Ligado Networks Funding, Investors & Competitors

ICEYE is a Polish/Finland-headquartered satellite operator managing the largest synthetic aperture radar constellation for Earth observation. Its smallsats deliver all-weather radar imagery for flood detection, insurance damage assessment, oil spill monitoring, and ship tracking. Clients in government, reinsurance, and defense sectors task satellites for data capture within hours. Founded in 2014, ICEYE builds and launches radar spacecraft from sites in Finland and the United States.

Helium is a decentralized wireless network for IoT devices using blockchain incentives. San Francisco-headquartered since 2019, it operates 1 million hotspots worldwide providing LoRaWAN coverage in 190 countries. Network operators earn HNT cryptocurrency through Proof-of-Coverage validation via radio challenges. The platform supports sensors for asset tracking and environmental monitoring, with 100 billion data packets transferred yearly. Helium raised $250 million via ICO and partners with T-Mobile for 5G expansion in the U.S.

SpaceX is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk and incorporated in Texas, alongside launch and manufacturing sites in Hawthorne, California, Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Vandenberg Space Force Base. The company designs, builds, and operates the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, the Dragon crew and cargo spacecraft, and the fully reusable Starship vehicle, and has accounted for the large majority of global mass launched to orbit in recent years on the strength of reusable-rocket economics and a high launch cadence. Its Starlink division operates a low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation delivering broadband internet to more than ten million subscribers across roughly 160 countries, while the Starshield program supplies satellite and connectivity services to government and defense customers. In February 2026 SpaceX combined with Musk's artificial intelligence firm xAI, the developer of the Grok chatbot, which had itself absorbed the social platform X, consolidating space, connectivity, and AI operations under common ownership. The company completed an initial public offering on June 12, 2026, one of the largest in market history, and is led by Musk as CEO.

Satellite television provides the bulk of EchoStar’s revenue. The firm serves about 5 million US satellite customers, about 10% of the traditional television market. It also serves 2 million customers under the Sling brand. EchoStar has also amassed an extensive portfolio of spectrum licenses and is building a nationwide wireless network. It acquired Sprint's prepaid business, serving approximately 7 million customers, primarily under the Boost brand. The firm has agreed to sell a portion of its wireless licenses to AT&T and SpaceX, and will rely heavily on the AT&T network to serve customers. EchoStar’s legacy businesses provide satellite telecom services and equipment to businesses and consumers, including about 800,000 internet customers.

AST SpaceMobile Inc is a satellite designer and manufacturer. The company is building a cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices, and off-the-shelf mobile phones based on extensive IP and patent portfolio. It has focused on eliminating the connectivity gaps faced by mobile subscribers. The Company's spaceMobile Service is being designed to provide cost-effective, high-speed Cellular Broadband services to end-users who are out of terrestrial cellular coverage using existing mobile devices.

China Satellite Communications Co Ltd is engaged in the development and management of communication and broadcasting satellite systems; the design and development of satellite ground application systems and related equipment. It also offers technical consulting, engineering design, engineering contracting services related to the satellite business.

Globalstar Inc is a telecommunications company that derives revenue from the provision of mobile satellite services. Mobile satellite services are typically used by customers where existing terrestrial wireline and wireless communications networks are impaired or do not exist. The company provides communications services such as two-way voice and data transmission. In addition, one-way data transmission is also offered. Both services are offered using mobile or fixed devices. The company is an owner of satellite assets. It has one reportable segment: MSS business. The company generates the vast majority of its revenue within the United States.

Viasat Inc provides bandwidth technologies and services in three segments: communication services and defense and advanced technologies. The communication services segment provides a wide range of broadband and narrowband communications solutions across government and commercial mobility markets, as well as for residential and enterprise fixed broadband customers: and the defense and advanced technologies segment develops and offers a diverse array of resilient, vertically integrated solutions to government and commercial customers, leveraging core technical competencies in encryption, cyber security, tactical gateways, modems and waveforms. A large majority of the firm's revenue is generated from communication services segment.

