SWISSto12 and UNIVITY pass design review for 5G satellite antennas

Two antennas, one satellite

SWISSto12 is developing two active phased-array antennas for UNIVITY's 5G non-terrestrial network demonstration satellites. The first is an S-band direct radiating array meant to connect standard 5G smartphones directly to the satellite. The second is a Ka-band antenna operating at 26 GHz, which will handle broadband services and feeder links to ground infrastructure.

By combining both functions, UNIVITY wants telecom operators to offer broadband and direct-to-device services under their own brands, complementing terrestrial networks rather than replacing them. The work is part of UNIVITY's uniShape programme, backed by France 2030 and the French Space Agency (CNES). It targets high-throughput, low-latency 5G from Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), with the longer-term goal of a shared, neutral space infrastructure for European and international operators.

SWISSto12 CEO Emile de Rijk said reaching CDR in under a year was possible thanks to the company's proprietary payload and antenna technology and a vertically integrated delivery model. UNIVITY CEO Charles Delfieux said active antennas are central to the payload architecture.

Funding behind the partnership

Both companies have raised money this year. SWISSto12 secured €73 million from European Space Agency member states in January for its HummingSat programme and closed a €61 million Series C in July. UNIVITY, founded in 2022 and based in Paris, raised €27 million in April from Blast, Expansion, the Deeptech 2030 fund managed by Bpifrance, and two family offices.

The project shows how European startups are splitting satellite manufacturing, payloads and connectivity services across borders in pursuit of greater autonomy. Whether that translates into independent infrastructure will depend on the hardware tests ahead.