Lightspeed Venture Partners is a global venture capital firm that focuses on early-stage and growth-stage investments across various sectors, including enterprise, fintech, consumer, and healthcare. While not exclusively focused on space, Lightspeed has demonstrated interest in the space industry through investments in companies like Vector, a revolutionary launch platform for small satellites. The firm manages approximately $25 billion in assets and has offices in multiple locations including Menlo Park, California, and internationally.
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Canadian geostationary operator Telesat ordered an initial 198 Aurora satellites for its Lightspeed low Earth orbit broadband network under a contract worth about $1,600,000,000.
Telesat launched its experimental LEO 3 satellite in July 2023 as a pathfinder for the Lightspeed LEO constellation.
Telesat plans to begin Lightspeed satellite deployments in 2026 via SpaceX.
Telesat projects adjusted EBITDA between 340 million and 360 million Canadian dollars for 2024 as Lightspeed expenses ramp up.
Reducing satellite size to 750 kg cut approximately $2,000,000,000 from Lightspeed’s original budget.
The Canadian government’s terms include warrants enabling the government to buy 10% of Lightspeed for $300 million, valuing the constellation at $3,000,000,000 ahead of satellite deployments.
The Canadian government agreed to provide a loan worth 2.14 billion Canadian dollars to Telesat for the Lightspeed constellation.
The Lightspeed satellites being built by Canada-based MDA weigh 750 kg, which is 75% smaller than the previous design.
Telesat plans to fund around 1.6 billion Canadian dollars of Lightspeed’s costs via Telesat equity.
The August 2021 provisional investment for Lightspeed consisted of a 790 million Canadian dollar loan and 650 million Canadian dollars in preferred equity upfront.
MDA Space holds contracts in the non-geostationary business, including orders from Telesat for its Lightspeed LEO fleet.
MDA Space builds non-GEO satellites, including work on Telesat’s Lightspeed constellation, and provides components for GEO satellite manufacturers.
Avanti plans to incorporate Telesat’s Lightspeed services into Avanti’s network to provide affordable, high-quality broadband connectivity worldwide.
Telesat awarded MDA a 2.1 billion Canadian dollar contract to develop the Lightspeed LEO broadband constellation.
The 2.1 billion Canadian dollar Lightspeed contract is approximately $1,600,000,000.
Avanti plans to incorporate Telesat’s Lightspeed services into its network to provide affordable, high-quality broadband connectivity worldwide.
Telesat aims to begin deploying its low-Earth-orbit Lightspeed constellation in mid-2026.
Pixxel raised USD 36 million in Series B funding last year from Google, Lightspeed, and other investors.
Telesat operates a geostationary orbit (GEO) constellation and plans to begin launching an NGSO network called Lightspeed in 2026.
Telesat aims to start deploying the 198 750-kilogram satellites for Lightspeed in mid-2026.