EON raises $10.7M for space-based laser network
Startup EON has emerged from stealth with $10.75 million to build a space-based laser network, aiming to bypass vulnerable undersea cables and link global data centers at terabit speeds.
Endeavor Optical Networks, a startup founded in May, has emerged from stealth with $10.75 million in seed funding co-led by General Catalyst and Andreessen Horowitz. Led by CEO Charlie Horowitz and CTO Tyler Presser, the company plans to bypass vulnerable undersea fiberoptic cables by deploying a constellation of laser-equipped satellites to transmit data directly between ground-based data centers. While traditional undersea cables handle massive loads of 200 terabits a second or more, and previous orbital laser tests by firms like York, Kepler, and Cailabs only achieved 2.5 Gbps, EON is targeting an ambitious initial throughput of 2.4 terabits a second.
To achieve this, EON plans to build a network of approximately 20 satellites to establish dedicated intercontinental links, routing around atmospheric interference using redundant ground stations and weather data. The startup will use its seed capital to establish an optics lab, expand its engineering team, and prepare for a demonstration satellite launch slated for late 2027. This initial spacecraft is projected to deliver an optical downlink throughput of at least 800 gigabits per second, and potentially up to one terabit. EON will manufacture its own optical communications terminals, focusing on high-precision components like gimbals, while purchasing off-the-shelf satellite buses from Apex Space. To keep engineering risks manageable, Horowitz notes that the company operates under a strict rule of "no physics problems" to focus on existing market needs.
The venture faces stiff competition, notably from Blue Origin's proposed TeraWave network, which envisions 5,048 satellites delivering up to 6 Tbps. However, EON's smaller fleet is designed for faster deployment. The startup's technical team includes industry veterans like Michael David Francois, formerly of Google, and Wesley Baxter, an optics engineer from Amazon's satellite program. For AI practitioners and hyperscalers, this development could fundamentally change global data logistics. Instead of relying on congested or nonexistent undersea routes, such as connections between Africa and South America or France to Australia, organizations could purchase dedicated orbital capacity. This offers direct control over data transit, bypassing terrestrial bottlenecks and improving the resilience of international AI workloads.
This is our own summary of reporting by TechCrunch AI
