Virtus Solis
Virtus Solis is a Michigan-based space energy startup developing a space-based solar power system using Molniya-orbit satellites that beam microwave energy to ground rectennas. It targets firm 24/7 clean power sales to utilities, AI data centers, industrial users, and government/defense customers via PPAs and direct supply.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersTroy, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Virtus Solis does
Virtus Solis is a privately held space energy company developing the world's first commercial space-based solar power (SBSP) generation system. Founded in 2019 in Troy, Michigan, the company operates from Michigan with additional offices in Indianapolis, the United Kingdom, and Detroit (Newlab at Michigan Central). Its core product is a constellation of small satellites deployed in highly elliptical Molniya orbits, each 1.65 meters across and delivering 1 kilowatt of power to ground via 10 GHz microwave wireless power transfer. Arrays scale from 100 MW (using approximately 100,000 satellites) up to 20 GW or more, with the company targeting a delivered power cost of $30/MWh. Ground-based rectenna stations receive the microwave beam and convert it back to electricity, achieving claimed greater-than-90% availability and 2 square kilometers per GW of land footprint versus 35+ square kilometers for terrestrial solar.
The company plans to monetize by selling firm, dispatchable clean power directly to utilities and grid operators under long-term power purchase agreements, and by supplying dedicated rectenna infrastructure to high-demand users such as AI data centers, industrial facilities, and government/defense installations. Target segments include data centers/AI infrastructure and utilities (primary), with industrial/chemical processing and government/defense as secondary. Distribution is exclusively enterprise direct-sales; there is no consumer or self-serve channel. Marketing relies on technical content (50+ blog posts), industry conferences (APRAE Energy Innovation Summit, SAT Show, AIAA Sci-Tech 2026), earned media (Forbes, Fast Company, NYT, Space.com), and dedicated government affairs.
Operationally, Virtus Solis is pre-revenue with 1-10 employees. It secured first external funding in November 2021, followed by rounds with Michigan Rise and Telegraph Hill Capital (Dec 2022), Newchip Accelerator ($250K, Jan 2023), and URBAN-X (Mar 2024). Leadership includes founder/CEO John Bucknell (ex-SpaceX Raptor, ex-Divergent Technologies, 46 patents), co-founder/COO Seth Elliott (ex-Quantive, ex-Free2Move), and co-founder/CTO Dr. Edward Tate (ex-Dassault Systemes, ex-Exa, 41 patents, PhD EE Systems, University of Michigan). The company has obtained an experimental transmit license for wireless power transfer and is approximately one-third through a commercial transmitter license application — establishing the first regulatory pathway for SBSP microwave beaming. Recognition includes 2025 Global Space Awards finalist status. The technology has been validated through dozens of live wireless power transfer demonstrations, including at 100-meter distance.
Virtus Solis firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Virtus Solis
- Legal name
- Virtus Solis
- Website
- https://virtussolis.space
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Virtus Solis is a Michigan-based space energy startup developing a space-based solar power system using Molniya-orbit satellites that beam microwave energy to ground rectennas. It targets firm 24/7 clean power sales to utilities, AI data centers, industrial users, and government/defense customers via PPAs and direct supply.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Virtus Solis industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Space-Based Solar Power
- NAICS
- Solar Electric Power Generation (221114), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)
- SIC
- Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Power, Distribution & Specialty Transformers (3612)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Solar Grid Integration & Interconnection Services (Studies, Protection, SCADA, Forecasting) (EUAMABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Solar Inverters, Power Electronics & MLPE (String/Central Inverters, Optimizers, Microinverters) (EUAMABAE), Solar Thermal & CSP Systems (Collectors, Receivers, Thermal Storage, CSP EPC) (EUAMABAL)
Keywords
Where Virtus Solis is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Troy
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Virtus Solis business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Power Sales to Grid / Utilities: Energy is sold into the power grid via long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) or merchant power contracts with utilities and grid operators. Space-based solar power provides firm, dispatchable electricity that complements intermittent renewables.
- Direct Power Supply to High-Demand Users: Power is supplied directly to high-demand users such as data centers, industrial facilities, and government installations via dedicated ground rectenna infrastructure, bypassing traditional grid transmission constraints.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Virtus Solis product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Virtus Solis has designed the world's first space-based solar power (SBSP) energy generation system. Satellite arrays in highly elliptical Molniya orbits collect solar energy 24/7, convert it to 10 GHz microwaves, and beam the energy through the atmosphere to ground-based rectenna stations that convert the microwaves back to electricity. Each 1.65-meter satellite delivers 1 kW to ground, with arrays scalable from 100 MW (100,000 satellites) to 20 GW or more, providing firm, dispatchable clean power at a target cost of $30/MWh.
Product overview
Virtus Solis offers a single core product: a space-based solar power (SBSP) energy generation system. The system comprises satellite arrays that collect solar power in orbit, convert it to microwaves at 10 GHz, and beam it to Earth where ground-based rectenna stations convert the microwave energy back to electricity. The satellites are deployed in a highly elliptical Molniya orbit constellation, enabling constant power delivery with greater than 90% availability. Arrays scale from 100 MW to 20 GW or more, with each 1.65 meter satellite delivering 1 kW of power.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Space-Based Solar Power Energy Generation System A space-based solar power (SBSP) energy generation system that collects solar energy via satellite arrays in highly elliptical Molniya orbits, converts it to 10 GHz microwaves, and transmits the energy to ground-based rectenna stations that convert it back to electricity. Each 1.65-meter satellite delivers 1 kW to ground, with arrays scalable from 100 MW (100,000 satellites) to 20 GW or more, providing firm, dispatchable clean power for utilities, data centers, industrial users, and government/defense installations.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40% higher solar intensity in orbit vs. ground, enabling 5-20x smaller footprint than terrestrial renewables
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Virtus Solis
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Virtus Solis technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Virtus Solis partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Artificial GeniusminorVirtus Solis & Artificial Genius announced collaboration in July 2024 to accelerate the development of space-based solar power. The collaboration focuses on joint technical development to advance SBSP capabilities.
