Ryan Stevenson, Ph.D., a founding member of the Kymeta organization, was selected for the council based on his deep knowledge and diverse experience in the industry

Ryan Stevenson, Ph.D., Vice President and Chief Scientist at Kymeta, has been accepted into the Forbes Technology Council, an invitation-only community comprised of top-tier technology executives from exceptional companies around the world.

Members of the Forbes elite business communities are reviewed and selected by a committee based on their depth and diversity of experience and have the exclusive ability to publish their expert insights on Forbes.com.

Dr. Ryan Stevenson is a founding member of the Kymeta organization and through his work at Intellectual Ventures, helped spin out and create Kymeta in 2012. The company’s distinctive technology is based upon scientific discoveries in the field of metamaterials and has been harnessed into a world-class flat-panel electronically steered antenna utilized today globally by defense, government, public safety, and commercial users.

“The satellite communications market is projected to grow exponentially over the next decade,” said Dr. Stevenson. “Kymeta’s disruptive technology is at the forefront of innovation in this space, and I look forward to sharing my expertise with the community as we help transform the industry and open up a world of constant connectivity.”

Ryan brings an extensive background in RF/microwave engineering, photonics, and semiconductor manufacturing to his role at Kymeta and leads Research & Development and Intellectual Property for the corporation. He holds a B.S. in Biomedical and Electrical Engineering, an M.S. in Electrical Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California.

Stay up to date on the latest Forbes Technology Council articles from today’s world-class leaders by following the network on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Mikala Johnson, Ph.D., Principal System Engineer of LEO Systems at Kymeta, has been named a 2021 “20 Under 35” Honoree by Space & Satellite Professional International (SSPI).

The 20 under 35 list recognizes young professionals and entrepreneurs in the space and satellite industry who are expected to have a profound impact on the industry in the future. Mikala was selected for the honor due to her demonstrated initiatives and leadership, character and reputation, creativity and problem-solving skills, and career accomplishments which have created new capabilities and ensured excellence in technology and service. 

“Mikala has been with Kymeta for 9 years and is a rising star,” said Paul Klassen, Vice President Engineering at Kymeta. “Her passion, unique skillset, ability to solve complex problems, and collaborate with others makes her not only an asset at Kymeta, but a high-valued and respected leader in the industry.”

As a Principal System Engineer of LEO Systems at Kymeta, Mikala is responsible for cross-organizational workstreams ensuring LEO-ready user terminals with a special emphasis in software and algorithms for mobile LEO acquisition and tracking. She also helped spearhead the product development and launch of the second-generation Kymeta™ u8, a flat-panel satellite antenna, the first of its kind, and Kymeta Connect ™ connectivity services, which provides revolutionary mobile connectivity on satellite and hybrid satellite-cellular networks to customers around the world.

“It is an honor to be recognized by SSPI as one of 20 under 35.  It is a pleasure to work for Kymeta with talented and dedicated colleagues.  I’ve enjoyed meeting customers and learning new skills while working on problems that matter to the product from initial mobile acquisition and tracking of GEOs to, now, building a complete LEO terminal for new customers and markets.”

Mikala holds a Doctorate and Master of Science in Applied Mathematics from the University of Washington. She received her Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering at New Mexico State University. The fourth annual cohort of the “20 Under 35” honorees will be celebrated at SSPI’s 16^th Annual Future Leaders Dinner LIVE! in October at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA.

See the full list of SSPI honorees here:

https://www.sspi.org/articles/sspi-announces-the-2021-20-under-35-list-of-young-professionals-to-watch-in-the-coming-years

The prominent list recognizes companies leading in transformational technology, ground-breaking deals, expected activity, and overall excitement in the space and satellite industry.

Via Satellite announced that Kymeta Corporation has been named one of the Top 10 Hottest Companies for 2021. In a video announcement, the judges revealed the list of leading companies bringing transformational technology, innovative ideas, and next-generation technology to the industry. 

