Space IC

What Space IC does

Space IC GmbH is a privately held, fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Hannover, Germany, that develops and supplies ITAR/EAR-free radiation-hardened analog integrated circuits for space applications. The company was founded in 2014 as a spin-off from Telefunken Semiconductors, retaining an exclusive IP license covering the radiation-hard product designs originated at Telefunken from 2009. Its product portfolio centers on two technology lines: power management ICs (point-of-load converters, voltage clamps, PWM controllers, DC/DC controller) and high-speed interface ICs (LVDS receivers, drivers, and fanout buffers with extended common-mode voltage ranges). Core technology is built on a fully isolated high-voltage BCD SOI (Silicon-on-Insulator) process providing latch-up immunity and Single Event Effect (SEE) mitigation, with TID radiation hardness exceeding 40-100 krad(Si) depending on part family. The flagship SPPL12420RH POL converter achieved ESCC certification and Qualified Parts List (QPL) status in November 2021, with flight heritage established via the Kent Ridge 1 satellite in December 2015.

The company sells flight models (ESCC-FM), engineering models, and evaluation kits through a hybrid direct-and-distribution model: two regional distributors (KAMAKA Electronic covering DACH and Benelux; PKTRONICS covering France and Belgium) handle selected European territories, while direct sales from Hannover serve all other markets globally. Customers are exclusively in the space vertical—satellite manufacturers, space agencies (notably ESA and DLR), and space system integrators requiring ITAR-free supply chains to avoid US export-control friction. The company is led by four founder-managing directors (Volodymyr Burkhay, André Rocke, Uwe Gieselmann, Marko Reuter), all originating from Telefunken Semiconductors, and holds ISO 9001 certification alongside ESCC 9000 screening compliance.

Space IC is structurally a small specialist: 1-10 employees, no disclosed external funding, and revenue figures are not publicly reported. Marketing reach relies on industry-conference participation (DLR Components Conference, ESPC, Space Tech Expo, RADECS, ESCCON), technical white papers, and AKRK working-group engagement within the German SME space ecosystem. Strategic positioning emphasizes ITAR/EAR-free sourcing, short lead times relative to US rad-hard suppliers, and European institutional alignment (ESA, DLR) as the primary differentiators against incumbent US radiation-hardened IC vendors.

Name

Space IC

Legal name

SPACE IC GmbH

Website

https://space-ic.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Space IC GmbH is a Hannover-based fabless semiconductor company that designs and supplies ITAR/EAR-free radiation-hardened analog ICs—power management and LVDS interface products—for European satellite manufacturers, space agencies, and space system integrators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radiation-Hardened Analog Semiconductors for Space

NAICS

Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Power Management & Power Conversion ICs (PMIC/DC‑DC/AC‑DC/Gate Drivers) (HDAHABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Interface ICs (USB/HDMI/SerDes/Level Shifters) (HDAHAIAD)

Keywords

• Radiation-hardened semiconductors
• Analog integrated circuits
• Space-grade components
• Point-of-load converters
• LVDS interface ICs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hanover

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Radiation-Hard IC Products: SPACE IC develops and sells radiation-hard analog integrated circuits for space applications including POL converters, LVDS interface ICs, voltage clamps, and PWM controllers. Products are sold as flight models (ESCC-FM), engineering models (EM), and evaluation kits. The company operates as a fabless semiconductor supplier.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SPACE IC develops, manufactures, and sells ITAR/EAR-free radiation-hardened analog integrated circuits for space applications, operating as a fabless semiconductor supplier. The product portfolio comprises power management ICs (POL converters, voltage clamps, PWM controllers, DC/DC converter controllers) and interface ICs (LVDS receivers, drivers, fanout buffers) designed for harsh space environments. Products are offered as ESCC-certified flight models, engineering models, and evaluation kits, leveraging a fully isolated high-voltage BCD SOI process that delivers latch-up immunity and Single Event Effect mitigation.

