Rohde & Schwarz acquires stake in space-based SIGINT specialist Orbint

Germany electronics group Rohde & Schwarz announced on 13 November 2025 that it has acquired a stake in Orbint GmbH: a spin-off from the University of the Bundeswehr Munich.

As strategic partners, the two companies will combine their expertise in the field of satellite-based signals intelligence (SIGINT) to strengthen the long-term technological sovereignty and security of Germany and Europe in space.

Orbint was founded in 2025 by four University of the Bundeswehr Munich research assistants: Alexander Schmidt, Simon Heine, Daniel Weinzierl and Winfried Stock. It emerged as a spin-off from the SeRANIS small satellite mission funded by dtec.bw (the Centre for Digitisation and Technology Research of the German Armed Forces). This mission provides an orbiting multi-functional experimental laboratory, which among other things includes space-based communications and reconnaissance technologies.

The founders of Orbint deliberately chose Rohde & Schwarz as a strategic partner, co-founder and co-managing director of Orbint Alexander Schmidt explained. “It was important for us to find a partner who would not only contribute capital, but also create real added value with their technological depth, substantive expertise and market proximity,” he said. “Rohde & Schwarz has a broad technological base and strong interfaces in all domains. Combined with our aerospace activities, this creates new potential for innovation and operational excellence. We are very much looking forward to our future collaboration as partners and to our shared vision. At the same time, we are grateful for the excellent start-up environment and the tremendous support we have received from the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, which has mentored and shaped our journey from the very beginning.”

Alexander Orellano, executive vice president for technology systems and member of corporate management at Rohde & Schwarz, stated, “In the current geopolitical security situation, space-based signal intelligence is a key capability for Europe. With Orbint, we are gaining a highly specialised partner whose expertise and strength in innovation consistently complement our own. As an established technology company, we’ve made a conscious decision to collaborate with a start-up. We’re convinced that this type of collaboration can accelerate the development of advanced defence and aerospace technologies.”

Alexander Philipp, managing director of Rohde & Schwarz Vertriebs, added, “For us, the partnership with Orbint is not just a strategically important step towards expanding our technological expertise and portfolio. More importantly, by working together we can offer the German armed forces a sovereign solution with a national capability to ensure and further develop their ability to conduct signal intelligence reconnaissance from space.”