“Kymeta has been a big talking point in the industry particularly with the recent launch of its u8 electronically-steered antenna terminal,” said Mark Holmes, Editorial Director of Via Satellite. “It’s one of the most exciting companies out there in this area.”

This is Via Satellite’s third year introducing the Top 10 Hottest Companies in Satellite list with Kymeta joining industry giants like SpaceX in 2019 and Lockheed Martin in 2020. This year’s winners were selected based on their work to revolutionize launch, remote sensing, manufacturing, situational awareness, and many other space capabilities.

The development of the Kymeta™ u8 antenna and Kymeta Connect™ continues to advance connectivity innovation around the world and what the future of global connectivity looks like. Via Satellite recognized Kymeta for an impressive year of ground-breaking deals, mix of market share, external press coverage, overall industry excitement, and expected activity in 2021.

“Kymeta’s had a buzz around it for years and years,” Holmes added. “There’s always been a lot of talk of the potential of Kymeta when these products come out and how they might impact the market. Now we’re very much getting towards prime time where we really get to see what Kymeta is about.”

Kymeta’s connectivity solutions provide revolutionary mobile connectivity on satellite and hybrid satellite-cellular networks to customers around the world that no other antenna company offers today. We are excited to continue leading and innovating in this impactful space.  

Learn more about Via Satellite’s full list of 2021 winners here: https://www.satellitetoday.com/10hottestcompanies/

The Association of Telecom, Mobility and IT Management Professionals (AOTMP®) selected Kymeta Corporation as 2021’s Hottest New Mobility Solution!

Kymeta solutions continue to receive high profile recognition and an overwhelmingly positive response from the industry. Our unmatched and unique hybrid connectivity solutions aim to bridge the gap in connectivity through satellite and LTE ecosystems, offering a more reliable and seamless experience that will better support mission critical communications and the rescue of lives and property. During this year’s Association of Telecom, Mobility, and IT Management Professionals (AOTMP®) awards, a panel of judges selected Kymeta Corporation as 2021’s Hottest New Mobility Solution.

AOTMP is an organization dedicated to leading the industry into the future through education, information, and insights. The awards recognize innovation and excellence in telecom, mobility, and the technology industry, nominating enterprises and vendors that positively impact the telecom environment and elevate excellence in their business. In the ‘Hottest New Mobility Solution’ category, Kymeta was recognized as the most progressive new mobility product or solution introduced by a vendor over the course of the 20-21 year.

The judges scored each company based on criteria including business impact, innovation, uniqueness of solution, and creativity exhibited in solving business problems. Kymeta was selected for its ability to transform the purchase and consumption of mobile data with all-inclusive hardware, connectivity, and services, and creating a solution that supports reliable and consistent connectivity.

In addition to awarding Kymeta, AOTMP also recognized Kymeta’s VP of Product Management, Ph.D., Lilac Muller, in the publication’s 2021 June edition of Women in Tech.

The global COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the need to maintain dependable communications for businesses, first responders, government agencies, and many more. The demand for products, services, and connectivity across platforms continue to increase and Kymeta is continuing to lead and innovate on our current and future solutions every day. We believe that we are developing solutions that can have a significant impact on the world and are excited to be recognized by AOTMP for our revolutionary work.

Troubleshooting Tech with a Human Touch

The Kymeta customer experience platform relies on a sophisticated suite of tools and technology to integrate internal back-end systems with customer-facing troubleshooting. And while the software that powers our toolkit – from Salesforce ServiceCloud to Oracle to Sharepoint – equips our technicians to have all necessary data at their fingertips, it is the culture and attitude of our customer support professionals that truly makes the Kymeta customer experience best-in-class.

When a troubleshooting request comes in, customers are looking for someone on the other end of the line who cares, listens, wants to and has the technical expertise to solve their issue. Because we operate a 24×7 NOC, with technicians located across the U.S. and Europe, communication and team cohesion are critical in providing a seamless customer experience around the clock. Even with COVID-19 our team has stayed connected, working all day through questions and ideas shared across time zones and shifts. The lack of face-to-face interactions has not affected our ability to be a strong, problem-solving team.