Product overview

SPACE IC is a fabless semiconductor company supplying radiation-hardened analog integrated circuits for space applications, with a focused product portfolio centered on power management and interface ICs. The core offerings include the SPPL12420RH (2A, 24V ESCC-certified POL converter) and newer products like the SPPL14080RH (8A, 40V POL) and SPVC1010RH (10A Voltage Clamp), representing the power management line. The interface portfolio consists of LVDS components including SPLVDS032RH (Quad Receiver), SPLVDS031RH (Quad Driver), and SPLVDS104RH (1:4 Fanout Buffer) for robust data communication. All products feature radiation hardening (TID > 40-100 krad Si), latch-up immunity via SOI technology, ESCC screening, and hermetic ceramic packaging suitable for space environments. Supporting tools like the SPPL12420EVK evaluation kit assist design-in. The company operates as a fabless supplier, working with experienced subcontractors for manufacturing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SPPL12420RH POL Converter 2A, 24V synchronous rectified step-down point-of-load (POL) converter with integrated 110 mOhm MOSFETs, providing efficient and space-saving solutions in point-of-load architectures for satellite power distribution. Radiation-hardened with TID >40 krad(Si) and SEL/SEU immune, delivered in a hermetic ceramic flatpack 16 package, ESCC certified and listed on the QPL, with flight heritage established in-orbit aboard the Kent Ridge 1 satellite since December 2015.
• SPPL14080RH POL Converter 8A, 40V point-of-load converter IC for higher-power satellite power management applications. Currently available as prototypes with TID and SEE radiation testing in progress as of ESPC 2023.
• SPVC1010RH Voltage Clamp IC 10A, 40V voltage clamp IC for power management in satellite systems. Currently available as prototypes with TID and DSEE radiation test results presented at ESPC 2023.
• SPPWM120RH PWM Controller Versatile PWM controller with Start-Up functionality for power management in satellite applications, capable of driving GaN FETs. Currently available as prototypes.
• ARC-SGHFC100 DC/DC Converter Controller DC/DC converter controller IC for power conversion in space applications, part of SPACE IC's power management product line.
• SPLVDS032RH Quad LVDS Line Receiver Quad LVDS line receiver with extended common-mode voltage range (-7V to +12V), supporting DC to 400 Mbps operation, with TID >100 krad(Si) radiation hardness. Pin-compatible with UT54LVDS032LV, designed for robust data communication in space applications.
• SPLVDS031RH Quad LVDS Line Driver Quad LVDS line driver for high-speed, low-power, low-noise transmission, optimized for point-to-point applications at up to 400 Mbps. Pin-compatible with UT54LVDS031LV and radiation-hardened for space use.
• SPLVDS104RH 1:4 LVDS Fanout Buffer 1:4 LVDS fanout buffer with extended common-mode capability for signal distribution in space applications, extending the LVDS interface product family.
• SPPL12420EVK Evaluation Kit Evaluation kit for the SPPL12420RH POL Converter that enables design-in and testing of the converter in customer applications, supporting engineering qualification activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• LDR TID biased >40 krad(Si), unbiased >100 krad(Si)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KAMAKA Electronic Bauelemente Vertriebs GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016Distribution agreement covering Germany, Austria, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg. KAMAKA is the primary distributor for SPACE IC products in the DACH region and Benelux.
• PKTRONICS GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016Distribution agreement covering France and Belgium. PKTRONICS serves as the authorized distributor for SPACE IC products in France and Belgium.
• Telefunken SemiconductorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelefunken Semiconductors is the parent company from which SPACE IC was spun off in 2014. SPACE IC holds an exclusive license agreement on IP for radiation-hard products originally developed at Telefunken Semiconductors. Development of robust analog IC components was started at Telefunken in 2009, with POL and LVDS IC components passing radiation tests in 2013.
• ESA (European Space Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPACE IC works in close cooperation with ESA for ESCC qualification. The SPPL12420RH was ESCC certified in the frame of the National Space Program of DLR with ESA involvement. SPACE IC won the ESA Innovation Award 2014 at ESA Industry Space Days.
• DLR (German Aerospace Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPACE IC participates in DLR Components Conference annually and received ESCC certification in the frame of the National Space Program of DLR. Member of AKRK working group hosted by DLR representing interests of German space SMEs.
• Berlin Space Technologies GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Kent Ridge 1 satellite project. Berlin Space Technologies designed and built the satellite in collaboration with National University of Singapore. SPACE IC's SPPL12420RH was integrated for in-orbit demonstration.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Teledyne e2v (Teledyne Technologies): Teledyne e2v (part of Teledyne Technologies) supplies radiation-hardened semiconductor solutions including data converters, processors, and analog ICs for space applications. It is a competitor in the rad-hard analog IC market for space.
• Renesas Electronics: Renesas (which acquired Intersil) supplies radiation-hardened analog and mixed-signal ICs for space applications, including power management products similar to SPACE IC's POL converters. It is a competitor in the broader rad-hard analog semiconductor market.
• STMicroelectronics: STMicroelectronics is a European semiconductor manufacturer with space-grade analog and power IC products, including rad-hard power management devices. As a European competitor, STMicroelectronics competes with SPACE IC in offering ITAR-free alternatives to US suppliers.
• Microchip Technology: Microchip Technology (which acquired Microsemi, formerly Atmel) is one of the largest suppliers of radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant semiconductors for space applications, offering rad-hard analog ICs, FPGAs, microcontrollers, and interface products. It is the closest direct competitor to SPACE IC in the European rad-hard analog space.
• Texas Instruments: Texas Instruments is a major broad-line semiconductor manufacturer with a significant portfolio of radiation-hardened analog ICs including power management, interface, and signal chain products for space and defense applications. TI competes with SPACE IC in rad-hard POL converters and power management ICs.
• Analog Devices: Analog Devices (including former Hittite) is a leading supplier of radiation-hardened mixed-signal and power management ICs for space applications, with deep heritage in satellite systems. It competes with SPACE IC in rad-hard analog and power conversion products.

Regional players

• RUAG Space (Beyond Gravity): Beyond Gravity (formerly RUAG Space) is a European supplier of space electronics and mechanisms, including power management and conversion products for satellites. As a European space electronics player serving the same customer base of satellite primes and integrators, it is comparable to SPACE IC.
• Alter Technology (TÜV NORD): Alter Technology (now part of TÜV NORD) is a European company specializing in testing, qualification, and distribution of EEE components for space, with operations across Europe. It is comparable as a European space components supplier and distribution/testing partner serving similar customers as SPACE IC.

Direct peers

• 3D PLUS: 3D PLUS is a French company specializing in 3D packaging and high-reliability electronic modules for space applications, including radiation-hardened components and packaging services. As a European specialty space electronics supplier, 3D PLUS is highly comparable to SPACE IC in mission and customer base.
• CAES (Cobham Advanced Electronic Solutions): CAES is a specialized supplier of radiation-hardened semiconductor solutions for space and defense, offering rad-hard ICs, ASICs, and packaging services. As a focused rad-hard specialty supplier, CAES is one of the most directly comparable peers to SPACE IC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/space-ic

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Space IC