even in the most remote places on Earth. Skylo’s $100 “hub” antennas can divvy up satellite signals among a bunch of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections.

Skylo is the first company leverage the cellular Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) protocol for satellite communications. Skylo can connect sensors on millions of objects and machines in remote areas across a wide range of industries including agriculture, fishing, railways, logistics, utilities infrastructure and more. The use cases for Skylo are diverse and transformational for industry and government customers.

With the new funding, Skylo plans to bring instant, affordable and ubiquitous Internet of Things connectivity to millions of machines, sensors and devices, even in the most remote geographies. It is the world’s first company to leverage the cellular Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) protocol via satellite, making it possible to instantly connect billions of sensors on objects and machines in remote areas.

Skylo’s new satellite connectivity leverages existing geostationary satellites to bring reliable connectivity without the need to add new infrastructure in space. Skylo has successfully built and proven its end-to-end technology and completed successful commercial field trials with major enterprise and government customers. The company’s customers already include enterprise and government entities in a range of industries including automotive, railways, agriculture and maritime.

Slo costs 95 percent less than existing satellite solutions, with connectivity starting at just $1 per user and hardware that costs less than $100.ky Skylo is the world’s most affordable satellite technology and will enable operations for remote businesses, increase safety, drive economic development and job creation, and help with disaster preparedness and response.

“Skylo envisions a world where connectivity for machines, sensors and devices is as ubiquitous as the sky,” said Skylo co-founder and CEO Parthsarathi “Parth” Trivedi. “This low-cost, global fabric of connectivity for machine data will be transformative for entire industries.”

Skylo has offices in San Mateo, California, Bengaluru, and Tel Aviv in Israel, and is looking to grow the team globally to support its fast-growing customer base.