Beyond the technical support, we have built a forum to address the questions and concerns of our customers efficiently and effectively. Our top priority is that no matter what issue is being resolved, or what time of day (or night) it is, our partners and customers should feel supported and informed by the Kymeta and Lepton teams. Technology has helped us achieve that goal despite being separate by COVID-19, but the character of our people is what keeps it going.

Despite the challenges presented by working remotely, our mean time to resolve troubleshooting issues has continuously dropped over the last 6 months, while customer feedback to our NOC team has remained high.

From Our Partners

“Great and timely support” – Elizabeth Ancin, Viasat

“Kymeta did an excellent job supporting our unusual requests. I appreciate that he they verified the information before giving it to us.” – Howie DeFelice, Intelsat General

“The NOC stayed on top of the issue we were having and stayed on it until the problem was resolved and the customer was satisfied.  Thank you for the support.” – Scott Davis, Copasat

“The Kymeta team was very helpful and went above and beyond to help me resolve my problem.” – Tommy Shorez, Satellite Phone Store

Kymeta Innovations

Kymeta Connect^TM transforms the purchase and consumption of mobile data by delivering a complete end-to-end solution that includes hybrid satellite-cellular connectivity, global support, and network services packages for a low monthly fee. Powered by a virtual architecture consisting of an operational stack that connects remote terminals to managed satellite and cellular services, Kymeta Connect integrates a digital back office for service and subscription management, and includes operations and care elements to deliver an excellent customer experience.

These services are delivered through an application called Kymeta Access which controls, manages, and monitors all hardware and software solutions. The app allows users to connect to the virtual platform to show subscription information, historical use metrics, and services information for registered customers of the Kymeta^TM u8 terminal. Kymeta Access is available for download through the Apple and Google Play stores. It can be used today on a tablet or through a web-based portal to interact with hardware, data, customer care, and subscription services.

The Specialists: Customer Engineering Support

With the release of our next-generation u8 products and Kymeta Connect services, the Kymeta Network Operations Center (NOC) and Customer Engineering Solutions (CES) teams have worked to offer the most focused, customer-centric support in the satellite industry.

We are always looking for ways to innovate. From troubleshooting capabilities, to resolving issues cross-functionally with other key parts of the Kymeta organization, we have implemented several processes that ensure our customer experience is efficient and effective. Building out an accessible knowledge base and documentation, finding ways to increase collaboration across teams, and streamlining ticketing and escalation means our customers’ technical issues are resolved quickly, and with urgency.

We offer global, 24/7 support so our customers have access to the right resources regardless of location or time zone.

Scaling Seamlessly

As we continue to scale, we strive to deliver new and innovative features like automated edge troubleshooting with the Kymeta Access App, an on-air out of the box experience for Kymeta Broadband customers, automatic network optimization based on location and weather conditions, and continued developments in our u8 product line.

These solutions are backed by a team of technical experts around the world focused on delivering the most seamless and accessible best-in-class support experience in the industry.

By Wen Cheng Chong, CTO and Co-Founder, Kepler Communications

The Kepler Mission is to build the internet in space.  That means delivering a network that will provide real-time communications to other satellites, space stations, launch vehicles, habitats, and emerging technologies on Earth.  Here at Kepler, we believe the need for connectivity and real-time communications will continue to develop in the coming years as the space industry expands.  As such, we are expanding our Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation and delivering services that solve problems that exist today such as providing large capacity data transfer from anywhere on the planet.  Taking on these challenges requires the right team, and that’s why Kepler’s first guiding value is Work Together. We believe that we need to work together to go far and strive to ensure the bonds of teamwork, goodwill, and trust in others are continuously strengthened for both internal counterparts and external partners.  We see immense value in building a team that extends beyond our own organization – our work with the team at Kymeta exemplifies this.

