Hubble Network plans to build a satellite constellation for Bluetooth connectivity. Screenshot via Hubble Network

Satellite startup Hubble Network recently announced a $20 million Series A funding round, along with its plans to launch a satellite constellation for Bluetooth device connectivity. Describing the company as “Starlink for IoT devices,” Hubble said its future constellation will be able to capture data directly from existing Bluetooth devices by uploading the company’s firmware to existing chipstacks. 

Transpose Platform led the Series A round, which included other funds and investors 11.2 Capital, Y Combinator, Yes.VC, Convective Capital, Seraphim Space, Type One Ventures, Soma, AVCF5, Space.VC, Jett McCandless, John Kim, Chris Nguyen, Alan Keating, and Don Dodge. 

The company plans to use the funding to launch its first set of satellites in the second quarter of 2024. It outlines use cases for the technology like container and pallet tracking; wildfire detection; fleet management; predictive maintenance; and pet, child, and elderly safety. 

Its founders have backgrounds in networks, technology, and space hardware. The company is co-founded by Alex Haro, previous co-founder of location-sharing app Life360; Ben Wild, who created a peer-to-peer wireless network that became Amazon Sidewalk; and John Kim, former engineer at Maxar subsidiary SSL. Hubble was in Y Combinator’s winter 2022 cohort.

“Given that there are almost 5 billion devices sold per year with Bluetooth we have the potential to usher in a new era of connectivity, empowering businesses and individuals to unlock unprecedented possibilities in a truly connected world. From smart cities and industrial automation to healthcare and agriculture, innovation knows no bounds,” the company said in a blog post about the funding.