Skyloom, Officina Stellare forming European venture in Italy

BROOMFIELD — Skyloom Global Corp., a satellite communications firm that shifted its center of gravity from Oakland, California, to Broomfield last year, could soon have a presence in Europe.

The company has signed a letter of intent with Italian aerospace and defense contractor Officina Stellare SpA to launch a joint venture called Skyloom Europe.

“Skyloom Europe aims to revolutionize the field of global telecommunication infrastructures through the establishment of a high-throughput production plant in Italy,” the parties said in a news release. “This facility will focus on the manufacturing of optical communication terminals for advanced encryption techniques utilizing quantum coding (QKD) for airborne and space applications such as multi-orbit satellite network services.”

The joint venture will be based in Italy’s Veneto region, close to Officina Stellare headquarters.

“This achievement highlights the dynamic growth of the optical communications market and the increasing interest from European governments and institutions, driven by global geopolitical shifts,” Officina Stellare chief of business development Gino Bucciol said in the release. “Skyloom Europe is set to transform airborne and space connectivity across European civil and military sectors. 

Skyloom, which is developing technology that it describes as “orbital infrastructure for fiberless internet,” moved into its 23,000-square-foot headquarters in Broomfield’s Interlocken business park in March 2023. Half of the facility houses administration functions, while the other “will be used for design, testing, and assembly of optical communication terminals and optical communications satellites,” the company said at the time. 

Since moving to the Boulder Valley, Skyloom has raised tens of millions of dollars from investors, signed an agreement with Satellogic Inc. (Nasdaq: SATL) to integrate Skyloom’s Optical Communications Terminal onto the North Carolina company’s satellites and inked a multi-million dollar contract from the innovation and investment arm of the U.S. Air Force.

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