Commcrete, a startup founded by veterans of Israel’s elite defense technology units, just closed $29 million in funding to shrink tactical satellite communications from bulky vehicle-mounted antennas down to handheld devices. The $21 million Series A, led by Greenfield Partners, builds on a seed round from notable investors like Mobileye founder Prof. Amnon Shashua and will fuel the company's push to overhaul a sector that has long relied on heavy, unreliable systems.
For decades, soldiers and first responders have been saddled with SATCOM gear that requires a clear line of sight to the sky, often failing in forests, mountains, or dense urban terrain. Commcrete’s founders—CEO Itzik Daniel Michaeli, CTO Josh Yedidia, and COO Michael Mor—say they saw the consequences firsthand in Israel's most elite special forces units, where lost connectivity could compromise missions. Their answer is a suite of handheld, omni-directional systems designed to provide continuous voice and data without the traditional limitations.
From vehicle to vest
The company’s core innovation lies in its proprietary chipset and focus on narrowband SATCOM, which dramatically reduces the required antenna size and power consumption. This allows them to pack the capabilities of a much larger terminal into a 150-gram device. Its first product, Flipper, instantly converts any standard radio into a satellite-enabled system. A second, Stardust, is a standalone multi-channel communicator for voice, text, and location tracking.
Unlike traditional systems, Commcrete’s platform doesn't rely on specific satellite protocols or heavy ground infrastructure, giving it greater flexibility and resilience. "We set out to change that... by rethinking SATCOM from the ground up," said COO Michael Mor in a statement.
The company claims its tech has already been proven in combat and disaster response scenarios where conventional systems went dark.
