Rivada Networks

What Rivada Networks does

Rivada Networks is a privately held US-headquartered wireless communications company founded in 2005 by Declan Ganley after Hurricane Katrina to deliver interoperable tactical communications to government and first-responder customers. It has operated for roughly two decades as a prime contractor through the Rivada Port Graham Solutions (RPGS) joint venture on the US Department of Homeland Security's TacCom program, providing VHF/UHF radio maintenance at 140+ Customs and Border Protection sites and supporting 225+ disaster-response deployments for agencies including DHS, CBP, FEMA, the Federal Protective Service, the National Guard Bureau, and the Department of Justice.

In 2024 Rivada pivoted its strategy toward a global space-and-spectrum platform built around two new products: the Outernet, a planned 600-satellite gateway-less LEO constellation with intersatellite laser links delivering pole-to-pole coverage and fiber-grade latency, and ROAM (Rivada Open Access Market), a blockchain-powered marketplace developed with EY-Parthenon that enables trading of wireless connectivity as a commodity via patented Dynamic Spectrum Arbitrage technology. The company targets government, enterprise telecom, maritime, and energy buyers with a Connectivity-as-a-Service model that supports advance, spot, and real-time bandwidth purchasing.

Rivada generates the bulk of its current revenue from legacy US federal tactical communications services under multi-year prime contracts, while future revenue is expected to come from Outernet subscription connectivity (recurring), ROAM transaction and platform fees, and usage-based Dynamic Spectrum Arbitrage. Go-to-market is direct enterprise and government sales, supplemented by terrestrial-operator channel partnerships and a dedicated capital markets function structured to finance the satellite buildout. The company operates offices in Washington DC, Galway (Ireland), and Munich (Germany, via Rivada Space Networks GmbH), with notable recent setbacks including the revocation of its Liechtenstein Ka-band spectrum rights and ongoing pursuit of German-licensed spectrum.

Name

Rivada Networks

Legal name

Rivada Networks

Website

https://rivada.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rivada Networks is a privately held US wireless communications company that operates federal tactical communications contracts and is building the Outernet, a planned 600-satellite LEO constellation, alongside ROAM, a blockchain-powered marketplace for trading wireless connectivity as a commodity. It serves US government agencies and targets enterprise, telecom, maritime, and energy buyers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Satellite Connectivity and Wireless Communications

NAICS

Satellite Telecommunications (5174), Satellite Telecommunications (517410)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Terrestrial Mobile Network Operators (Satellite-Integrated NTN Mobile) (HDAIAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Network Backbone & Core IP Transport (Long-Haul/Metro IP) (HDAIAFAG), Optical/Transport Network Management (OTN/WDM Controllers) (HDAFAGAK)

Keywords

• LEO satellite networks
• Wireless connectivity services
• Spectrum trading platform
• Tactical communications
• Orbital data backbone

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Satellite Connectivity Services: Providing secure orbital network access with pole-to-pole reach to telecom, enterprise, maritime, energy, and government markets. Delivers fiber-grade latency and ultra-secure global data network.
2. ROAM Marketplace Trading: Blockchain-powered platform enabling bandwidth trading. Operators monetize excess capacity; enterprises purchase bandwidth. Revenue from transaction facilitation and platform fees.
3. Spectrum Arbitrage Services: Dynamic Spectrum Arbitrage technology enabling real-time bandwidth purchasing. Connectivity available to buy a year ahead, a month ahead, or in real time.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rivada Networks designs, integrates, and operates wireless communications infrastructure comprising the Outernet, a 600-satellite gateway-less LEO constellation with intersatellite laser links providing pole-to-pole coverage and fiber-grade latency. It also operates ROAM, a blockchain-powered open-access marketplace that enables operators and enterprises to trade wireless connectivity as a commodity, underpinned by its patented Dynamic Spectrum Arbitrage technology for real-time spectrum allocation and Connectivity-as-a-Service delivery.