Delivering a satellite service to end users requires a number of different components.  Satellites and supporting infrastructures are useful only if the right equipment is located at the user site for communications.  That is where Kymeta comes in, with its next generation flat panel electronically steered antenna platform, the Kymeta^TM u8 terminal.  Kepler was the first to demonstrate LEO interoperability with the Kymeta u7, its first generation FPA, and we have been working closely with the Kymeta team on repeating that success with the Kymeta u8.  While we have been successful in working with traditional steerable VSATs, antenna systems such as the u8, which take the mechanical steering system and replace it with an electronic beam steering technology using metamaterials, can unlock the full potential of LEO satellites.  LEOs need antennas that can track the satellite across the sky and ‘switch’ to other satellites in the constellation near-instantaneously, which Kymeta is among the first to have successfully achieved. 

The collaboration between Kepler and Kymeta enables the delivery of a new service and connectivity to LEO satellites to the market at a much faster rate than would otherwise be possible.  The collaboration leans on the strengths of both companies and focuses on the expertise of each to deliver a complete solution.  The advances we have made together and continue to make, extends beyond our two organizations. We believe it will accelerate future work with other satellite systems, just as our ability to work with multiple antennas is strengthened each time we add a new interoperability capability to our portfolio.  The industry, market and use cases for satellite communication services are vast and varied and the more solutions that are available, the more the entire ecosystem is strengthened.

Kymeta and Kepler have similar goals and visions.  Both strive to develop innovative technology that is future-proof and both companies recognize that connectivity solutions need to be simple and seamless for the end user. Yes, setting new goals for performance and surpassing them is exciting, but for the end user it ‘just needs to work’ and solves a problem or addresses a pain that they feel.  Users of the u8 can already access satellites services from legacy GEO satellites and now they can also benefit from the services that Kepler is delivering from LEO with the same antenna system.   

Our own capabilities have increased significantly over the course of the last 12 months. On March 11, 2020 Kymeta and Kepler announced the start of the collaborative effort that would bring the capabilities of our Global Data Service offering to the u8.  At that time, we had our first two satellites in orbit and a few weeks earlier had announced our plans to stand up our own satellite assembly capabilities at our head office in Toronto. Despite the unique challenges of 2020, we did exactly that, and built and launched our first 10 GEN1 satellites in 12 months’ time. Eight of those satellites having launched in January of this year aboard SpaceX’s Transporter 1 SmallSat Rideshare Program.  On March 22, we launched an additional two satellites via the Soyuz-2, expanding our active constellation to 15 satellites in total. An additional launch is planned for June. At that point, our constellation will have gone from 2 to 17 in less than one year. 

New Space or Space 2.0 is about quick innovation and the expansion of technology and rapid iteration and deployment of new technologies at a pace that was previously not possible. Where satellite programs have traditionally spanned multiple years and cost hundreds of millions to build and launch, companies like Kepler are delivering satellites that have superior capabilities at a fraction of the cost.  Kepler is developing new satellites, Kymeta is developing new antenna technologies and solutions, and companies like SpaceX are developing new rocket programs that are making launches for satellites like ours both more accessible and more frequent. Companies like Momentus, with whom Kepler has entered into an agreement for the launch of our satellites in June, are developing new orbital placement technologies. Innovation is thriving throughout the space industry and continued collaboration with Kymeta and other companies like them, will enable us to push forward and go further, together.

Ben Posthuma, Kymeta Services Technology and Strategy Manager

At Kymeta, we are building on our core, connect-anywhere, satellite antenna technology to provide a ubiquitous communications and information platform that thrives in mobile and challenged environments. We are building forward-looking technology to deliver critical information, when its needed, anywhere in the world. We are making mobile global.

Technology – It’s Not Like the Movies

Take a minute to think about your favorite action movie which involves a hero team of characters. Maybe it’s a movie about an elite special forces group, a team of hotshot firefighters, or special agents who risk themselves to expertly save lives with impeccable precision.

Now think about the one thing these stories have in common.

They all face extraordinarily complex scenarios which are executed flawlessly because of the use of technology.  Unfortunately, technology does not always perform in the most ideal way in the real world. Systems don’t natively work together, networks aren’t always there or don’t have the bandwidth when you need them, and devices don’t always process the right kind of information. As the world becomes more connected, and machines, devices, and humans engage more than ever before, those of us in the information industry must work to build systems and architectures that enable the visions we are presented with in fiction.

