SWISSto12 CEO Emile de Rijk wins Via Satellite’s 2024 Satellite Executive of the Year Award

March 14, 2025 at 08:00 AM EDT

SWISSto12, one of the world's fastest-growing satellite companies and a leader in Radio Frequency communications solutions, announces that CEO and Founder Dr. Emile de Rijk has won the most prestigious award in the satellite industry, Via Satellite’s 2024 Satellite Executive of the Year Award. The announcement was made at the Via Satellite Annual Awards Luncheon, held during SATELLITE 2025 Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C.

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SWISSto12 Founder and CEO Dr. Emile de Rijk accepting the Via Satellite '2024 Satellite Executive of the Year' Award (Photo: Business Wire)

Emile was one of six nominees for this year’s award, based on contributions to global satellite markets, technologies, business practices, services, innovations, advocacy, or any combination of the aforementioned. A combination of the Via Satellite editorial team and votes directly from the industry decided the winner.

Founded in 2011, SWISSto12 developed with a bottom-up approach: growing from a university spinoff with patented 3D printing technology to disrupt the design and manufacturing of Radio-Frequency (RF) antennas, to an established and growing RF systems manufacturer with satellite user terminals including active electronically steered antennas (AESAs) developed and deployed on hundreds of airborne, maritime and ground platforms for Tier 1 customers including SES, Thales, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. In addition, the company now has thousands of products operating in space across LEO and GEO, with zero failures.

With its proven heritage in RF solutions established, in collaboration with the European Space Agency, SWISSto12 developed HummingSat – a small and agile satellite that defines a new category for geostationary telecommunications, helping global network operators including Intelsat, Viasat+Inmarsat, Astrum Mobile and sovereign nations use smaller assets in GEO to better address secure sovereign connectivity use cases, replacing ageing assets, servicing regional markets and supporting a variety of emerging payloads.

SWISSto12 has grown a strong team of over 200, with over 100% CAGR revenue growth over the past years, and a global footprint spanning Switzerland, Europe and the USA. Last year, the company was recognized as a Global Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum and one of Via Satellite’s “10 Hottest Companies in Satellite 2024”.

Already in 2025, SWISSto12 has continued its strong momentum with:

A new HummingSat customer deal with Astrum Mobile, which will deliver Satellite-to-Device (S2D) communications to the APAC region for the first time;

Being selected by SES to develop innovative large aperture electronically steered antenna for its customer user terminals for its second generation medium earth orbit (MEO) constellation, O3b mPOWER.

Announcing former SES and O3b Networks CEO, Steve Collar as Chair of the SWISSto12 board.

Dr. Emile de Rijk, CEO and Founder of SWISSto12 said: “It is extremely rewarding to receive the Via Satellite’s 2024 Satellite Executive of the Year Award knowing that only a decade ago we were a startup entering the space industry. This recognition would not be possible without the incredible talent, passion, and hard work of the entire SWISSto12 team as well as our partners and customers who entrusted us. Together, we are pushing the boundaries of SatCom innovation to better connect and protect users worldwide. Warm thanks to the Via Satellite panel and all those who voted.”

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About SWISSto12

SWISSto12 is a leading manufacturer of advanced satellite RF products, payloads and systems, including the HummingSat: a small yet powerful geostationary telecommunications satellite developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) through its public-private-partnership program. The company’s RF products benefit from unique and patented 3D-printing technologies and associated Radio Frequency (RF) product designs that deliver lightweight, compact, highly performing, and competitive RF functionality.

Besides its space portfolio, the company is also active in the telecommunications and aeronautic industry. SWISSto12 has developed commercially with success in Europe and in the USA, and is amongst the fastest growing aerospace companies in Europe. SWISSto12 spun off in 2011 from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), is privately owned and backed by prominent Swiss and European Investors.

About Via Satellite

Via Satellite provides essential news and expert business analysis on the global satellite communications marketplace, including current and evolving applications, infrastructure issues, technology, and business and regulatory developments around the world and reaches the most engaged community of satellite professionals and qualified industry decision makers.