Shared Spectrum
Shared Spectrum Company develops Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) software and cognitive radio technologies for the U.S. Department of Defense, federal agencies, and defense primes, with growing applications in commercial 5G spectrum sharing. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersVienna, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Shared Spectrum does
Shared Spectrum Company (SSC), founded in 2000 by Dr. Mark McHenry, is a privately held, McLean, Virginia-based developer of Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) software and cognitive radio technologies. Its core platform automates spectrum maneuver in contested and congested RF environments by adapting radio waveform characteristics and network operations in real time, anchored by 25+ U.S. patents covering policy-based radio control, signal detection and classification, and spectrum reuse methods. Supporting capabilities include spectrum sensing and situational awareness (applying ML/algorithms for interference characterization and geo-location), simulation and analysis tools (Virtual Node Environment), and lab/field testing services across DoD ranges.
The company's products include the TEEMS tactical electronic warfare system, MICCA multiband control channel architecture, assured communications solutions integrating DSA with military and 5G waveforms, and disaster/emergency response communications. SSC generates revenue primarily through professional services: U.S. Department of Defense and federal agency R&D contracts delivered via sole-source awards, competitive procurements, and Other Transaction Authority (OTA) vehicles accessed through consortia memberships (NSC, IWRP, NSTIC, C5). The company also licenses its DSA patent portfolio and pursues commercial 5G spectrum sharing opportunities through partnerships such as the InterDigital 5G DSS joint award and collaborations with Ligado Networks. Customer base is concentrated across DoD branches (Air Force, Navy, Army, DARPA, DISA, AFRL, CERDEC) and defense primes (Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, BAE, L3Harris, Peraton), with a wholly-owned subsidiary SSC Innovations, LLC focused on DoD spectrum intelligence. The firm employs 11-50 staff, of whom 80% hold graduate degrees and 60% have 10+ years of relevant experience.
Shared Spectrum firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Shared Spectrum
- Legal name
- Shared Spectrum Company
- Website
- https://sharedspectrum.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Shared Spectrum Company develops Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) software and cognitive radio technologies for the U.S. Department of Defense, federal agencies, and defense primes, with growing applications in commercial 5G spectrum sharing. Founded in 2000 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Shared Spectrum is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vienna
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Shared Spectrum business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government R&D Contracts: Primary revenue stream from Department of Defense and federal agency research and development contracts. Includes ID/IQ contracts with ceiling values (e.g., $950M JADC2 award) and direct development contracts for spectrum sharing technologies.
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary DSA and cognitive radio technologies, algorithms, and patents to government and commercial customers.
- 5G Spectrum Sharing Solutions: Development and delivery of 5G-enabled dynamic spectrum sharing technologies for DoD and commercial 5G spectrum sharing applications including MICCA project and DSS programs.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Shared Spectrum product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Shared Spectrum Company develops and sells Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) software and cognitive radio technologies that enable wireless systems to sense, adapt to, and operate within available radio frequency spectrum in real time. Its portfolio spans a mature DSA Software Suite (planning tools and on-radio code), spectrum sensing and situational awareness capabilities with machine learning, the Virtual Node Environment simulation platform, and tactical offerings such as TEEMS demonstrated in Army Cyber Quest 2023. Customers are primarily U.S. Department of Defense and federal agencies, supported by test/evaluation services and spectrum-sharing R&D delivered through ID/IQ contracts such as the $950M JADC2 award.
Product overview
Shared Spectrum Company (SSC) offers a portfolio of spectrum sharing technologies centered around Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) software and Cognitive Radio technologies. The core DSA software suite provides real-time spectrum management through planning tools and on-radio software that adapts waveforms and network operations based on conditions and mission needs. Supporting capabilities include Spectrum Sensing and Situational Awareness for interference detection, Simulation and Analysis Tools for performance evaluation, and Lab/Field Testing Services. The company also provides Spectrum and Wireless System R&D services. SSC's solutions serve government and defense customers for applications including Assured Communications, Spectrum Reallocation, Disaster Response, and the TEEMS system for tactical electronic warfare. The company maintains a robust intellectual property portfolio of over 25 patents covering DSA technology areas.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) Software Suite Mature suite of DSA software that enables greater communications performance and operational effectiveness, comprising planning tools and real-time software running on radios. Adapts waveform characteristics and network operations based on local conditions and mission needs to increase communications network reliability and resiliency in congested and contested RF environments.