A Better Antenna

At Kymeta, we are making the systems our first responders, military, and industries use today better and more accessible. Satellite can enable communications virtually everywhere, but connecting to satellite networks, especially when you’re moving, is often difficult and expensive. We have solved this problem with our holographic beamforming flat panel antenna system. The antenna mounts easily to the top of a vehicle, recognizes where it is in the world and where the satellites are, and connects to them – all while the vehicle is moving and without any intervention from the operator.

Satellite and Cellular, A New Kind of Network

Two years ago, Kymeta began investigating ways to bring cellular and satellite networks together. Not as two separate options or a failover if one isn’t available, but as a single network.

Working with key partners, we have established technology that connects the platform to the best satellite and cellular networks available. Local and cloud-based orchestration services look at user demand and identify the optimal route for the traffic. Virtual concentrators maintain data sessions even though the individual networks change. The user of a Kymeta-equipped mobile platform will always have the best connectivity in any environment without any intervention from the operator. This multi-WAN strategy has been deployed in multiple high-demand scenarios from the DoD to local first responders, and is critical to the communications backbone of many agencies.

The Right Information at The Right Time

The next challenge was finding a way to provide the right information at the right time. Applications and services integrated into the terminal function as edge-compute nodes, with data stored locally for rapid dissemination and processing without needing to reach back to a centralized system. This means analytics and artificial intelligence can look at the data, learn who the operators are and what they need, and automatically send the right information when it’s needed. For the operator, this means a reduction in information fatigue and an increase in more accurate information, optimizing the decision-making process for a safer and more effective response.

More Information, More Applications

Because processing and collection are now located at the edge of the network, the bulk of network traffic moves to the incident. Nodes in a local area can now interconnect and share information. By creating node-to-node traffic flows, a greater amount of information can be shared uninhibited by overly taxed backhaul networks.

Finally, the Kymeta platform also provides a local resource to host and deliver a wide range of applications to the operators. These can be existing applications or ones provided by third parties, but the ability to host them locally provides a faster and more reliable user experience.

Making Mobile Global

While the movies present a technology utopia that does not exist yet, Kymeta is actively developing the framework to provide those elements which are needed most. Consistent, reliable, and optimized communications are the foundation. Bridging cloud and edge computing into a mobile platform for reliable information access provides a highly capable distribution platform. And finally, delivering the applications to the operators puts the technology right into their hands. At Kymeta, we know what a connected future looks like and we have a few ideas on what it takes to get there.

By now you may have heard the news that Kymeta Corporation has acquired Lepton Global Solutions. We are excited about this development and how our new collaborative teams can build a better and more complete experience for our future and existing customers. Together, we will accelerate  our ability to pursue key opportunities within U.S. defense and government, as well as provide customized end-to-end connectivity solutions that can be deployed quickly and efficiently.

Lepton will operate in much the same way we have until now, but what does this mean if you’re an existing customer? You will experience no interruption in service, and you will continue receiving Lepton’s great suite of products, services, and customer support. You will also have access to more technical resources and more turnkey bundled solutions with capabilities that meet your unique and mission critical needs.

While we anticipate our networks to grow as a function of our recent transaction, the bottom line is this: Lepton customers will continue to receive the industry-leading customer service and 24×7 support that our team strives to offer every day, from our NOC in northern Virginia and headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

While your day-to-day experience won’t change noticeably, the acquisition brings several benefits to both of our existing customer bases.

Stronger, broader, network coverage and global customer support

Kymeta is a leading manufacturer of flat-panel satellite antennas and satellite-cellular hybrid connectivity services, and with the acquisition of Lepton, the company is pivoting toward being an end-to-end solutions provider. Lepton and Kymeta will jointly operate all network services for Kymeta Connect^TM, the bundled subscription services component of the Kymeta offering. As Kymeta’s antenna customer base grows, so will the networks supporting them. This means that Lepton customers – regardless of whether they use Kymeta technology – will have the benefits of broad global coverage and global customer support on the strongest satellites in each region of the world. For those on shared plans, this means the speed experience will be even better.

