Singapore's Aliena raises $5.5M to challenge Europe's satellite propulsion market
What's the deal? Singapore-based spacetech startup Aliena has raised $5.5 million in a series A1 round led by investment firm In Group HoldingsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. Existing backers Wavemaker Partners and workforce management firm LotusOneDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → also joined.
What does it do? Founded in 2018 by Mark Lim and George-Cristian Potrivitu, Aliena develops Hall effect thrusters, a type of electric propulsion engine that holds satellites in position across long missions. The pair met while pursuing doctorates at the Space Propulsion Centre of Nanyang Technological UniversityDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →.
The expansion: Aliena will spend the funds on research, development, and production, and plans to open a European Union office by early 2027. Europe is already its primary market, where it serves the most customers and competes with firms like France's ExoTrail.
Why now? There is a global shortfall of Hall thrusters, Lim said. Sanctions have cut off Russian-made engines, while shortages have delayed some US defense programs, pushing European firms to seek suppliers outside the US.
What's the endgame? Aliena wants to become the industry standard. "You can think of us like the Rolls-Royce for satellites," Lim told Tech in Asia , aiming to supply engines to any satellite maker or operator.
The company offers two thruster classes — 100 watts and 300 watts — and is developing a third near the kilowatt range. Since opening its own test and production facility in Singapore in 2025, it has cut lead times, targeting delivery in 12 months against an industry average of 12 to 18 months.
What could go wrong? Aliena's long-term goal is an off-the-shelf thruster that installs without custom engineering, but its newer, higher-power products remain largely built to order. Many past projects were customized, Lim said, which could slow its push to scale.
The signal: As major US defense contractors acquire local thruster makers to win government contracts, and European operators work to build satellite networks free of US suppliers, propulsion has become a strategic bottleneck. Aliena's raise and EU move position it to fill a supply gap few companies can serve.
Read more: techinasia.com
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