- Cognitive Radio Technologies Cognitive radio technology enabling spectrum-agile platforms for terrestrial and satellite communications. SSC was first to successfully field test a prototype cognitive radio system (August 16, 2006) and has since transformed wideband tactical networking radios and 5G prototypes into cognitive radio platforms.
- Spectrum Sensing and Situational Awareness Advanced spectrum sensing and situational awareness capabilities applying algorithms, machine learning/artificial intelligence, and distributed system concepts to extract information from spectrum operations and enable autonomous mosaic and swarm operations. Includes spectrum measurements, RF analyses, and interference source characterization and geo-location.
- Simulation and Analysis Tools (Virtual Node Environment) Wide range of simulation tools for spectrum analysis, DSA performance evaluation, and development of advanced signal processing algorithms. Virtual Node Environment enables evaluation of real-time DSA radio code performance in large-scale scenarios, with simulation models that generate and evaluate spectrum sharing rules across numerous environments characterized by complex terrain, clutter, and atmospheric anomalous propagation conditions.
- Lab and Field Testing Services Test and evaluation services spanning from engineering component testing to operational field testing. Includes state-of-the-art lab facilities for system prototyping and evaluation, with field testing at DoD ranges including Yuma Proving Grounds, Ft. AP Hill, Ft. Dix, and Ft. Irwin.
- Spectrum and Wireless System R&D Services Research and development services covering signal processing, RF system prototyping, 5G DSA, MANET/MESH networks, beamforming, spectrum sharing algorithms, AI/ML for spectrum, distributed sensing, and RF SoC, delivered to government and defense customers.
- TEEMS (Tactical Electronic Warfare Modular System) Spectrum intelligence solution delivering 5G spectrum intelligence and dynamic spectrum access capabilities, demonstrated in the U.S. Army's Cyber Quest 2023 exercise.
- JADC2 Capability Development Contracted capability work under the $950,000,000 ceiling JADC2 ID/IQ award (July 2022) for maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains for Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2).
- Multiband Control Channel Architecture (MICCA) Capability enabling dynamic spectrum access for large force exercises using Machine-to-Machine (M2M) protocols for multiband control channel functions.
- 5G Dynamic Spectrum Sharing 5G-enabled dynamic spectrum sharing solution developed jointly with InterDigital under DoD 5G Spectrum Sharing award, supporting commercial and government 5G spectrum sharing applications such as 5G Spectrum Sharing at Hill Air Force Base.
Quantifiable outcome
- First DSA prototype radio system successfully demonstrated on August 16, 2006 for DARPA XG Program
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Shared Spectrum
Customer profileNamed customers17 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Shared Spectrum technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature7 records
Shared Spectrum partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, moderate and minor.
- InterDigital CorporationcoreJoint award from DoD to develop technologies for 5G-enabled dynamic spectrum sharing. The partnership combines SSC's spectrum sharing expertise with InterDigital's mobile and video technology R&D capabilities.
- National Spectrum Consortium (NSC)coreActive member with leadership and advisory roles. Provides access to DoD projects using OTAs and unique teaming opportunities through consortium contract vehicles.
- Institute for RF Navigation (IWRP)coreActive consortium member providing access to spectrum-related research and development projects and collaboration opportunities.
- National Spectrum Technology Consortium (NSTIC)coreConsortium membership providing access to DoD spectrum projects and Other Transaction Authorities.
- C5 ConsortiumcoreConsortium membership providing access to government contracting opportunities and collaborative development projects.
- Lockheed MartinmajorDefense prime contractor partner for spectrum sharing technology integration and deployment on military platforms.
- BoeingmajorDefense prime contractor partner for spectrum sharing solutions on aerospace platforms.
- Northrop GrummanmajorDefense prime contractor partner for advanced spectrum sharing technologies.
- RaytheonmajorDefense prime contractor partner for spectrum sharing technology integration.
- BAE SystemsmajorDefense prime contractor partner for spectrum sharing solutions.
- L3Harris TechnologiesmajorDefense contractor partner for communications and spectrum solutions.
- PeratonmajorDefense contractor partner for advanced spectrum sharing and intelligence solutions.
- Ligado NetworksmoderateCommercial 5G spectrum sharing collaboration for private network deployments.
