Transcelestial Technologies is a technology company.
Transcelestial Technologies has raised $12.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Transcelestial Technologies has raised $12.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Transcelestial Technologies has raised $12.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Transcelestial Technologies's investors include Partech Ventures, UpHonest Capital, White Star Capital, Y Combinator, Airbus Ventures, Alumni Ventures, James Hardiman, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Main Sequence Ventures, Morpheus Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, Sequoia Capital China.
Transcelestial Technologies is a Singapore-based startup founded in 2016 that develops wireless laser communication technology, offering high-capacity, secure data transmission at fiber-like speeds without physical cables or spectrum licensing.[1][2][4] Its flagship product, CENTAURI, creates invisible laser networks between buildings, cell towers, and poles, delivering over 150km of production deployments and 2Tbps capacity across 10+ telecom customers, serving ISPs, mobile operators, ports, logistics, enterprises, and defense sectors.[2][5] The company solves connectivity bottlenecks from spectrum congestion, enabling rapid, low-cost deployment for terrestrial links and future space networks via LEO satellite constellations to connect unserved populations globally.[3]
Transcelestial has raised over $24 million from investors like Airbus Ventures, In-Q-Tel, Wavemaker Partners, and AirTree Ventures, fueling expansion into defense (non-jammable comms), space (cloud downlinks), and markets like Australia and Japan.[1][2][3] Growth momentum includes commercial production of CENTAURI, partnerships like SK Telecom, and awards such as Forbes 30 Under 30 for CTO Dr. Mohammad Danesh.[2][3]
Transcelestial was co-founded in December 2016 by CEO Rohit Jha and CTO Dr. Mohammad Danesh in Singapore.[1][2][3][4] Jha, from industrial Jamshedpur, India, excelled in physics olympiads before pivoting from quantum physics to internet infrastructure, launching the company to "create the largest space communications company for the coming decades" using lasers extracted from fiber optics for wireless use.[1][3] Danesh, recognized on Forbes 30 Under 30, brought photonics expertise.[2]
The idea emerged from spectrum limits in wireless tech, targeting global internet for 4 billion underserved people via laser-based nano-satellite constellations.[3] Early traction included seed funding led by Wavemaker Partners with SEEDS Capital, AirTree, and 500 Startups, plus demos at TIP Summit 2018 with SK Telecom, setting the stage for terrestrial-to-space evolution.[2][3]
Transcelestial stands out in laser comms through scalable, production-ready tech outperforming fiber and RF alternatives:
Transcelestial rides the exploding demand for high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity amid 5G/6G rollout, AI data surges, and satellite internet booms (e.g., Starlink competitors).[2][3] Timing aligns with spectrum exhaustion in RF tech and fiber deployment delays/costs, positioning lasers as a "wireless fiber" bridge for terrestrial backhaul and space relays.[1][5] Market forces like defense needs for secure comms, disaster-prone regions' recovery demands, and APAC's telecom maturity favor its expansion.[2]
It influences the ecosystem by enabling MNOs/ISPs to scale capacity cheaply, fostering ubiquitous global internet via LEO networks, and partnering with TIP/SK Telecom to standardize optical wireless, potentially disrupting $100B+ backhaul markets.[3]
Transcelestial is poised to dominate laser comms with CENTAURI's production scale and space ambitions, targeting defense contracts, APAC enterprise growth, and LEO constellation launches for global coverage.[2] Trends like AI-driven bandwidth hunger, geopolitical secure-link demands, and satellite proliferation will propel it, evolving from backhaul provider to space network operator rivaling fiber undersea cables.[2][3] Investors betting on its $24M+ traction anticipate unicorn potential as deployments hit critical mass, redefining connectivity for the unconnected billions—echoing its founding vision of the ultimate space laser empire.[1][3]
Transcelestial Technologies has raised $12.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $10.0M Series A in July 2020.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2020 | $10.0M Series A | Partech Ventures, UpHonest Capital, White Star Capital, Y Combinator, Airbus Ventures, Alumni Ventures, James Hardiman, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Main Sequence Ventures, Morpheus Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, Sequoia Capital China, Sierra Ventures | |
| Dec 1, 2017 | $2.0M Seed | 500 Startups, Airtree Ventures, AngelList Syndicator, Backed VC, Champion Hill Labs, Dimension Capital, Kindred Capital VC, Magical Capital, M Ventures (Merck), Andy Chung, Charlie Songhurst, Chris Gibson, Jeremy Yap, Tom McInerney |