Tallinn-based Golbriak Space has announced completion of a €4 million seed funding round, with Join Capital and PhotonVentures serving as co-lead investors. The round also drew participation from Takeoff Accelerator, an initiative within CDP Venture Capital's National Accelerator Network managed by Plug and Play. Golbriak develops laser communication terminals that enable high-speed optical data exchange between satellites and other spacecraft in orbit. The newly raised capital will accelerate the transition to mass production, increase manufacturing capacity, and allow the company to fulfill growing commercial demand. The startup already operates working systems with paying customers and is fielding inquiries for orders potentially reaching several thousand units.

Optical links for orbital networks

At the heart of Golbriak's offering lies laser-based connectivity that transmits information between spacecraft, providing an alternative to traditional radio-frequency communications. Systems engineer Nicola Garzaniti established the company to develop and manufacture communication equipment serving the commercial space industry. The firm's terminals are engineered to establish reliable connections within satellite constellations, where dependable inter-satellite communication is essential for transferring substantial data volumes.

Garzaniti stated that "Closing this round marks a turning point for Golbriak. Years of research, specialised engineering and customer validation have gone into solving the practical challenges that determine whether laser communications can operate reliably at scale. Our priority now is to serve that demand reliably and at volume."

From validation to volume

The €4 million investment represents Golbriak's shift from research and customer validation toward large-scale manufacturing operations. The company's systems are already deployed in active use, and it has secured revenue-generating clients. Simultaneously, Golbriak is in discussions with prospective customers seeking to purchase thousands of communication terminals.

The funding will be directed primarily toward establishing production infrastructure and expanding manufacturing capacity. This growth will position Golbriak to handle larger orders while maintaining the technical precision and quality standards required for space hardware applications.

Why laser communications matter

Laser communication, alternatively known as optical communication, transmits data using light beams instead of radio frequencies. As commercial and government space infrastructure expands, satellite networks demand increasingly greater data transmission capacity, making this technology progressively important. Golbriak's terminals are designed to maintain the dependable inter-satellite connections that constellations require to move information across their networks effectively.

With this funding secured, Golbriak Space plans to expand deployment of its optical communications technology throughout the commercial sector and capitalize on rising demand for laser-based connectivity in orbital constellations.

Source: ArcticStartup