Small Chips, Big Impact: SPHERICAL Brings Innovation to Space
Spherical, based in Rotterdam and Noordwijk, designs chips and manufactures satellite systems. The company is rapidly growing on its path to commercialization. Their goal: to have their own subsystem in orbit as soon as possible. “On Earth, major tech giants produce their own chips. When you design your own chip, you can integrate everything into a single chip; you qualify it once, and you control the entire supply chain.” This high-tech company serves a niche market within the space industry, but according to co-founder Bastiaan Bom, their innovations are also applicable to other domains within the Aerospace Delta – in the Netherlands, Europe, and beyond. By developing their own subsystems, they are working toward a future in which Europe is less dependent on foreign components. What’s happening in space?
This article is part of a series that provides entrepreneurs from Aerospace Delta a platform to share their journey – from initial ideas to market entry and realization. What steps do they take, and what is their role within the Aerospace ecosystem?
Thomas Parry (CEO) and Bastiaan Bom (CCO) of SPHERICAL
Just like major tech companies on Earth develop their own chips to gain full control over the supply chain, Spherical is working towards similar autonomy in space. While the global space industry was valued at approximately $630 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $1.8 trillion by 2035 (source: McKinsey), it remains relatively small compared to the much larger consumer market. Chip manufacturers that produce components for smartphones, for instance, operate in a market with significantly higher revenues and faster economies of scale. “Space remains a specialized market,” Bom explains. In a relatively short time, he has gained momentum by combining entrepreneurship with cutting-edge technological ingenuity.
Spherical’s first product, the Power Condition and Distribution Unit (PCDU), can be compared to a smart electrical panel for satellites. This system manages and distributes power to crucial satellite components such as communication systems and navigation equipment, including GPS or Galileo. Thanks to Spherical’s chips, the PCDU can be flexibly configured via software. This allows the system to be adapted for different missions without requiring hardware modifications—a win-win for satellite manufacturers.
The challenge: making electronics space-ready
Developing electronics for space comes with unique challenges. Components must withstand radiation and extreme temperature fluctuations. Moreover, the lifespan of components within a system is critical—failure in space often means the end of a satellite. “Much of the electronics used in space are based on a limited selection of generic components,” Bom explains. “If a component is no longer available, you often have to redesign the entire system. This makes systems large, inefficient, and vulnerable.”
Spherical addresses this issue by designing proprietary chips that integrate multiple functions. This approach makes systems up to ten times smaller and more efficient. By reducing reliance on generic components sourced from the U.S. or other regions, Spherical offers a scalable, flexible, and sustainable solution. “Our chips are manufactured in Europe using automotive-sector technologies that are also suitable for space applications. This way, we contribute to European independence and strengthen the regional ecosystem.”
Bom is also involved in dual-use applications, where products serve both civilian and military purposes. Spherical has been selected for the NATO DIANA Accelerator Program, making it the only space company from the Netherlands to participate. “This is an exciting development, as it allows us to contribute to critical communication and observation technologies. For defense, it is essential to be able to communicate from anywhere in the world, reducing dependencies.”
Radiation and Vibration Testing
To test their systems, Spherical collaborates with Dutch facilities such as the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR). “In the Netherlands, we have access to facilities that allow us to conduct radiation testing. This way, we can test our system and ensure that it remains operational throughout its lifespan.” The aerospace sector also brings unexpected opportunities for collaboration. Bastiaan recalls how he met the team behind Veoware, a Flemish company specializing in satellite rotation technology. “I happened to meet them on a plane while traveling to a conference. During our conversation, we realized that we were both working on power systems—Veoware from Leuven, Belgium, and Spherical from the Netherlands.”
Both companies shared the ambition to miniaturize their systems, particularly to reduce dependency on U.S.-sourced components. “That aligned perfectly with our value proposition, so we took up the challenge, and that’s how we got involved in the Crossroads program.”
Support Through Crossroads
The Crossroads initiative, an Interreg Flanders-Netherlands program, provided Spherical not only with financial support but also with valuable guidance. The program helped streamline administrative processes, enabling them to successfully secure funding. Bom explains: “Crossroads acted as a knowledge hub, assisting us in correctly completing documentation and obtaining administrative approvals.” Liesbeth Leurs, Senior Business Developer at InnovationQuarter, provided hands-on guidance throughout the process. “This support gave us confidence and focus, allowing us to concentrate on technological development.”
Funding: Fueling Spherical’s Growth
Beyond technology development, funding plays a crucial role in the company’s growth. With backing from investors like UNIIQ, Spherical has expanded its team and is steadily progressing towards its first in-orbit demonstration, planned for mid-2025. Bom looks back fondly on their first funding experience: “We boldly sent out an email and got an immediate response—asking if we could come by to pitch our idea.” From there, Bom and his team navigated an intense 2-3 month process, where every aspect of their business plan was scrutinized. “Looking back, the due diligence process was particularly demanding. But in the end, it gave us a crucial seal of approval that helped convince other investors as well. It’s truly a ‘stamp of approval’ for our continued development.”
A Look into the Future
While space technology remains Spherical’s primary focus, their ambitions extend beyond. Their expertise in chip design and system integration can also be applied to other sectors, such as aerospace. This presents opportunities to develop more efficient and compact avionics systems, though certification processes in this sector pose additional challenges. “In the Netherlands, our customer base is limited—there are some satellite manufacturers—but our main clients are in Europe and worldwide. To become part of these supply chains, it is crucial that we collaborate at the European level, ensuring access to our own technology. The Netherlands excels in identifying and leveraging the right niches, which other countries need to complete their products, projects, and missions.”
Part of the European Semiconductor Ecosystem
Spherical’s niche aligns well with the European semiconductor ecosystem (semicon). Through initiatives like the ChipNL Competence Centre and participation in international trade missions, the company is actively building strategic partnerships and exploring new markets, such as Japan.
The ChipNL Competence Centre supports companies with access to pilot production lines, design platforms, funding opportunities, and talent programs. Through the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), Spherical secured a place on a trade mission to Japan.
“Japanese satellite manufacturers have a demand for our products. We want to better understand this market and apply our expertise there,” says Bom. Additionally, he actively participates in international EEN matchmaking events, such as the Space Tech Expo in Bremen.
The ChipNL Competence Centre is a collaborative initiative involving Brainport Development, ChipTech Twente, High Tech NL, TNO, JePPIX, imec, and regional development agencies including OostNL, BOM, and InnovationQuarter. The center focuses on supporting and connecting segments of the semiconductor value chain with Dutch SMEs, startups, and scale-ups, particularly in areas such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment, chip design, (integrated) photonics, quantum technology, and heterogeneous integration.
Through EEN, where InnovationQuarter is one of seven regional development partners, Spherical gained access to trade missions, including one to Japan. This market is particularly valuable for Spherical due to its highly specialized satellite manufacturers, who need advanced satellite systems like those developed by Spherical.
Collaboration in Aerospace Delta
Aerospace Delta is a rapidly growing cluster of 260 companies and knowledge institutions and 9,000 employees in the aerospace, aviation, and drone sectors. The region brings together a wide range of parties: from innovative engineering companies to large manufacturers and suppliers. Academic institutions such as TU Delft, which ranks among the top three worldwide with its Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Erasmus University, and Leiden University contribute their expertise in technology, economics, and law. In addition, there are key research institutes like ESA-ESTEC, TNO, and SRON, as well as incubators like YES!Delft and the Aerospace Innovation Hub, which help startups to grow. The collaboration among all these parties, supported by the province of South Holland and local governments, ensures that the aerospace cluster continues to strengthen, for example through the development of specialised test labs and innovation hubs.