- Orbital CompositesminorOrbital Composites & Virtus Solis announced a space-based solar demonstration collaboration on February 1, 2024. The partnership involves joint demonstration of SBSP technology hardware.
- University of BristolminorVirtus Solis is in a joint project with University of Bristol on simulating beams from orbit through the atmosphere, enabling modeling and simulation for UK national and continental SBSP planning. Part of the UK Space Energy Initiative.
- Intersect PowercoreIntersect Power is listed as a strategic partner on Virtus Solis's team page. Intersect Power is a clean energy infrastructure company developing utility-scale solar, storage, and green hydrogen projects.
- NewlabminorVirtus Solis joined Newlab at Michigan Central in Detroit — a hardware and deep tech innovation hub located next to Michigan Central Train Station, part of Ford Motor Company's Michigan Central Innovation District. Provides access to metal work, wood work, electronics, and event facilities.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights2 records
Virtus Solis competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- China Energy Engineering Corporation: Chinese state-owned energy infrastructure conglomerate building a planned MW-class SBSP demonstrator in Chongqing / Xichang. Operates in the same category as Virtus Solis but in a different geography with state-scale funding — a key international competitor for first-operational status.
Broad incumbents
- Northrop Grumman: Major US aerospace and defense prime with longstanding research and concept work in SBSP (including historical SSP study contracts for NASA / DoD). Represents the large-incumbent pathway into the same end market Virtus Solis targets.
- Lockheed Martin: US defense prime with historical SBSP research investments (including solar-thermal and photovoltaic variants). Comparable as a large incumbent studying the same space-to-ground power beaming problem Virtus Solis is commercializing.
- Airbus: European aerospace prime with active SBSP concept research and participation in ESA SOLARIS preparatory studies. Overlaps with Virtus Solis's space-energy ambitions through both technology research and potential utility customer relationships in Europe.
Direct peers
- Solaren Corporation: Pioneering California-based SBSP company operating since the mid-2000s with prior Pacific Gas & Electric memorandum of understanding. One of the earliest commercial entrants into SBSP and a direct historical counterpart to Virtus Solis's approach.
- Aetherflux: US-based SBSP startup founded by Robinhood co-founder Baiju Bhatt (Forbes, Oct 2024). Pursues space-based solar power beaming directly to ground stations, making it the most directly comparable US rival in commercial SBSP.
- Space Solar: UK-based commercial SBSP company — the only other publicly named commercial competitor to Virtus Solis. Pursues orbital solar power with wireless power transfer to ground rectennas, with active UK government backing through the Space Energy Initiative.
Emerging players
- Star Catcher Industries: US space-energy startup focused on in-space power beaming to satellites — adjacent to SBSP. Targets a related but narrower problem (orbital asset refueling vs. Earth power generation), making it a useful emerging comparable.
- Reflect Orbital: California-based startup deploying satellite constellations to reflect concentrated sunlight to ground solar farms at dawn/dusk. Pursues a different mechanism (reflected sunlight vs. microwave WPT) but competes for the same value proposition: extending solar's productive hours.
Others
- Caltech Space Solar Power Project: Caltech's academic SBSP research program that successfully demonstrated wireless power transfer in orbit via the MAPLE experiment in 2023 (funded by Donald Bren). Comparable technology pathway but non-commercial; serves as a research benchmark and potential talent source for Virtus Solis.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Virtus Solis social profiles
Digital presenceVirtus Solis financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Virtus Solis leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Virtus Solis funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Virtus Solis M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Virtus Solis
What does Virtus Solis do?
Virtus Solis has designed the world's first space-based solar power (SBSP) energy generation system. Satellite arrays in highly elliptical Molniya orbits collect solar energy 24/7, convert it to 10 GHz microwaves, and beam the energy through the atmosphere to ground-based rectenna stations that convert the microwaves back to electricity. Each 1.65-meter satellite delivers 1 kW to ground, with arrays scalable from 100 MW (100,000 satellites) to 20 GW or more, providing firm, dispatchable clean power at a target cost of $30/MWh.
Is Virtus Solis a public or private company?
Virtus Solis is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Virtus Solis founded?
Virtus Solis was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Virtus Solis based?
Virtus Solis is headquartered in Troy, United States, in the North America region.
How does Virtus Solis make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Power Sales to Grid / Utilities are the primary driver. The others are direct Power Supply to High-Demand Users.
Who are Virtus Solis's main competitors?
China Energy Engineering Corporation is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Airbus. Direct peers are Solaren Corporation, Aetherflux and Space Solar. Emerging players are Star Catcher Industries and Reflect Orbital. Caltech Space Solar Power Project is listed as an others.
Does Virtus Solis have an API?
No public API is recorded for Virtus Solis.
What industry is Virtus Solis in?
Virtus Solis's product category is Space-Based Solar Power. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAMABAI, Solar Grid Integration & Interconnection Services (Studies, Protection, SCADA, Forecasting), with a secondary code of EUAMABAE, Solar Inverters, Power Electronics & MLPE (String/Central Inverters, Optimizers, Microinverters). Its NAICS code is 221114 and its SIC code is 3600.