Increased technical support personnel

Our technical support teams will integrate to provide cross-over support to each customer base. The integration will allow us to expand our NOC team and our talent pool for you to call on whenever and wherever customer support is needed, regardless of the time of day or week. The new combined support team will enable greater personnel availability and increased expertise across each facet of the solution – from network management to remote troubleshooting to hardware expertise to billing and packaging support.

Improved customer service resources

In addition to more technicians and engineers supporting our customers, the acquisition brings a wealth of customer support tools and automation to the customer service experience. Over time, our customers will notice an improved issues ticketing system, a streamlined approach to customer support and issue resolution, and more online access to cases and joint knowledge base resources. We intend to bring world-class service to all of our customers, leveraging our incredible NOC team members and the best-in-class customer service technology that the market has to offer.

New look and feel

As you may have noticed, we have a new logo! Our updated branding reflects the joining of Lepton and Kymeta and the new capabilities it brings to both organizations. Also, before the end of 2020, we are likely to transition from Lepton Global email addresses to the Kymeta domain. We will send a couple of notifications before the transition to give customers ample time to update their contacts. And don’t worry – we will continue to receive your emails at our Lepton Global email addresses even after the migration. Providing immediate, helpful responses to customer inquiries remains our top priority, so we will ensure your communications are received regardless of how you send them.

Continued focus on customer mission

Does this mean an end to mission-based solutions? Not at all. Together, Lepton Global and Kymeta will continue to develop solutions for customers with a focus on the best technology for the customer’s mission. Kymeta’s solutions are designed primarily for mobility customers in need of hybrid satellite and cellular connectivity wherever they go. Lepton services customers with a wide variety of needs and applications, and our solutions will continue to reflect the best technology to meet those requirements.

We are confident that Lepton’s new ownership will mean increased resources and capabilities for our loyal customer base. Of course, if you have any specific questions or concerns about your services or solutions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We look forward to serving you!

 

Executive Q&A

We interviewed Rob Weitendorf and Isabel LeBoutillier, Lepton’s Managing Partners, on what this means for both organizations and important next steps moving forward.

What does the Lepton acquisition mean?

On Tuesday, August 18, Kymeta announced the acquisition of Lepton Global Solutions, a move that captures important synergies and accelerates Kymeta’s ability to pursue key opportunities with U.S. defense and government customers.

Question: Will Lepton and Kymeta be integrated?

Yes.

The Lepton brand will continue to operate as Lepton, a Kymeta company, and will continue to operate from the Lepton offices in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia. Lepton’s Managing Partners – Rob Weitendorf and Isabel LeBoutillier – will join the Kymeta management team.

Additionally, Lepton already hosts Kymeta’s satellite connectivity solutions. As a combined entity, the new offerings and capabilities will bring unique, complete, bundled solutions to the market based on best-in-class technologies and tailored customer-centric services that meet and exceed customer mission requirements. The integration of Lepton and Kymeta will bring the best of both companies to a unified organization.

Question: What will happen to Lepton’s existing networks?

Lepton will continue its day-to-day network operations including the management and growth of its global Ku-band networks. Lepton will also continue to support all customers with their existing capabilities (C-band, Ka-band, and X-band networks). Lepton’s broad services offering is an attractive capability from the perspective of both companies.

Customers will experience the same industry-leading customer support and service, now with the resources and capabilities of Kymeta supporting their operations.

Question: Will Lepton continue to sell other satellite hardware?

When applicable, Lepton will sell in combination with Kymeta services, but will also continue offering products from the best-in-breed manufacturers they have partnered with for years.

Question: Are there other transactions on Kymeta’s horizon?

There are no other transactions to comment on currently. Kymeta intends to be the leader in making mobile global. The company is pragmatic, ambitious, and intends to continue growing. It will continue to be opportunistic.