Out of this world

• This 500-backed startup’s shoebox-sized laser devices just landed them US$10M in funding. Offering superfast internet via lasers, Transcelestial wants to make the internet more accessible across the world, and even from space!
• The company’s Series A2 round was led by aerospace venture firm Airbus Ventures, with participation from Kickstart Ventures, Genesis Alternative Ventures, Wavemaker, Cap Vista and Seeds Capital.
• The team plans to expand their services in Indonesia, India, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States. They also aim to deploy their wireless fiber optics from orbit.
• The goal? To improve internet connections for at least a billion people. CEO Rohit Jha told TechCrunch that he and fellow co-founder Mohammad Danesh believe “connectivity is a human right”.
• Current internet infrastructure is often costly and resource-intensive, while coverage may be limited, leaving smaller cities and towns unserved. Transcelestial’s CENTAURI devices, which address these issues, have already been deployed in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
• The team plans to enter the U.S. by exploring collaborations with the government, enterprise, and telecoms over the next 12 months. Rohit also shared that they are already working with several internet Service Providers (ISPs) and a major enterprise cloud and data center company.
• Part of the fresh funds will be used to prepare Terabit Factory, the team’s production facility in Singapore, against uncertainties in the supply chain.
• Congratulations to the Transcelestial team!
• Read the full story on TechCrunch.