Alcan Systems

What Alcan Systems does

ALCAN Systems is a German deep-technology company that designs and develops electronically steerable flat-panel antennas based on liquid crystal (LC) phased array technology, originally researched at TU Darmstadt. The company manufactures antennas using standard LCD production processes, enabling beam steering without moving parts and targeting cost structures comparable to consumer LCD products. Its product portfolio spans Ka-band and Ku-band satellite ground terminals for LEO/MEO/GEO constellations (enterprise, consumer broadband, and mobility form factors), 5G mmWave antenna solutions for telecom operators (CPE, repeaters, RIS), and a transparent antenna developed with AGC for in-building mmWave 5G fixed wireless access.

The company's revenue model is hardware-centric: direct unit sales of antennas and full terminals to enterprise customers, with publicly disclosed pricing of EUR 1,500 per satellite antenna (EUR 2,500 for a full terminal) and target price points 3–5x lower than MMIC-based phased array alternatives for 5G. Distribution is executed primarily through direct enterprise sales and strategic co-development partnerships with satellite operators (e.g., SES for O3b mPOWER customer edge terminals) and OEMs (AGC for glass-integrated antennas), supplemented by event-driven lead generation at industry conferences. Customer segments served include satellite operators, telecom operators deploying 5G mmWave, mobility platforms (maritime, aero, automotive), and—via OEM partners—building materials integrators.

ALCAN is privately held following a EUR 7.5M Series A in August 2017 from SPC (lead LCD manufacturer investment arm), SES, and Merck (with Merck providing licriOn RF liquid crystal materials). It operates an R&D site in Istanbul Teknopark alongside its Darmstadt headquarters. As of the most recent website material, the legal entity is registered as "ALCAN Systems GmbH i.L." (in liquidation), despite continued press activity and product demonstrations through 2022.

Name

Alcan Systems

Legal name

ALCAN Systems GmbH

Website

http://alcansystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ALCAN Systems develops electronically steerable flat-panel antennas using liquid crystal phased array technology manufactured on LCD production lines, serving satellite operators, telecom operators, and OEMs in satellite broadband, 5G mmWave, and connected mobility markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Phased Array Antennas

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334220), Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33422)

SIC

Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment (3663)

akta.pro primary industry

RF Switches, Tuners & Antenna Tuning ICs (HDAHAMAD)

Keywords

• Phased array antennas
• Satellite ground terminals
• 5G mmWave antennas
• Liquid crystal technology
• Flat panel antennas

Headquarters

HQ city

Darmstadt

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Satellite Ground Terminal Hardware Sales: Sale of flat panel phased array antennas for LEO/MEO/GEO satellite terminals. Products include Ka-band and Ku-band antennas targeting enterprise, consumer broadband, and mobility markets. Full terminal price estimated at EUR 2,500 with antenna at EUR 1,500.
2. 5G mmWave Antenna Solutions: Sale of 5G mmWave antenna solutions including CPE (Customer Premises Equipment), repeaters, and Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface-Based (RIS) antennas for telecom operators.
3. Transparent Antenna OEM Components: Sale of transparent antenna components for integration into building windows (with AGC partnership) and potentially car sunroofs for automotive manufacturers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ALCAN Systems develops and sells electronically steerable flat panel phased array antennas based on proprietary liquid crystal (LC) technology. The antennas are manufactured on standard LCD production lines, enabling 2D beam steering without moving parts, and are sold as hardware for satellite ground terminals (LEO/MEO/GEO across Ka and Ku bands) and 5G mmWave applications including CPE, repeaters, and transparent window antennas.