Product overview

Rivada Networks offers a two-part product portfolio: the Outernet (a 600-satellite LEO constellation with intersatellite laser links providing pole-to-pole coverage and fiber-grade latency) and ROAM (a blockchain-powered marketplace platform for trading wireless connectivity as a tradeable commodity). These are complemented by patented Dynamic Spectrum Arbitrage technology enabling spectrum sharing and real-time bandwidth transactions. The Outernet serves enterprise, government, telecom, maritime, and energy sectors requiring secure connectivity in remote areas, while ROAM enables network operators to monetize excess capacity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Outernet: Rivada's gateway-less LEO satellite network with intersatellite lasers, pole-to-pole coverage, and fiber-grade latency for enterprise and government customers.
• ROAM (Rivada Open Access Market)

Products and services

• Outernet LEO Satellite Network A gateway-less 600-satellite LEO constellation using intersatellite laser links to provide pole-to-pole coverage with fiber-grade latency. The Outernet serves as a self-contained optical backbone in space, delivering ultra-secure and highly reliable global data connectivity for telecom, enterprise, maritime, energy, and government services markets.
• ROAM (Rivada Open Access Market) A blockchain-powered marketplace platform enabling the trading of wireless connectivity as a tradable commodity. ROAM allows network operators to monetize excess capacity and enterprises to purchase affordable bandwidth, with connectivity purchasable a year ahead, a month ahead, or in real time. Developed in collaboration with EY-Parthenon and currently in beta.

Quantifiable outcome

• 225+ deployments over 5 years including disaster responses
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EY-ParthenoncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 9 August 2024Strategic consulting engagement to design the ROAM blockchain-powered marketplace platform. EY-Parthenon, led by Igor Mikhalev, helped bring the vision of a wireless connectivity trading marketplace to life.
• Rivada Port Graham Solutions (RPGS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture entity that serves as prime contractor for DHS on the TacCom contract. Provides tactical communications solutions to federal government including disaster response.
• ManiilaqminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to rapidly and thoroughly support communication needs of Department of Justice users in the field, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.
• Terrestrial Network OperatorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with terrestrial operators to unlock idle wholesale capacity and turn underutilized spectrum into dynamic markets that boost ROI and network efficiency.
• Liechtenstein Spectrum AuthorityOthersRivada's spectrum rights were revoked by Liechtenstein, which reassigned Ka-band spectrum to Open Cosmos. Rivada is pursuing alternative German-licensed spectrum under its Outernet-1 filing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Eutelsat OneWeb: OneWeb (now part of Eutelsat Group) operates an LEO constellation serving enterprise, government, and maritime customers with global connectivity. Closely comparable to Rivada's Outernet in target markets, use cases, and multi-orbit coverage story.
• Telesat: Telesat is building the Lightspeed LEO constellation aimed at enterprise, telecom, and government markets. Highly comparable to Rivada's Outernet in architecture (optical inter-satellite links), customer focus (sovereign and enterprise connectivity), and B2G/government-channel go-to-market.
• SpaceX Starlink: SpaceX's Starlink is the dominant LEO broadband constellation and is the most direct competitor to Rivada's Outernet — both target enterprise, government, and maritime buyers with low-latency global satellite connectivity and have signed defense and federal customers.
• Amazon Project Kuiper: Amazon's planned LEO broadband constellation targeting enterprise, government, and consumer broadband. Directly comparable to Rivada's Outernet on coverage ambitions, customer segments, and the multi-billion-dollar capex profile of deploying a large LEO fleet.

Emerging players

• AST SpaceMobile: AST SpaceMobile is building a space-based cellular broadband network for direct-to-device connectivity, sharing Rivada's customer interest in communications for governments, maritime, and remote enterprise, but focused on phone-form-factor integration.
• Lynk Global: Lynk Global is an emerging direct-to-device satellite operator targeting connectivity for remote areas, government, and MNOs. Adjacent to Rivada's Outernet, with overlap in 'connectivity where terrestrial networks don't reach' messaging and government/enterprise use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Iridium Communications: Iridium operates a global L-band satellite network serving defense, maritime, aviation, and IoT customers. It is a broader incumbent in satellite voice/data communications and shares Rivada's enterprise-and-government customer base, though with legacy non-broadband capacity.
• Viasat: Viasat provides satellite broadband and managed connectivity to government, defense, and enterprise customers via GEO and hybrid constellations. Comparable as an incumbent competitor in secured, multi-domain connectivity that Rivada targets with its Outernet.
• Globalstar: Globalstar provides satellite voice, data, and IoT services including through its partnership with Apple for emergency SOS. Comparable as an incumbent satellite services provider with similar defense, enterprise, and remote-connectivity customer profiles.
• EchoStar Corporation: EchoStar operates Hughes Network Systems and a fleet of GEO satellites delivering consumer, enterprise, and government broadband. Comparable to Rivada as a broader incumbent offering managed satellite connectivity across enterprise, government, and telecom segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RivadaNetworks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rivada-networks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Rivada Networks