Zenno
Next-generation electric propulsion systems for small satellites — reducing the cost and complexity of in-space manoeuvring for the rapidly growing smallsat market.
Zenno pioneers advanced electromagnetic propulsion and control solutions for satellites, enabling precise, propellant-free maneuvering in orbit. By harnessing superconducting magnets, Zenno reduces mission costs, extends satellite lifespans, and champions a more sustainable approach to space operations.
Why we invested
Satellites have relied on the same attitude control technology for decades: heavy, failure-prone reaction wheels and weak magnetic torquers that scale poorly. Zenno's Supertorquer uses superconducting wire and a space-tested cryocooler to generate 4 to 8 times more torque per kilogram than anything currently on the market, with no moving parts, no saturation, and a fraction of the size. The technology is proven on Earth, third-party validated by SpaceBase, and one in-space test away from commercial readiness, with Airbus, D-Orbit, and Arkisys already in advanced conversations. Max Arshovsky invented something that even esteemed researchers in the field had dismissed as impossible, and that is exactly the kind of founding insight that creates a category.
- Headquarters
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- GD1 lead
- Vignesh Kumar
