Planexus

What Planexus does

Planexus is a French deep-technology company founded in December 2022 as a spin-off of IETR, a CNRS-affiliated public research laboratory based in Cesson-Sevigne (Rennes metropolitan area). The company develops and commercializes a next-generation antenna for Satellite Communications on the Move (SOTM), based on patented Continuous Transverse Stub (CTS) array technology operating at K/Ka bands. Its single core product is a CTS Array Antenna that uses one radiating aperture to handle simultaneous transmit and receive links across LEO, MEO, and GEO constellations, with a form factor of 447 mm × 320 mm × 81 mm, a weight of 10 kg, and beam scanning from 20° to 90° elevation. The technology is protected by three granted French patents (FR3057999, FR3073325, and a wideband corporate feeding system) and a proprietary in-house analysis and optimization tool for CTS arrays and feeding networks.

The company operates a B2B enterprise field-sales model, selling custom-engineered antenna hardware directly to defence contractors, government agencies, and commercial transportation customers, while also offering antenna design and consulting services to help clients integrate off-the-shelf antennas or commission full custom designs. Civil and military aviation is the primary vertical; maritime, rail transport, and land vehicles are secondary verticals. Distribution is direct-to-customer via the company website contact channel and through engagement with European space and innovation partners including ESA, CNES, BPI France, CNRS, IETR, Thales Alenia Space, and regional Breton innovation organizations. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; each engagement requires direct sales consultation because the antenna systems are customized to specific applications.

Planexus is privately held and founder-led, with Dr. Khalid Sayegrih as Chairman, Dr. Lionel Algarra as CEO since 2024, and Dr. Mauro Ettorre and Pr. Ronan Sauleau serving as Technical and Scientific Advisors respectively. The company's leadership combines RF and millimeter-wave academic depth (two IEEE Fellows with prior Thales Alenia Space joint-lab research) with operational SME scaling experience. The company holds no disclosed funding rounds, named commercial customers, or revenue figures, and is in the early commercialization stage of a hardware product with long enterprise sales cycles.

Name

Planexus

Legal name

PLANEXUS

Website

https://planexus.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Planexus is a French deep-tech spin-off from IETR/CNRS that designs and sells patented Continuous Transverse Stub array antennas for K/Ka-band SATCOM on the move, targeting defence, aviation, maritime, rail, and land-vehicle operators via direct B2B sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Satellite Communication Antennas

NAICS

Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511), Radio and Television Broadcasting and Wireless Communications Equipment Manufacturing (334220)

SIC

Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812), Radio & Tv Broadcasting & Communications Equipment (3663)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMABAFAG

Avionics Communication Systems (VHF/UHF/SATCOM/Data Link)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing/Avionics, Navigation & Flight Control Systems

Keywords

• Satellite communication antennas
• SATCOM on the move
• Millimeter wave antennas
• Phased array antennas
• Mobile satellite terminals

Headquarters

HQ city

Cesson-Sevigne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Antenna hardware sales: Sale of CTS array antenna systems for K/Ka band SATCOM applications. The company manufactures and sells complete antenna units with typical specifications including 447mm x 320mm x 81mm dimensions, 10kg weight, supporting LEO/MEO/GEO constellations.
2. Antenna design consulting services: High-performance antenna design and consulting services for companies. Planexus helps integrate off-the-shelf antennas or designs full custom antennas for customer devices.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Planexus designs, manufactures, and sells Continuous Transverse Stub (CTS) array antenna systems for K/Ka-band SATCOM On The Move (SOTM) applications. The company's antennas serve defense, civil aviation, maritime, rail, and land-vehicle markets with a single radiating aperture that handles simultaneous transmit and receive links, supporting LEO, MEO, and GEO satellite constellations. In parallel, Planexus provides antenna design consulting services, helping customers integrate off-the-shelf antennas or design fully custom antennas for their devices.

