Cailabs, a player in the field of advanced photonics technology, has recently announced it raised €57 million to facilitate its industrial expansion and global growth. This round of structured financing was primarily led by the European Investment Bank (EIB), which contributed €37 million.
In addition to this, several other investors joined the effort, providing a combined €20 million in support. Notable contributors include Definvest, Fonds Innovation Defense, which is backed by the Armed Forces ministry and Bpifrance, as well as NewSpace Capital, the European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund, Starquest Capital, and CAIVE, or Crédit Agricole Ille-et-Vilaine Expansion.
This substantial funding underscores Cailabs’ increasing economic maturity, which is evidenced by the company having secured contracts for over ten Optical Ground Stations, commonly referred to as OGS. The funds raised will play a crucial role in advancing Cailabs’ strategic plans and initiatives aimed at enhancing its operations and product offerings.
One of the key areas where the financing will be allocated is the scaling up of production capabilities. Cailabs aims to significantly strengthen its supply chain with the objective of producing as many as 50 Optical Ground Stations each year by 2027. Recently, the company established a new industrial platform specifically designed to assemble and validate multiple stations simultaneously, thereby increasing efficiency and output.
Moreover, Cailabs is focused on expanding its presence on the international stage. This expansion effort is built upon recent milestones, such as the opening of a larger office in the United States, an event celebrated with the announcement from the Governor of Virginia. The company is also capitalizing on large overseas contracts that further solidify its global footprint.
In addition to scaling production and expanding its market reach, Cailabs is dedicated to enhancing its product offerings. The company is committed to developing advanced solutions, including turnkey systems capable of delivering over 100 Gbps, as well as transportable Optical Ground Stations. They are also exploring additional orbit options to accommodate diverse customer needs.
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“Space technologies are increasingly important for civilian use as well as for security and defense applications. As the bank of the European Union, the EIB supports Cailabs’ investments in manufacturing capabilities and in research & development of its laser communication technologies. The project is fully aligned with the EIB strategic priorities of security and defense, and technological innovation under its TechEU program.”
Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President at the European Investment Bank
“This funding round reflects our solid fundamentals and the confidence investors have in our strategic vision. It enables us to scale up industrial capabilities and prepare for the next stage of growth.”
Jean-François Morizur, Co-founder and CEO of Cailabs
“Cailabs’ solutions are of strategic importance for France’s sovereignty in Defense and Space.”
Nicolas Berdou, Director of Investments for the funds Fonds Innovation Defense & Definvest
“We are excited to support Cailabs’ expansion at this pivotal moment for optical communications. The shift is driving significant growth in the space sector, with an ever-increasing impact for mission critical applications and our daily lives.”
Daniel Biedermann, Partner, NewSpace Capital
“The EIC Fund is happy to be part of this funding round for Cailabs, a pioneering company in photonics. Supporting disruptive innovators like Cailabs is essential to strengthening Europe’s competitiveness in deep tech.”
Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the EIC Fund Board
“Cailabs has developed a decisive technology disruption at the heart of the most dynamic Spacetech industry, and they have cracked the key US market, outperforming local industry leaders. It is a real game changer, and continuing supporting such a unique deeptech company was a no-brainer decision for an historical shareholder such as Starquest.”
Arnaud Delattre, Founding Partner & CEO, Starquest Capital
