Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology (): The Government will be joining
Eutelsat Group's capital increase today with a UK investment of
€163 million.
Eutelsat announced the €1.35bn capital increase, led by the
French state and other existing shareholders on 19 June 2025. The
Government has announced its participation in the capital
increase, taking it to a total of €1.5bn, as part of the
UK-France Summit.
Satellite connectivity is strategically important to the UK. The
investment in Eutelsat is a demonstration of our commitment to
this important low Earth orbit technology, alongside commitments
from the French Government and other existing shareholders.
The government's objectives for this investment are three-fold.
First, there are strategic security and resilience benefits to a
competitive low Earth orbit market for satellite communications.
Second, there is an opportunity for a company, with key
technology developed and delivered from the UK, to be successful
in future and support the growth of the UK space sector. Since
HMG made its earlier investment in 2020, the global satellite
communications market has evolved, and the importance of
resilient space capabilities and services has grown. Third, this
investment will establish a closer security and defence
collaboration between the UK and France. Based on these
objectives, the investment is value for money.
This investment means that the UK will retain its 10.89%
shareholding in Eutelsat Group and it will support the company to
extend its ambitious low Earth orbit services into the future.
The UK retains its rights negotiated in 2023 as part of the
merger between OneWeb and Eutelsat to form Eutelsat Group, and
the company has made commitments to provide certain benefits to
the UK including opportunities for university students,
guaranteeing a number of jobs and providing government with
priority access to services in certain contracts.
The Government will continue working closely with Eutelsat Group,
and the French Government, to ensure the company's commercial
success as part of strong UK space sector.
