Other
Nov 2022Crowd Supply said several power-supply components had reached end-of-life/end-of-sale status in the prior 6-8 weeks, and Ukama had to source replacements to preserve product longevity.
SourceCompany research
Public company, workplace, funding, and market signals
Updated Jul 29, 2026
Overview
Ukama is a San Ramon–based, YC S20 startup building an open-source, decentralized "cellular internet in a box" platform that lets entrepreneurs, organizations, and communities deploy and manage their own cellular networks without traditional telco complexity.
Primary product
Cellular Internet in a box / decentralized cellular network hardware + software platform
Founded
2020
Headquarters
4 Crow Canyon Ct #200, San Ramon, California, United States
Team size
1-10 employees
Industry
Technology, Information and Internet
Sub-industry
Open-source cellular networking / private LTE infrastructure
Offices
San Ramon, California, United States
Pleasanton, California, United States
Business model
hardware sales
software/cloud management subscription
usage-based roaming/data services
network operator / MVNO enablement
Funding
Stage
Seed
Total raised
$150K
Latest round
Seed · Aug 2020
Latest amount
$150K
Aug 2020 · Y Combinator
People & investors
Work & culture
Mission-driven, small-team, open-source oriented, and focused on democratizing connectivity and bridging the digital divide.
Compensation
Salary.com estimates average annual compensation at about $103,518, with a typical range of roughly $90,985-$117,122; public signals also mention 401(k) and time off as common benefits, but no public salary bands or visa policy were found.
Benefits
401(k)
time off / PTO
Product & market
Pricing
Hardware kits plus SIM/eSIM sales, with subscription and usage-based roaming pricing; public product pages also show an entrepreneur package with a monthly subscription after the first month.
Differentiators
- —open-source and decentralized from the ground up
- —end-to-end solution spanning hardware, SIMs, core software, cloud services, and APIs
- —designed for self-deployment by non-telco operators
- —supports solar/off-grid operation and lower power usage
- —built to enable local ownership and community-operated networks
- —includes built-in billing / roaming / network-management capabilities
Technology
open-source hardware
custom cellular hardware
LTE / 4G
CBRS spectrum (band 48)
embedded core
cloud management console
REST APIs
Go
C
Python
JavaScript
TypeScript
SIM/eSIM support
solar / off-grid power
decentralized network architecture
Customers
entrepreneurs starting internet provider businesses
enterprises needing secure connectivity
communities and neighborhoods
ISPs and community network operators
remote and rural communities
industrial IoT / private-network operators
Competitors
Helium
FreedomFi / Nova Labs
Mavenir
NEC
CommScope
Ericsson
Scale & contact
Signals & risks
Other
Jul 2024Enduring Planet described Ukama as an early-stage hardware company whose manufacturing cash flow depended on milestone-based grant receipts, creating a financing gap between supplier payments and grant inflows.
SourceLatest news
Enduring Planet · Jul 2024
Case study on Ukama’s use of Enduring Planet financing to bridge cash-flow gaps for hardware manufacturing while serving remote communities with solar-powered cellular infrastructure.
Crowd Supply · Nov 2022
Post-campaign update noting the campaign total raised and the need to replace power-supply parts that had reached end-of-life or end-of-sale status.
The Verge · Oct 2022
Profile of Ukama’s Crowd Supply launch and its plan to let people deploy their own cellular network, including roaming concepts and the open-source cellular approach.
USTDA
USTDA said Ukama would carry out a feasibility study and pilot project for rural DRC connectivity using decentralized LTE infrastructure in North and South Kivu.
Crowd Supply
Project page for Ukama’s crowdfunding launch, describing the hardware kits, SIM/eSIM products, roaming model, and community/operator use cases.
Jobs and careers at Ukama
0 jobs at Ukama
No open positions
Check back later for new openings