What Spacechips does

Spacechips is a UK-based (Harpenden) space-electronics company, founded circa 2014-2015 and led by CEO Dr. Rajan Bedi, that designs and sells AI-enabled onboard processing hardware and a portfolio of professional services for the global space industry. Its core product line centers on radiation-tolerant processors and software-defined radios for satellite applications: the AI1 Transponder (up to 133 TOPS, built with Vicor's Factorized Power Architecture for 5-10 year missions), the Spacechips Edge 1 (a low-power AI-enabled onboard processor with four Arm Cortex-v8 A72 CPUs, AI accelerators, and flash FPGA, scalable from 4 to 25W), the Spacechips SDR 1 (a reconfigurable software-defined radio spanning UHF to Ku-band), plus orbital memory units and VHF-to-K-band transponders.

The company monetizes through a mix of hardware sales and professional services. Bespoke design consultancy, parts selection, testing, and peer-review services are delivered directly to satellite and spacecraft OEMs and have been provided to customers in 23 countries. Complementary revenue streams include technical marketing for component suppliers, avionics testing for EM-grade space electronics, business intelligence and go-to-market advisory for investors and operators, and a global training program (the New-Space Economy, In-Orbit AI, satellite systems engineering, PCB design) that has taught 850+ professionals across 16 countries including 8 space agencies and 76 companies. GTM is consultative direct sales, with a heavy content-marketing layer through the long-running EDN blog 'Out-of-this-World Design' (19,000 monthly readers, ~8 million lifetime views) and an annual global training tour.

Customer segments span Earth-observation operators, defence and intelligence buyers (SIGINT/ISR, ELINT, space-domain awareness), satellite and spacecraft OEMs, space agencies, component suppliers, and investors. Recent operating signals include three signed international hardware contracts in 2025 (US 133 TOPS processor, UK Edge-based processor, Japan SDR 1), the December 2025 Vicor partnership and AI1 Transponder launch, and the Edge 1 winning High-Reliability Product of 2025. The firm remains privately held with 1-10 employees and minimal disclosed external funding (~$56K raised in 2017), implying a small, founder-led operation whose revenue base is not publicly quantifiable.

Name

Spacechips

Legal name

Spacechips

Website

https://spacechips.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spacechips is a UK-based space-electronics company developing AI-enabled onboard processors, software-defined radios, and design consultancy services for satellite manufacturers, space agencies, defence operators, and Earth-observation customers across 23 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Electronics (On-Board Processing Hardware)

NAICS

Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD)

Keywords

• Space electronics
• On-board processors
• Software-defined radios
• Satellite avionics
• In-orbit AI processing

Headquarters

HQ city

Harpenden

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. AI-Enabled Hardware Products: Sale of AI-enabled onboard processing products including AI1 transponders, Edge 1 processors, SDR 1 software-defined radios, and orbital memory units for space-based data centres.
2. Design Consultancy Services: Bespoke hardware and software space-electronics solutions for satellite and spacecraft manufacturers, including parts selection, design, testing, assembly, manufacturing advice, circuit analysis, and peer-review services.
3. Avionics Testing Services: Hardware and software test solutions for OEMs and operators, including testing and characterisation of EM-grade space electronics.
4. Technical Marketing Services: Positions component/technology providers to satellite industry as go-to-supplier through commissioned reviews, webinars, workshops, Apps Notes, and reference designs.
5. Training Services: Technical and commercial courses on space electronics, satellite systems engineering, in-orbit AI, PCB design for space applications. Taught over 850 professionals in 16 countries.
6. Business Intelligence Services: Market intelligence, roadmap, and go-to-market strategies for investors, spacecraft operators, satellite manufacturers, technology suppliers, and downstream analytics providers.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Spacechips designs, sells and supports AI-enabled on-board processing hardware for satellites and spacecraft, including the AI1 Transponder (133 TOPS), Edge 1 processor, SDR 1 software-defined radio, orbital memory units and reconfigurable multi-band transponders. It complements these products with bespoke design consultancy, technical marketing, training, business intelligence and avionics testing services for the global space industry.

Product overview

Spacechips is an award-winning global leader in smart space electronics offering a portfolio of AI-enabled on-board processing products and professional services. The product line centers on the AI1 Transponder (133 TOPS radiation-tolerant processor for in-orbit AI), Spacechips Edge 1 (low-power AI-enabled on-board processor), Spacechips SDR 1 (software-defined radio for telecommunications and SIGINT), orbital memory units, and reconfigurable multi-band transponders spanning VHF to K-band. These products are complemented by design consultancy, technical marketing, training, business intelligence, and avionics testing services serving satellite and spacecraft manufacturers globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Out-of-this-World Design: Rajan’s award-winning blog on Space Electronics hosted by EDN, read by 19,000 people every month with almost eight million total views since 2013.

