Akash Systems, Inc. has announced $14.5 million in Series A funding, including $10 million in new equity funds plus an additional $4.5 million converted from prior convertible notes.
Investors in this round include Khosla Ventures, Founders Fund, ACME Capital, Sriram Krishnan, Correlation Ventures and others. Akash will deploy the new capital toward scaling its transmit/receive radio modules and power amplifier business, moving it closer to profitability.
Akash has designed its satellite transmit/receive radio modules to easily integrate with existing ground station and satellite infrastructure for satellite makers in all markets. The company’s radios, which are expected to be available for purchase in late 2019, promise impressive performance not yet seen on the market.
4-inch GaN-on-Diamond Wafers.
In GaN-on-Diamond, the hottest part of a transistor is brought to within tens of nanometers of synthetic diamond — the most thermally conductive material ever made by humans. The result is a dramatic reduction in the waste heat generated from the power amplifier, and therefore the entire satellite system; in the communications “base stations” of space, the RF power amplifier is typically responsible for the bulk of the power consumed and the heat generated. The cooler state of operation gives RF and satellite system designers a previously unattainable thermal envelope to dramatically improve a satellite’s communication bandwidth and energy efficiency while simultaneously shrinking the system’s size, weight and operating costs.
Akash is currently manufacturing GaN-on-Diamond-based power amplifiers and radio modules for customers who make satellites requiring high frequency and high power efficiency. Its radio products are on track to hit the market in Q4 2019.
Co-founder, CEO and GaN-on-Diamond Inventor Felix Ejeckam said the successful close of this funding round marks an important next step in fulfilling Akash’s mission statement. The company's aim is to be the RF communications link for every satellite in space.
Delian Asparouhov of Founders Fund added that Akash Systems is playing a critical role in meeting the growing and vital need for improved satellite communications infrastructure — the company is proud to be part of Akash’s journey as a critical enabler and accelerant in global communications.
Alex Fayette of ACME Capital noted that it's rare to see a young company with such transformative technology already approaching commercialization. Akash’s business lies squarely at the intersection of major trends like global connectivity, high-performance telecommunications and space-based infrastructure. Their foundational technology will underpin other solutions across these industries.
Angel investor Sriram Krishnan remarked that what Akash has been able to achieve in its first few years is remarkable, as it has already attracted major customers across the ecosystem. The company is quickly shaping trends in global telecommunications and is one of the most exciting companies seen in a while.