HELSINKI — Chinese startup Bluelink Satcom has raised early-stage funding to build a satellite network capable of detecting Bluetooth signals from space.
Bluelink Satcom announced an angel+ funding round March 25 worth tens of millions of yuan, or roughly $3 million to $13 million. The round was led by LinGe Ventures with participation from Hongfu Capital.
The funds raised will be used to build China’s first Bluetooth satellite, including launch and operation, as well as team expansion, the company said in a statement.
The company, full name Beijing Lanying Xingtong Technology Co., Ltd, says its technology can provide a cost-effective solution for low-speed, wide-area Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, though this will be one-way only, with satellites unable to connect to devices.
The company aims to repurpose Bluetooth wireless technology, usually used to connect devices across a range of meters, to send data to satellites in orbit, hundreds of kilometers above the Earth. Bluelink Satcom satellites will be equipped with a payload with ultra-high sensitivity to faint Bluetooth signals sent through the atmosphere.
Utilizing these low-power signals greatly reduces energy and infrastructure requirements for connectivity and monitoring, which could help expand IoT coverage. Satellites can cover areas without networks, power, or communication infrastructure, enabling effective data collection and monitoring in more remote regions. The system could be most useful for Bluetooth-only devices such as sensors and tags.
The company believes initial use cases of Bluetooth satellites will focus on meteorological emergencies, traffic, bridges and building monitoring, using the low cost and wide coverage of satellites to replace manual monitoring.
The company says no hardware modification is needed for a device to connect to a satellite, instead only requiring an update to Bluetooth software. Upgrades can be done via over-the-air firmware updates.
Bluelink Satcom says it aims to have its first payload sent into orbit around the end of the second quarter or early third quarter this year, with a total of four payloads to be in orbit by the end of 2025 for technical verification.
The company plans to have 72 satellites in orbit by the end of 2028, providing revisit times on the order of minutes.
Bluelink Satcom was reportedly established in October 2023, according to Chinese media, though public information on the company remains limited. The company closed funding rounds in 2024 involving participation from Qiji Chuangtan and Gaojie Capital.
Chinese media report that the company was founded by Cai Lingfeng, who previously worked at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics—a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the country’s state-owned main space contractor—and has experience in aerospace and fintech.
Bluelink Satcom notes just one other company worldwide that is competing specifically in this arena: Seattle-based startup Hubble Network, which aims to have its full constellation of 96 satellites in orbit by 2028 for global coverage. Bluelink Satcom claims it is deeply integrated with China’s thriving Bluetooth ecosystem, potentially allowing it to scale faster domestically.
Existing satellite IoT providers like Swarm—whose commercial services are winding down—Lacuna Space, leveraging LoRaWAN, and Astrocast, which offers two-way communication via its own modules, offer low-power, low-data-rate connectivity aimed at remote sensing and asset tracking. However, while providing connectivity for niche applications, each relies on proprietary hardware modules or specific protocols.
Bluelink Satcom’s move comes following Chinese central government backing for the commercial space sector and many provinces and cities drawing up action plans to attract space companies and foster their development.