Planet Labs PBC is an Earth-imaging company. It uses space to help life on Earth by imaging the world every day and making change visible, accessible, and actionable. Its platform includes imagery, insights, and machine learning that empower companies, governments, and communities around the world to make timely decisions about the evolving world. Its solutions are Broad Area Management. Its products are Planet Monitoring, Planet Tasking, Planet Analytic Feeds, Planetary Variables, Planet Basemaps, Planet Insights, and Platform Pricing. The group provides solutions to the Agriculture Science Program, Energy & Infrastructure, Forestry & Land Use, Mapping, Sustainability, Maritime, Civil Government, U.S. State and Local, Europe, Planet Federal, Defense & Intelligence, and Armed Services.

Iridium Communications Inc is the commercial provider of communications services offering true globalised coverage, connecting people, organizations, and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. The company is a provider of mobile voice and data communications services through a constellation of low-earth-orbiting satellites. Iridium's solutions are ideally suited for industries such as maritime, aviation, government/military, emergency/humanitarian services, mining, forestry, oil and gas, heavy equipment, transportation, and utilities. Iridium also provides service to subscribers from the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as other civil and government agencies world-wide. The Company operates in one business segment, providing satellite communications services and products.

SKY Perfect JSAT Holdings Inc Formerly SKY Perfect JSAT Corp is a Japan-based company engaged in providing broadcasting and communication services. It offers mobile satellite communication services, pay-per-view TV channel services and high-definition broadcasting services. The company consists of two operating divisions, which are Multichannel Pay TV Business and Space and Satellite Business. The Multichannel Pay TV Business offers platform services such as customer management activities to broadcasting businesses and delivers broadcasting services. Space and Satellite Business offers communication satellite circuits to the broadcasting businesses and satellite communication services, such as data communication and mobile communication, to the government, public entities and corporations.

Space42 PLC offers geospatial and data analytics/artificial intelligence (AI), The company combines and creates opportunities for synergies across data analytics, geospatial intelligence, and satellite communications to unlock value for customers, partners, and shareholders. Its operating segments involve Yahsat Space Services (YSS); and Bayanat Smart Solutions (BSS). Bayanat Smart Solutions (BSS) segment derives maximum revenue. It provides earth observation and geospatial solutions using a multi-sensor system, advanced data analytics using GIQ platform, and industry-specific solutions using advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI). Geographically, the company operates in United Arab Emirates, Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, and Others.

Eutelsat Communications is a French commercial satellite provider with coverage spanning the European continent, the Middle East, Africa, India, and the Americas. It operates a fleet of over 36 satellites serving broadcasters, telecommunications operators, Internet service providers, and government agencies. These satellites are used for video broadcasting, news gathering, broadband services, and data connectivity solutions. The company generates revenue in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia.

Sceye is a Moriarty-headquartered aerospace firm developing hydrogen-free helium stratospheric airships for persistent earth observation and broadband connectivity. The platforms operate at 60,000 feet, supporting disaster response and telecom services from New Mexico facilities.

Ciena is a telecommunications equipment provider focused on optical transport technologies, with clients in a number of industries such as communication services providers, web-scale providers, cable operators, government, and large enterprises worldwide. The company provides equipment, software, and services that support transport, switching, aggregation, service delivery, and data traffic management.

Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Ltd Co is engaged in the Chinese communication equipment industry. It manufactures and sells optical fiber preforms, optical fibers with various standard specifications that are widely used in the telecommunications industry. It operates its business through three operating segments, optical fibers and optical fiber preforms; and Optical components and modules, optical fiber cables. The manufacture and sale of optical fiber cables provide the company with majority of its revenue. Its other products comprise of trunk cables, patch cords, plug-and-play modules, optical distribution frames, pigtails, adapter panels, splitters, and connecting cabinets.

BOE Technology Group Co Ltd is an investment holding company. Along with its subsidiaries, the company operates in the following business segments: Display business, Internet of Things (IoT) innovation business, Sensor business, MLED business, Smart medicine and engineering business, and Others. A majority of its revenue is generated from the Display business segment, which integrates design and manufacturing of display devices and offers TFT-LCD, AMOLED, Microdisplay, and other intelligent interface devices. This business focuses on providing high-quality smartphones, tablet PCs, laptops, monitors, TVs, vehicles, VR/AR, and other display devices for customers. Geographically, the group generates maximum revenue from Mainland China, followed by other regions.