- ThalesmoderateDefense and security technology partner for spectrum sharing solutions.
- Virginia TechminorAcademic partnership through summer internship program and research collaboration.
- University of British ColumbiaminorAcademic partnership through summer internship program.
- University of VirginiaminorAcademic partnership through summer internship program.
- MITminorAcademic partnership through summer internship program.
- George Mason UniversityminorAcademic partnership through summer internship program.
- CalTechminorAcademic partnership through summer internship program.
- Penn StateminorAcademic partnership through summer internship program.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Shared Spectrum competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Thales: Thales' defense and security segment develops tactical communications and electronic warfare solutions for allied militaries — overlapping spectrum-management customer base with Shared Spectrum and serving as both partner and adjacent incumbent.
- L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is a major defense electronics prime with broad tactical communications and electronic warfare portfolios — comparable as both a partner and a potential competitor to Shared Spectrum across defense wireless programs.
- RTX (Raytheon): RTX/Raytheon operates one of the largest defense electronics businesses, including electronic warfare and tactical RF programs — directly partnering with Shared Spectrum today and a potential internal developer of competing DSA capabilities.
Emerging players
- DeepSig: DeepSig applies AI/ML to RF signal processing and spectrum sensing — overlapping technology domains with Shared Spectrum's ML-driven spectrum situational awareness and signal classification capabilities, though DeepSig skews more toward commercial wireless markets.
- Epiq Solutions: Epiq Solutions builds software-defined radio and RF sensing tools for defense and federal clients — a comparable lower-scale niche in RF/spectrum tooling with overlapping customers in DoD and the intelligence community.
Direct peers
- Federated Wireless: Federated Wireless operates the Spectrum Access System for the CBRS band and provides dynamic spectrum-sharing services to DoD and commercial users — directly comparable to Shared Spectrum's DSA/spectrum-sharing value proposition across overlapping customer segments and technology stack.
- Persistent Systems: Persistent Systems is a leading supplier of tactical MANET radio systems for DoD and federal agencies; both firms sell into the same defense wireless communications market with overlapping RF and spectrum-management engineering focus.
- Silvus Technologies: Silvus builds tactical mesh/MANET radios widely adopted by DoD and federal users, with proprietary spectrum-management and interference-mitigation features — comparable to Shared Spectrum's adaptive RF communications for military and government customers.
Others
- Keysight Technologies: Keysight provides test, measurement, and RF simulation tools widely used by Shared Spectrum's engineering team and DoD customers — complementary rather than competitive, with shared exposure to wireless R&D and program budgets.
- InterDigital: InterDigital is a wireless R&D and patent licensing company currently a Shared Spectrum partner (joint 5G Spectrum Sharing DoD award) — adjacent rather than competitive, with overlap in mobile and video technology R&D.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Shared Spectrum social profiles
Digital presenceShared Spectrum financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Shared Spectrum leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Shared Spectrum subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Shared Spectrum funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Shared Spectrum 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 Shared Spectrum
What does Shared Spectrum do?
Shared Spectrum Company develops and sells Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) software and cognitive radio technologies that enable wireless systems to sense, adapt to, and operate within available radio frequency spectrum in real time. Its portfolio spans a mature DSA Software Suite (planning tools and on-radio code), spectrum sensing and situational awareness capabilities with machine learning, the Virtual Node Environment simulation platform, and tactical offerings such as TEEMS demonstrated in Army Cyber Quest 2023. Customers are primarily U.S. Department of Defense and federal agencies, supported by test/evaluation services and spectrum-sharing R&D delivered through ID/IQ contracts such as the $950M JADC2 award.
Is Shared Spectrum a public or private company?
Shared Spectrum is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Shared Spectrum founded?
Shared Spectrum was founded in 2000. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Shared Spectrum based?
Shared Spectrum is headquartered in Vienna, United States, in the North America region.
How does Shared Spectrum make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Government R&D Contracts are the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing and 5G Spectrum Sharing Solutions.
Who are Shared Spectrum's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Thales, L3Harris Technologies and RTX (Raytheon). Emerging players are DeepSig and Epiq Solutions. Direct peers are Federated Wireless, Persistent Systems and Silvus Technologies. Others are Keysight Technologies and InterDigital.
Does Shared Spectrum have an API?
No public API is recorded for Shared Spectrum.