Product overview

Planexus is a spin-off of IETR (CNRS-affiliated research laboratory) offering a single core product: the CTS Array Antenna. This innovative antenna system represents a unified solution for SATCOM on-the-move applications. The product portfolio consists of one antenna product line based on proprietary CTS technology that operates in K/Ka bands and supports multiple satellite constellation types (LEO, MEO, GEO). The company also provides antenna design and consulting services as part of its offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CTS Array Antenna
• Antenna Design Consulting Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Antenna thickness reduced to less than 10cm with 53cm diagonal (vs. competing solutions)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• IETR LaboratorycoreTechnology or IntegrationPlanexus is a spin-off of IETR, a CNRS-affiliated public research laboratory. The company leverages research expertise and intellectual property developed at IETR. Senior CNRS researcher Dr. Mauro Ettorre led multi-beam antenna research at IETR before joining Planexus as Technical Advisor.
• CNRScoreTechnology or IntegrationFrench national scientific research centre affiliated with IETR laboratory. Source of foundational research and academic expertise in millimeter-wave antennas.
• Thales Alenia SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research activities were conducted between IETR and Thales Alenia Space during Dr. Mauro Ettorre's tenure as CNRS researcher. The collaboration focused on multi-beam antenna research within the joint laboratory.
• ESAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Space Agency partnership for satellite communications technology development. ESA logo appears on Planexus partner page indicating collaborative relationship.
• CNEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench space agency partner. CNES logo appears on Planexus partner page indicating collaborative relationship in space technology.
• Ouest ValorisationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology transfer and intellectual property valuation organization in western France. Assists with technology commercialization from research institutions.
• Le PooolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation ecosystem partner in Brittany region. Provides support for technology startups and business development.
• Emergys BretagnesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional technology partner in Brittany, France. Supports technology company development and innovation projects.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris is a large incumbent in military and commercial SATCOM terminals, avionics, and antennas. It overlaps with Planexus on airborne and naval SATCOM but operates across a much broader defense-electronics portfolio, supplying terminals that compete with CTS-based offerings in defense programs.
• Thales Group: Thales is a broad aerospace and defense incumbent with significant SATCOM, avionics, and space communications capabilities (via Thales Alenia Space, a Planexus partner). It competes with Planexus in defense and commercial SATCOM terminal programs while also being a potential channel for the underlying technology.
• Ball Aerospace: Ball Aerospace designs and manufactures antennas and RF subsystems for satellite communications and aerospace platforms. It overlaps with Planexus in millimeter-wave and SATCOM antenna design but as part of a much broader aerospace and defense portfolio.

Emerging players

• Satcube: Satcube builds compact, portable satellite terminals for news, government, and defense users. It is an emerging player in compact SATCOM hardware; its focus on portability rather than high-throughput mobility makes it a partial, niche-level peer to Planexus's SOTM antennas.

Direct peers

• Kymeta: Kymeta is the most direct peer: it builds flat-panel, electronically-steered SATCOM antennas for SOTM applications across land mobile, maritime, and defense. Like Planexus, Kymeta targets mobility markets with low-profile K/Ka-band terminals but uses a different antenna architecture (liquid crystal metasurface vs. CTS array).
• Get SAT: Get SAT develops compact, flat-panel SATCOM-on-the-move terminals for military, maritime, and land-mobile markets. It overlaps with Planexus on airborne, naval, and vehicular SOTM use cases at K/Ka-band and competes for similar enterprise and defense customers.
• ThinKom Solutions: ThinKom produces low-profile, high-throughput VICTS antennas for IFC, military, and government SATCOM. It is a direct competitor in the flat-panel SOTM segment and shares Planexus's emphasis on low-SWaP, multi-orbit K/Ka-band mobility terminals, though using mechanical/electronic hybrid scanning rather than CTS.
• Hanwha Phasor (formerly Phasor Solutions): Phasor/Hanwha Phasor develops electronically-steered phased-array antennas for commercial aerospace, maritime, and defense SATCOM. It targets the same mobility/in-flight-connectivity customers as Planexus but with active GaN-based phased arrays rather than passive CTS architecture.
• C-COM Satellite Systems: C-COM manufactures the iNetVu family of mobile satellite antennas and is pursuing phased-array flat-panel products. It competes with Planexus in the vehicular and enterprise SOTM market and serves similar commercial and government end users.

Others

• SWARM Technologies (SpaceX): SpaceX operates Starlink, the largest LEO constellation that Planexus's multi-orbit antenna is designed to interoperate with. SpaceX is not a direct equipment competitor but is a critical ecosystem driver whose LEO service roadmap and proprietary user-terminal pricing heavily shape Planexus's addressable market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planexus2

Compliance1 record

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 Planexus