OneWeb, Eutelsat agree $3.4 billion merger to rival Elon Musk’s SpaceX

U.K. satellite operator OneWeb plans to join forces with European rival Eutelsat in a deal the two companies hope will help them take on Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The all-stock merger will see Eutelsat issue 230 million new shares and exchange them for all remaining shares of OneWeb, according to a press release Tuesday.

Shareholders of OneWeb and Eutelsat will own 50% of the combined firm, respectively. The deal values OneWeb at $3.4 billion.

Once united, the merged entity is expected to generate roughly 1.2 billion euros ($1.22 billion) of revenues in the 2022-23 fiscal year, the companies said.

Eutelsat’s Dominique D’Hinnin and Eva Berneke will continue in their respective roles as chairman and CEO of the combined entity, while OneWeb backer Sunil Bharti Mittal will become co-chairman.

D’Hinnin, Eutelsat’s chairman, said the deal would help the companies “seize the significant growth opportunity in connectivity.”

“This combination will accelerate the commercialisation of OneWeb’s fleet, while enhancing the attractiveness of Eutelsat’s growth profile,” he added.

OneWeb wants to distribute 648 low-earth orbit satellites that would help beam broadband to rural areas with limited internet access. It currently has 428 satellites in orbit, which will now be combined with Eutelsat’s 36-strong fleet of geostationary orbit satellites.

OneWeb, long touted as a competitor to SpaceX’s huge Starlink satellite internet project and Amazon’s own Project Kuiper, has faced difficulty turning its lofty ambitions into a viable economic model.

The company emerged from bankruptcy in 2020 with the help of the U.K. government, having burned through billions of dollars in venture capital. The government kicked in $500 million as part of a bailout package for the firm.

The startup had also been impacted by a freeze on rocket launches from Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, and was forced to turn to SpaceX for support.

OneWeb is hoping the combination with Eutelsat will help turn its fortunes around, with CEO Neil Masterson calling it “another bold step” in helping the company on its mission.

“This combination accelerates our mission to deliver connectivity that will change lives at scale and create a fast growing, well-funded company which will continue to create significant value for our shareholders,” Masterson said.

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