€73 Million From ESA Member States Towards HummingSat – SWISSto12’s Next-Gen Affordable, Compact Satellite, to Meet Growing Demand for Commercial and Sovereign Communications

RENENS, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 21, 2026--

SWISSto12, one of the world’s fastest-growing aerospace companies and leading manufacturer of advanced satellite systems and radio frequency (RF) products, has announced securing €73 million ($84.8 million) in financial support from ESA member states through the HummingSat ARTES partnership project.

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The funding will accelerate SWISSto12’s development and industrialization of HummingSat, as well as scaling up its manufacturing capacity and accelerating new product innovations. These initiatives address increasing global demand for cost-effective, agile and sovereign communications in both government and commercial sectors.

The investment will also allow SWISSto12 to further develop its phased-array antenna technologies to be used onboard LEO/MEO/GEO satellite payloads and ground products such as user terminals. This will strengthen its ability to serve a broad set of customer needs, for communications from and to geostationary and non-geostationary orbits.

The additional ESA funding, through the Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) HummingSat Partnership Project, within ESA Connectivity and Secure Communications, was backed at the 2025 Ministerial Conference by pledges from Member States Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Norway – and Associate Member Canada.

SWISSto12 is enabling a transformational shift in the global satellite communications industry, away from legacy, large, purpose-built, expensive and slow-to-deploy solutions towards smaller, faster, cheaper assets that leverage software-defined, reconfigurable payload architectures and agile, multi-orbit capabilities. The global need for SatCom is rising, reflecting a growing demand for always-on broadband internet connectivity for aircraft and ships, secure communications for sovereign governments, internet in remote regions, safety-relevant services, IoT devices and location-based services.

Developed in partnership with ESA and scheduled for first launch in 2027, the HummingSat platform is significantly smaller and more cost-efficient than legacy geostationary satellites, giving customers a flexible, cost-effective platform to expand transponder capacity, enable network flexibility and reconfigurable software-defined payloads, deploy sovereign capabilities and introduce new services with agility.

Laurent Jaffart, ESA Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications, said , “We are proud to continue our support of SWISSto12, particularly in creating cost-effective solutions for satellite systems that answer to the satcom ecosystem’s ever-increasing demands. ESA is committed to elevating Europe’s future in space through our support of industry, and by accelerating next-generation satellite technologies.”

Emile de Rijk, CEO and Founder of SWISSto12 said, “The recent subscriptions of Member States and Cooperating States at the ESA Ministerial Council to the HummingSat Project, and the latest round of funding from European private investors sends a strong message to the global market that SWISSto12 is at the heart of satellite communications innovation. With our growing suite of agile, cost-effective and highly performant SatCom solutions, we provide a credible answer to some of the most pressing challenges facing the space economy, including the critical issue of enabling satellite sovereignty – something, until now, out of reach for most of the world’s nations.”

Editors’ Notes

About SWISSto12: https://www.swissto12.com

SWISSto12 is a leading manufacturer of advanced satellite Radio Frequency components, payloads and systems, including the HummingSat: a small yet powerful geostationary telecommunications satellite developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) through its public-private-partnership programme. The company’s RF components benefit from unique and patented 3D-printing technologies and associated Radio Frequency (RF) product designs that deliver lightweight, compact, highly performing and competitive RF functionality.

SWISSto12 has developed commercially with success in Europe and in the USA and is amongst the fastest growing aerospace companies in the world. The company is privately owned and backed by prominent Swiss and European Investors.

About ESA's ARTES Partnership Projects programme

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's gateway to space, coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its Member States to conduct space programmes and activities. The Partnership Projects programme line of ESA's Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) drives innovation by federating ambitious large-scale, long-term collaborations between ESA, private companies, and satellite operators. The programme establishes ESA as a key partner in developing major satellite communication systems, new value-adding solutions and services, and providing in-orbit validation. It focuses on substantial, industry-shaping initiatives that require significant investment spanning over several years.

By closely aligning technological ambition with commercial strategy, ARTES Partnership Projects enable European and Canadian organisations to push the boundaries of satellite communications and strengthen their competitiveness on the global market.

Learn more at https://connectivity.esa.int/artes-4-0-programme-overview/industrial-competitiveness/partnership-projects

Image Courtesy of ESA

LUSAKA, Zambia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 21, 2026--

Zinc Saves Kids, a global child‑health initiative of the International Zinc Association (IZA), has announced a new partnership with leading Zambian pharmaceutical manufacturer Pharmanova Zambia Limited to expand access to life‑saving zinc treatments for children across Zambia.

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The collaboration was formally celebrated during a ceremony in Lusaka with the Zambian Ministry of Health, Pharmanova Zambia Limited, and IZA represented by Environment Health & Sustainability Director Dr. Eric Van Genderen.

IZA and Pharmanova have united in an effort to scale up treatment for childhood diarrhea using zinc, an essential micronutrient that strengthens immune systems and reduces the severity and duration of diarrheal disease. The need is urgent: more than 30% of Zambia’s population is zinc‑deficient, leaving children especially vulnerable to diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria. Globally, 116,000 children are estimated to die from zinc deficiency related issues every year.

Through this partnership, every dollar donated to Zinc Saves Kids will directly support the distribution of Kit Yamoyo, the “Kit of Life,” which includes oral rehydration salts (ORS) and a ten‑day supply of zinc tablets. Zinc and ORS are recommended by the World Health Organization for the treatment of diarrhea. Each kit provides a complete treatment for diarrhea and helps prevent future illness.

“IZA is thrilled to work with Pharmanova to address zinc deficiency, which weakens the immune systems of at‑risk children and leaves them vulnerable to diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria,” said Dr. Van Genderen. “Zinc is critical to healthy mental and physical development, and this partnership is an important step toward improving child health in Zambia.”

The first tranche of donations already has supplied 50,000 zinc and oral rehydration kits to Zambian children. Distribution is being conducted through the government’s Healthy Learners program, which operates in schools nationwide and focuses on reaching rural and underserved communities.

Pharmanova, established in 1980, developed Kit Yamoyo to combat childhood diarrhea and has previously partnered with agencies including USAID and UNICEF to expand access to essential medicines.

“There is a great need for Kit Yamoyo across Zambia and beyond, so we are pleased to have the opportunity to work with the International Zinc Association, which has a long history of addressing zinc deficiency worldwide,” said Mohammed Umar, CEO of Pharmanova. “We envision a long and fruitful partnership with Zinc Saves Kids.”

Launched in 2010, Zinc Saves Kids works to raise awareness of global zinc deficiency and supports programs focused on supplementation, food fortification, and treatment. The partnership with Pharmanova marks a significant expansion of the initiative’s reach, which has previously raised more than $4 million to provide life-saving research, education, and treatment related to zinc.

About the International Zinc Association

The International Zinc Association (IZA) is the only organization dedicated exclusively to the interests of zinc and its users. As the voice of the global zinc industry, IZA provides global leadership, coordination, and value on strategic issues for the zinc industry, including market development, license to operate, communications, and sustainability.

About Pharmanova Zambia Limited

Pharmanova Zambia Limited has been at the forefront of the Zambian pharmaceutical manufacturing industry since 1980, providing a diverse range of essential products aimed at enhancing health, hygiene, and overall well-being for Zambia and the region. Pharmanova operates three manufacturing sites strategically located in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia.

Life-saving zinc-supplementation and oral rehydration salts kits are proactively distributed to Zambian children through the works of the International Zinc Association, Pharmanova, and the Zambian Ministries of Health and Education.