he Brief

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Radical is building high-altitude solar aircraft to deliver globally-accessible broadband connectivity at a fraction of the cost of terrestrial networks.

CEO & Co-Founder: James Thomas

CTO & Co-Founder: Cyriel Notteboom

Investors: Y Combinator (W23)

History: Just Launched

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More than 3 billion people worldwide lack access to reliable broadband, and traditional methods such as terrestrial networks and satellites are often too expensive or inefficient to effectively serve these underserved communities. Radical, a company founded by James Thomas and Cyriel Criel, is revolutionizing internet connectivity with their stratospheric aircraft.

Radical's solution is to create high altitude solar aircraft that can deliver broadband connectivity at a fraction of the cost of terrestrial networks. These aircraft fly in the lower stratosphere, above weather and aviation traffic, and are able to continuously collect solar energy during the day and deploy battery power at night.

Unlike terrestrial cell towers, these aircraft maintain line-of-sight coverage over a large area and avoid terrain obstructions. They are also 20 times closer to the ground than low earth orbit satellites, reducing latency and eliminating the need for dish transceivers. And unlike high altitude balloons, Radical's aircraft can maintain position in strong winds.

The aircraft themselves have the wingspan of a passenger jet, but are ultra-light and ultra-efficient, weighing less than a motorbike and using the same amount of power as a hair dryer. With these innovative technologies, Radical is able to establish coverage in areas that were previously uneconomical to serve.

If you're aware of telecommunications companies seeking to expand and enhance their network coverage, feel free to contact Radical! Follow them on Twitter + LinkedIn.