Funding backed by European investors will support Astrolight’s mission to create an end-to-end laser communication system connecting satellites, ground stations, and future space networks.
May 22, 2025 – Vilnius, Lithuania. Astrolight, a Lithuanian space communications company, has closed a seed round at €2.8 million led by frontier tech investor Balnord. Other key investors were EIFO, Coinvest Capital, and existing investors 3NGLS and Rita Sakus. This investment will enable the start-up to accelerate the development of its laser-based end-to-end communication platform that securely connects satellites to Earth.
“Our long-term vision is to create the optical backbone network for space,” said Laurynas Mačiulis, CEO and co-founder of Astrolight. “The amount of satellites and constellations is growing exponentially, but there’s still no scalable, secure way to consistently bring that data back to Earth. With laser communication, we’re closing that gap.”
Astrolight is developing a dual-use communication architecture that can handle both space-to-space and space-to-ground optical links. The company’s goal is to offer optical communication as a service, connecting Astrolight’s and other providers’ optical terminals with its own ground infrastructure.
Mačiulis revealed the future plans, which include deployment of the first operational optical ground station and demonstration of a hybrid space-to-ground and space-to-space optical terminal, which would be based on the company’s existing ATLAS-1 modular design.
“We are incredibly excited to lead this investment round in Astrolight. We believe their experienced team has developed a truly groundbreaking optical communication technology that is essential to solving the rapidly approaching data bottleneck in space. Their high-speed, jam-resistant solutions are not only critical for the growing satellite market but also represent the kind of frontier innovation that will define the next generation of space infrastructure,” shared Jarek Pilarczyk, Operating Partner at Balnord.
Earlier this year, Astrolight launched a Danish subsidiary to strengthen collaboration across the Nordics and deliver secure laser communication solutions for space assets in the Arctic region. This made Astrolight a both strategically important and also an obvious investment opportunity for EIFO (The Export and Investment Fund of Denmark.)
“This is a strategically important investment in a company whose technology plays a vital role in strengthening European space capabilities and resilience. Ground station in the Arctic is a milestone that EIFO is pleased to support as an investor, particularly given the region’s strategic importance to Denmark and EIFO,” said Louise Flyger, Investment Manager at EIFO.
Viktorija Trimbel, Managing Director at Coinvest Capital, added: “Our investment in Astrolight reflects our strong belief in the company’s potential to become a global leader in laser communication technologies. The team has demonstrated exceptional technical expertise, a clear vision, and the ability to execute in a highly demanding deep-tech space. We are proud to support their journey as they revolutionize secure data transmission in space and beyond.”
While many players in the space sector focus solely on laser communication between satellites, Astrolight has been targeting the missing link between space and Earth since its establishment.
“The infrastructure we’re building is not just a technical solution – it’s a way to fill the operational gap in how modern space systems communicate,” Dalius Petrulionis, CTO of Astrolight, added. “They’re using radio frequencies now, but the RF spectrum is limited, with only about 20% of space-generated data retrievable. Laser links offer higher data rates, exceptional security, but most importantly, they can scale the bandwidth.”
According to Goldman Sachs Research, more than 70,000 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are expected to launch in the next 5 years. Along with these constellations, the demand for space-to-ground connectivity is increasing. Lasercom is becoming a competitive option to RF, providing more robust links and up to 100 times faster data rates.
“We heard from customers and partners that a complete solution is what’s missing,” Mačiulis said. “There’s no end-to-end experience – terminals, satellites, and ground infrastructure working as one.”
Astrolight’s upgraded platform will allow for greater flexibility in integrating with existing satellite systems and will support on-demand laser communication links, including inter-satellite relays and direct-to-Earth downlinks.
The team emphasizes that it does not aim to compete with other constellations or networks but rather to integrate as a complementary infrastructure layer.
“Just like everyone uses the internet today without thinking about the cables beneath us, we believe laser communication will become the invisible optical backbone for the next generation of space connectivity,” Mačiulis said. “It’s not about replacing existing infrastructure, but rather about enabling what comes next.”
Astrolight has been previously selected for NATO’s DIANA program, placing itself among the top 3% of NATO’s dual-use start-ups. It has participated in Seraphim Space and CASSINI accelerators, and has already established commercial contracts such as CAILABS, projects with the Lithuanian Navy, ESA programs, and more. This seed round is expected to accelerate both technical validation and international partnerships, positioning Astrolight as a leading European player in satellite communications.
“I am incredibly grateful for the passion and belief the entire Astrolight team has shown. Where we are today – and what we’ve achieved – is all thanks to their dedication. I also sincerely thank our existing and new investors for believing in our vision,” Mačiulis concluded.
Investors highlighted the importance of the Baltic Sea region’s position in the emerging space economy. With extensive experience in frontier technologies and a dedicated focus on space and dual-use applications, Balnord has demonstrated its commitment to the sector through investments in companies like ATMOS Space Cargo and Satim. The firm’s deep industry knowledge and regional network will provide Astrolight with valuable resources beyond capital as they scale their operations.
“Astrolight represents the type of strategic investment that Europe needs – leveraging our region’s technical excellence to build sovereign capabilities in critical infrastructure. As space becomes increasingly contested, secure communication technologies developed here in the Baltic Sea Region will be vital not only commercially but for Europe’s technological independence. This team has the rare combination of deep technical expertise and clear market vision needed to succeed in this challenging sector,” said Marcin P. Kowalik, General Partner at Balnord.
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About Astrolight
Astrolight was founded in 2019 by an ex-founder and CTO of Kongsberg Nanoavionics, Laurynas Mačiulis, together with co-founders Julijanas Želudevičius (Center for Physical Sciences and Technology of Lithuania), Dalius Petrulionis (Light Conversion), Martynas Milaševičius and Andrius Stankevičius (Vilnius Tech University.) Astrolight aims to provide end-to-end optical connectivity solutions by building complete and self-contained hardware for ground and space operational domains. Astrolight designs and manufactures advanced optical communication terminals for space-to-Earth, space-to-space, ship-to-ship, and ground-based links in aerospace and defense applications, leveraging full vertical integration of its technology stack to ensure optimal performance, reliability, and faster development cycles.
About Balnord
Balnord is a high-conviction first-check investor in frontier tech from the Baltic Sea Region. Balnord’s investment focuses on deep tech and data-driven software, including dual-use. We are one of the few early-stage investors in the region capable of deploying up to €7 million. Utilizing our ex-entrepreneur and operator background, we are hands-on investors working only with a select number of companies, from pre-seed to exit and beyond.
About Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO)
EIFO is the national promotional bank and export credit agency of Denmark, combined in one financial institution. Active in over 100 countries, and with a total business volume of more than €25 billion, EIFO provides financial solutions for Danish companies and their global partners, while also investing in startups and funds. We exist to open doors for Danish global business, accelerate the green transition, promote new technologies, and develop the Danish defense industry. With our willingness to take risks in financing, EIFO paves the way for those who dare to think bigger.
About Coinvest Capital
Coinvest Capital is an early-stage venture capital fund, established by the national development bank ILTE and co-funded by the European Union and the Republic of Lithuania. We co-invest with business angels and other VCs in promising European start-ups that create value for Lithuania. The fund’s portfolio includes 44 start-ups, with €47.8 million co-invested, of which €21.8 million is Coinvest Capital’s share. Private co-investors contributed €11.8 million under the profit-sharing model and €14.9 million under the pari-passu model. Current dry-powder amounts to €16.9 million.
The fund offers a unique profit-sharing programme, available to accredited international private co-investors, capping its IRR at 4%-8% per year. In the event of a successful exit, the fund distributes surplus returns to co-investors.
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