Bluelink Satcom Secures Seed Funding to Build World’s First Bluetooth

Bluelink Satcom, a startup from China, has secured initial funding to create a satellite network that can identify Bluetooth signals from space.

On March 25, Bluelink Satcom announced an angel+ funding round valued in the tens of millions of yuan, approximately between $3 million and $13 million. LinGe Ventures spearheaded the round, with Hongfu Capital also participating.

The company stated that the money collected will go toward creating China’s first Bluetooth satellite, covering its launch and operation, as well as expanding the team.

The company, whose full name is Beijing Lanying Xingtong Technology Co., Ltd, claims that its technology can offer a cost-effective solution for low-speed, wide-area Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity, although this will be one-way only, as satellites cannot connect to devices.

The company seeks to adapt Bluetooth wireless technology—which is typically used to link devices over distances of several meters—to transmit 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.

Using these low-power signals significantly decreases the energy and infrastructure needed for connectivity and monitoring, potentially aiding in the expansion of IoT coverage. Satellites can cover regions lacking networks, power, or communication infrastructure, facilitating effective data collection and monitoring in more remote areas. The system may be especially advantageous for devices that operate solely via Bluetooth, like tags and sensors.

The company thinks that the first applications of Bluetooth satellites will center on meteorological emergencies, traffic, and the monitoring of bridges and buildings. This is due to the low cost and wide coverage provided by satellites, which can substitute for manual monitoring.

According to the company, a device can connect to a satellite without any hardware modifications; it only needs an update to the Bluetooth software. Improvements can be implemented through over-the-air firmware updates.

According to Bluelink Satcom, its goal is to send its first payload into orbit around the end of Q2 or the beginning of Q3 this year, with a total of four payloads in orbit by the end of 2025 for technical verification.

By the end of 2028, the company aims to have 72 satellites in orbit, resulting in revisit times of just minutes.

According to Chinese media reports, Bluelink Satcom was established in October 2023, but public information about the company is still limited. In 2024, the company secured funding rounds with involvement from Qiji Chuangtan and Gaojie Capital.

As reported by Chinese media, the company was established by Cai Lingfeng, who has experience in both aerospace and fintech and previously worked at the China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), which is the main state-owned contractor for space activities in the country.

Bluelink Satcom identifies only one other company globally that is targeting this specific market: the Seattle startup Hubble Network, which plans to have its complete constellation of 96 satellites in orbit by 2028 for worldwide coverage. Bluelink Satcom asserts that it is closely connected to China’s flourishing Bluetooth ecosystem, which may enable faster domestic scaling.

Providers of satellite IoT services, such as Swarm—whose commercial operations are coming to an end—Lacuna Space with its LoRaWAN technology, and Astrocast, which provides two-way communication through proprietary modules, offer low-power, low-data-rate connectivity designed for remote sensing and asset tracking. Nevertheless, although they offer connectivity for specialized applications, each one depends on proprietary hardware components or particular protocols.

Bluelink Satcom’s decision is a result of support from the Chinese central government for the commercial space sector, as well as numerous provinces and cities creating action plans to attract and nurture space companies.