Colorado’s Locus Lock, a startup specializing in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers, has successfully raised venture capital to fuel its expansion. The company designs receivers for maritime, airborne, terrestrial, and space applications.
“Sensors for advanced and autonomous navigation weren’t providing the trustworthy, precise and secure positioning data needed for safe and informed navigation,” Locus Lock CEO Hailey Nichols told SpaceNews. As a solution, Locus Lock developed software-defined receivers to function effectively in “complex and challenging environments, inclusive of areas that are GPS-contested or denied,” Nichols explained.
Established in 2021 within the University of Texas at Austin’s Radionavigation Laboratory, under engineering professor Todd Humphreys, Locus Lock produces receivers boasting “high-end performance at a price that make sense for mass market adoption in commercial and defense ecosystems,” according to Nichols.
AIN Ventures spearheaded Locus Lock’s investment round, with participation from Aurelia Foundry, CreationsVC, Jolt VC, ff Venture Capital, Techstars, and the University of Texas Seed Fund.
“Locus Lock represents the best combination of deep technical expertise and market readiness,” stated Sherman Williams, AIN Ventures managing partner. “Their transition from academic innovation to commercial application, particularly in critical sectors like autonomous mobility, made this a compelling investment opportunity for us.”
Beyond GPS, Locus Lock utilizes global and regional constellations, including Europe’s Galileo, China’s Beidou, and Japan’s QZSS. The startup’s receivers are also compatible with satellite-based augmentation systems.
“That’s important for signal diversity and availability,” Nichols noted.
With this new funding, Locus Lock intends to expand its workforce, increase manufacturing capacity, and convert pilot program participants into long-term customers. While the investment amount remains undisclosed, the company also secured a Colorado Advanced Industries Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant.
Hiring in Boulder “is one of the main things that we are looking to do in this next year,” Nichols said. Locus Lock’s receiver manufacturing takes place in Colorado.
Aerospace companies, including satellite operators, “typically are operating in highly dynamical environments with quite low signal-to-noise ratios,” Nichols pointed out. “Without having access to a very flexible, very capable receiver, they won’t achieve the type of [position navigation and timing] results needed to drive their mission forward.”
Locus Lock’s client base includes several unnamed satellite operators.
From 2021 to 2023, while Nichols pursued her master’s degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Texas, Locus Lock refrained from seeking external investment. This changed in 2023, post spin-off from the university lab and participation in the Techstars Space Accelerator.