Zero Industries Secures $3 Mn to Develop Satellite Laser Power Network

The funding round was led by Maezawa Fund, with participation from UntroD Capital Japan, NOW, Midtown and individual investors. The company has not disclosed its valuation or the amount invested by each participant.

Funding to Support Technology Development

Zero Industries plans to use the newly raised capital to develop its core technology and test the feasibility of transmitting electricity between satellites using lasers. The company aims to build a system that could allow spacecraft to receive power from an external source rather than relying entirely on their own solar panels and batteries.

The startup is led by Chief Executive Officer Kai Sugihara, Chief Technology Officer Yusei Fujii and Chief Operating Officer Koya Tani. Its parent organisation is registered as a public benefit corporation in California, while its Japanese entity operates as Zero Industries Japan.

Helios to Enable Wireless Power Transfer Between Satellites

The company's first planned service, Helios, is designed to transmit solar-generated electricity between spacecraft using laser technology. The proposed system will include a transmitting satellite, a receiver module installed on a customer's spacecraft, and software to schedule and measure power delivery.

According to the company, the technology could help satellite operators reduce the weight required for onboard solar panels and batteries. This could free up additional space and weight for other equipment, including sensors, computing systems and propulsion technologies.

Company Targets First Orbital Demonstration in 2030

Zero Industries plans to conduct ground-based experiments before testing its technology in space. From late 2026 through spring 2027, the company aims to evaluate receiver components, conduct a kilometre-scale outdoor power transmission test and test laser tracking of moving targets.

In the second half of 2027, the startup plans to begin designing an orbital demonstration system and selecting a satellite platform. It is targeting its first satellite-to-satellite power transmission demonstration in 2030, followed by the deployment of commercial transmission satellites.

Efficiency Remains a Key Challenge

Laser-based power transmission faces technical challenges, particularly energy losses during transmission and conversion into usable electricity. Satellite deployment also requires accurate laser tracking, heat management, radiation resistance and reliable long-term operation.

In September 2025, NTT and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries reported receiving 152 watts of electricity from a one-kilowatt laser transmitted over a distance of one kilometre during an outdoor demonstration. The test provides an example of ongoing work in the field, while highlighting the gap between transmitted optical power and the electricity ultimately received.

About Zero Industries

Zero Industries is a space technology startup developing a laser-based power transmission service for satellites. Through its planned Helios system, the company aims to enable spacecraft to receive solar-generated electricity from other satellites, potentially reducing their dependence on onboard power-generation and storage equipment.

The company is targeting an initial orbital demonstration in 2030, with plans to develop commercial transmission satellites and serve its first customers after validating the technology.

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