Endeavor Optical Networks (EON), a startup founded in May, has emerged from stealth with $10.75 million in seed funding from General Catalyst and Andreessen Horowitz. The company plans to build a network of laser-equipped spacecraft to connect data centres from orbit.
Currently, data transfer between global data centres largely relies on undersea fibreoptic cables, which can be difficult to access and repair. EON aims to offer an alternative, with co-founders CEO Charlie Horowitz and CTO Tyler Presser proposing a system that could achieve an initial throughput of 2.4 terabits per second.
The company intends to deploy a network of around 20 satellites, each designed to provide a dedicated link between two continents. EON plans to select ground stations carefully, using redundant sites and weather data to ensure reliable connections for customers, including hyperscalers and AI labs.
EON will use its seed funding to establish an optics lab, recruit engineers, and conduct ground tests. A demo satellite, expected to launch around the end of 2027, is projected to offer an optical downlink throughput of at least 800 gigabits, potentially reaching a terabit.