Product overview

ALCAN Systems offers a portfolio of smart antennas based on liquid crystal (LC) enabled phased array technology. Their product line includes the Transparent 5G mmWave CPE for indoor fixed wireless access, Enterprise Satellite Terminals and Consumer Broadband Terminals for LEO/MEO/GEO constellations, and Mobility Terminals for vehicles. The core technology provides electronically steerable flat panel antennas with 2D beam steering, low power consumption, and manufacturing via LCD production lines. For the 5G market, they target mmWave frequencies with 3-5x cost advantage over comparable products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Enterprise Satellite Terminals Fixed ground terminals with electronically steerable flat-panel antenna for LEO and MEO satellite constellations operating on Ka-Band frequencies. Priced at EUR 1,500 per antenna (full terminal EUR 2,500), achieving throughputs exceeding 400 Mbps. Targeted at satellite operators and enterprise broadband deployments.
• Consumer Broadband Terminals Satellite broadband terminals targeting consumer and IoT broadband with throughputs exceeding 100 Mbps targeted for under EUR 1,000. Designed for residential and IoT applications in rural and underserved markets.
• Mobility Terminals Electronically steerable flat panel antennas for mobile platforms including airplanes, ships, trains, trucks, buses, caravans and self-driving cars, providing continuous LEO/MEO/GEO satellite tracking without mechanical moving parts.
• 5G mmWave Antenna Solution Liquid crystal based phased array antenna technology for 5G millimeter-wave applications providing 2D beam-steering CPE, repeaters, and Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface-Based (RIS) antennas for telecom operators, with 3-5x lower cost and power than comparable silicon-based products.
• Transparent 5G mmWave CPE World's first electronically steerable transparent 5G mmWave antenna for Fixed Wireless Access. Uses liquid crystal technology integrated into glass solutions including low-E glass windows, enabling in-building mmWave 5G coverage without compromising building aesthetics.
• Ku Band LC Phased Array Antenna World's first liquid crystal based phased array antenna for Ku Band satellite communication, manufactured on LCD production lines for consumer use, achieving 30 Mbps equivalent download speeds during the 2018 field test.
• Ka Band LC Phased Array Antenna Liquid crystal based phased array antenna for Ka Band frequencies, capable of continuously tracking LEO satellites on a 2D scan arc of -50 to +50 degrees during a 5-minute flyover.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5x lower power consumption compared to MMIC-based phased arrays for 5G
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AGC Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2022World-leading manufacturer of glass, chemicals, and high-tech materials. Partnership to develop transparent antennas for mmWave 5G Fixed Wireless Access. AGC's WAVETHRU technology works with ALCAN's transparent antenna to improve mmWave penetration through low-E glass while maintaining building aesthetics.
• Merck (licriOn)coreTechnology or IntegrationUsing Merck's licriOn liquid crystal technology for 5G antenna solutions. Merck provides specialized RF Liquid Crystal materials enabling ALCAN's electronically steerable antenna technology.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Anokiwave: Anokiwave supplies silicon RF ICs for active antenna and phased-array systems used in 5G and SATCOM. While it sells components rather than finished antennas, it is an enabling peer in the same LC-vs-MMIC beamforming ecosystem in which ALCAN competes.

Others

• SES: SES is both an investor, board seat holder, and co-development customer (O3b mPOWER customer edge terminals) for ALCAN. As the operator of the only commercial MEO constellation, it is the most economically linked peer and a strategic counterparty more than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Kymeta: Kymeta is the most established flat-panel satellite antenna vendor (u8/u8 Pro), serving exactly the LEO/MEO mobility and enterprise-terminal use cases ALCAN targets with electronically steered antennas. It is the closest direct competitor in beam-steered flat-panel SATCOM terminals.
• Satixfy: Satixfy develops its own beamforming chips and full satellite terminals (Primo) for LEO constellations. It competes with ALCAN at both the chip/IC layer and the terminal layer for next-generation satellite broadband.
• Movandi: Movandi provides RF front-end and phased-array beam-steering technology for 5G mmWave CPE and small cells, overlapping ALCAN's 5G product roadmap and serving similar telecom-operator buyers.
• Isotropic Systems: Isotropic Systems builds multi-beam, software-defined satellite terminals targeting the same LEO/MEO/GEO enterprise and consumer broadband markets as ALCAN's enterprise and consumer terminals.
• Pivotal Commware: Pivotal Commware develops mmWave beam-steering antennas (Holographic Beam Forming, Echo repeaters) for 5G FWA and in-building coverage — directly comparable to ALCAN's 5G mmWave CPE, repeater and transparent-window solutions.
• ThinKom Solutions: ThinKom builds ThinAir phased-array antennas for commercial aero, business jet, and land-mobile satellite connectivity — directly comparable to ALCAN's mobility terminal product line serving aircraft, ships and land vehicles.

Broad incumbents

• SpaceX (Starlink): Starlink is both the dominant LEO broadband operator and a vertically integrated phased-array antenna producer at unmatched scale. As a broad incumbent in the satellite broadband value chain, it competes with ALCAN's enterprise/consumer terminals via its own UT and Wholesale Roaming products.
• Nokia (Radio Frequency Systems): Nokia, via its RFS subsidiary, is a major incumbent supplier of cellular RF infrastructure including 5G antennas. ALCAN's senior technical advisor is a former RFS CTO, and Nokia/RFS is a comparable incumbent in the buyer markets ALCAN targets for 5G mmWave.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/alcan_systems
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzOBXo9FQ5MlV8PQvJMc5jA
• Facebookfacebook.com/alcansystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10235740

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alcan Systems