Products and services

• AI1 Transponder A radiation-tolerant, high-performance processor card for in-orbit AI processing in satellites, delivering up to 133 tera operations per second while remaining compact and rugged enough to support five to 10 year space missions. Features Vicor's Factorized Power Architecture power modules.
• Spacechips Edge 1 A small, low-power, AI-enabled on-board processor with four 32-bit/64-bit Arm Cortex-v8 A72 CPUs, AI accelerators, and an ultra-deep-submicron flash FPGA. Scalable from 4 to 25W, offering up to 34,000 DMIPS and 500 MHz FPGA with 200-500k logic elements. Supports LEO, MEO, and GEO missions.
• Spacechips SDR 1 A small, low-power software-defined radio for telecommunications and SIGINT/ELINT applications. Supports UHF to Ku-band frequencies with 12-bit RF ADCs sampling up to 800 MHz bandwidth. Scalable up to 15W power consumption with 3-5 year lifetime.
• Orbital Memory Units High-capacity storage solutions for space-based data centres.
• Re-configurable Multi-band Ultra High-throughput Transponders VHF to K-band, re-configurable, multi-band, ultra high-throughput transponders for telecommunication, Earth-Observation, SIGINT/ELINT and ISAM applications.
• Design Consultancy Services Bespoke space-electronics hardware and software solutions for satellite and spacecraft manufacturers, including parts selection, design, testing, assembly, manufacturing, circuit analysis, reliability analyses, and peer-review services. Active in 23 countries.
• Technical Marketing Services Positions component and technology providers to the satellite industry as go-to suppliers, increasing market share, global sales and securing design-ins on future missions through commissioned reviews, webinars, workshops, Apps Notes and reference designs.
• Training Services Technical and commercial courses on New-Space Economy, ISAM Economy, Satellite Applications, Satellite-Systems Engineering, Space Electronics, In-Orbit AI, and PCB Design. Over 850 professionals trained in 16 countries including 8 agencies and 76 companies.
• Business Intelligence Services Market intelligence, roadmap and go-to-market strategies for investors, spacecraft operators, satellite manufacturers, technology suppliers, and downstream analytics providers to understand technical and commercial trends for the global space industry.
• Avionics Testing Services Hardware and software test solutions for OEMs and operators, including testing and characterization of EM-grade space electronics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 133 TOPS AI performance for in-orbit processing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• VicorcoreTechnology or Integration · 10 December 2025Vicor partnered with Spacechips to design the AI1 transponder, a radiation-tolerant, high-performance processor card for in-orbit AI processing. The partnership incorporates Vicor's Factorized Power Architecture power modules to create a power-dense, reliable processor board. The AI1 transponder delivers up to 133 TOPS while remaining compact and rugged enough to support five to 10 year space missions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Teledyne Technologies: Teledyne is a large diversified supplier of space-grade imaging sensors, electronics, and instruments — a broad incumbent whose space electronics portfolio (Teledyne e2v, Scientific Imaging) competes for the same satellite builder budgets.
• Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL): SSTL is a UK smallsat prime that develops onboard avionics and payloads as part of wider satellite missions — operating in the same UK space ecosystem and overlapping with Spacechips' avionics and EO payload compute.
• NanoAvionics: NanoAvionics builds smallsat buses and integrates onboard compute and comms subsystems for constellation operators — a broader incumbent competing for the same AI onboard processing slot in next-generation constellations.
• Mercury Systems: Mercury Systems is an established supplier of rugged, mission-critical processing and RF/SDR subsystems for defence and space platforms — a broader incumbent competing for the same defence and space-grade AI processing budgets as Spacechips.

Direct peers

• GomSpace: GomSpace provides CubeSat and small-sat subsystems including on-board computers and SDR payloads — comparable to Spacechips' low-power Edge 1 class processor and SDR 1 offerings for smallsat integrators.
• Frontgrade Technologies: Frontgrade manufactures radiation-hardened and high-reliability space electronics, including processors, SDRs, and transponders — a direct competitor across much of Spacechips' core space-grade avionics product portfolio.
• Ramon.Space: Ramon.Space develops radiation-tolerant, AI-capable onboard processors and compute modules for satellites — directly comparable to Spacechips' AI1 Transponder, Edge 1, and SDR offerings for the same space-grade AI compute niche.
• AAC Clyde Space: AAC Clyde Space supplies smallsat subsystems including on-board computers, SDRs, and payloads for LEO constellations, overlapping with Spacechips' focus on small-sat AI onboard processors and SDRs.
• KP Labs: KP Labs builds onboard AI processors (e.g., the Leopard/Phisat series) for Earth observation satellites — directly comparable to Spacechips in targeting in-orbit ML for EO, debris, and autonomous decision-making.
• Ubotica Technologies: Ubotica provides AI-enabled onboard processing (e.g., on the Phi-Sat and OPS-SAT missions) for real-time Earth observation analytics — directly comparable to Spacechips' AI onboard processing use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spacechips-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 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 Spacechips