TUSK IC, an Antwerp-based fabless semiconductor company spun out of KU Leuven, has closed a €15 million Series A funding round. The investment was led by Matterwave Ventures, FORWARD.one, and the Flanders Future Tech Fund, which is managed by PMV. The Schaubroeck family also participated, alongside continued backing from the company's existing investors.
Company Origins and Core Technology
Founded in 2018 as a spin-out of KU Leuven's mmWave research group, TUSK IC develops highly integrated millimetre-wave integrated circuits and antenna modules for the automotive, industrial, and satellite communications sectors. The company initially designed radio-frequency chips for automotive radar and industrial sensing before expanding into satellite communications hardware in 2022. Its flagship technology is a family of standard CMOS-based beamformer chips for Ka-band satellite links, which TUSK IC describes as the world's first of their kind.
ConnectKa Product Line and Cost Advantages
These beamformer chips are a core component of flat-panel antennas used in satellite user terminals, offering a lower-cost and lower-power alternative to specialty semiconductor materials such as SiGe. Marketed under the ConnectKa name, the product line includes transmit and receive beamformer chips alongside a low-noise amplifier. All products are designed for electronically steerable antennas serving low Earth orbit and medium Earth orbit satellite constellations.
Investor Confidence in Standard CMOS
Silviu Apostu, Partner at Matterwave Ventures, said: "The future of connectivity will be determined not only by the constellations in orbit, but also by the technologies that make high-performance user terminals scalable and affordable on the ground." He noted that TUSK IC combines leading-edge mmWave innovation with the economics and scalability of standard CMOS. In his view, this addresses a critical bottleneck in satellite communications and positions the company to underpin a more diverse and resilient space-based communications infrastructure.
Strategic Value for the Satellite Market
Arjan Göbel, General Partner at FORWARD.one, said TUSK IC "democratises high-quality connectivity from space" by bringing the economic and production advantages of CMOS to satellite communications. He added that this combination of pioneering semiconductor technology and scalable production positions the company for the global satellite communications market. Vincent Hebbelynck, Head of Tech VC at PMV and manager of the Flanders Future Tech Fund, said TUSK IC shows how Flanders can translate semiconductor and space technology strengths into internationally competitive innovation.
European Space Agency Contract and Commercial Momentum
Earlier this year, TUSK IC secured a contract from the European Space Agency, supported by the Belgian science policy office BELSPO, under the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems programme. The company is also working with an unnamed satellite equipment manufacturer to integrate its beamformer technology into a new electronically steered array antenna. The Series A capital will accelerate the transition from prototype chips to high-volume production.
Leadership Perspective on the Series A
Kathleen Philips, CEO of TUSK IC, said: "This milestone reflects the expertise and excellence of our entire team, who have turned an ambitious vision into a commercially relevant product platform." She added that the investment will accelerate the move from prototype chips to high-volume production. Philips also expressed gratitude for the trust of investors and the confidence shown by customers and partners.
With the €15 million Series A in place, TUSK IC is well capitalised to execute its growth strategy and accelerate the commercialisation of its Ka-band beamformer technology. The round reinforces confidence that standard CMOS can make satellite communications hardware more affordable without compromising performance. By addressing a critical bottleneck in user terminals, the company aims to support a more scalable and resilient satellite connectivity market.