State-of-the-art power reliability and data integrity in electronics - making cheap commercial chips survive the brutal radiation of space.
Space is the most hostile environment we ever send electronics into. A single heavy-ion particle can slam into a chip and trigger a "latchup" - a runaway current that can permanently burn out the device and, with it, an entire satellite. Traditional fixes mean buying rare, expensive, export-controlled "rad-hard" chips. Zero-Error Systems (ZES) took a different route: don't replace the cheap chip, protect it.
Founded in 2019 as a spin-off of Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, ZES designs radiation-hardened integrated circuits, radiation-tolerant system-on-modules, and the irradiation testing services that certify them. Its patented "radiation-hardened-by-design" (RHBD) technology wraps intelligence around commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) silicon - detecting latchup, limiting current, and correcting data errors before they cascade into failure.
The result is space-grade reliability at a fraction of the traditional cost. That matters enormously in the New Space era, where operators launch large constellations of small satellites and every kilogram and every dollar counts. ZES sells its work three ways: as physical ICs and modules, as licensable IP for chip designers, and as heavy-ion and laser testing services for the wider industry.
The approach has flight heritage. ZES technology first went to orbit in 2021 aboard three picosatellites built by the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan. Today the company counts more than 50 satellite makers across the United States, Japan, India and Europe among its customers - and a 20-person team in Singapore behind them.
Outside the protection of Earth's atmosphere, spacecraft are bombarded by high-energy particles. Two failure modes dominate: single-event latchup, where a particle strike triggers destructive current, and data corruption, where bit-flips scramble memory and logic. ZES targets both.
Zero-Error Systems enables semiconductor COTS into space by intelligently mitigating various radiation effects.
From single-function protection ICs to full reprogrammable compute modules and licensable IP, ZES sells the reliability layer that space systems are built on.
Latchup Detector & Protector - detects and stops single-event latchup in COTS devices before it burns them out.
Latching Current Limiter - guards power rails against radiation-induced over-current events.
Radiation-hardened point-of-load converter for reliable on-board voltage regulation.
Triple-modular-redundancy voter and error detection & correction algorithm that preserve data integrity.
Radiation-tolerant microcontroller System-on-Module for satellite subsystems.
The industry's first COTS FPGA-based radiation-tolerant System-on-Module - reprogrammable compute that survives orbit.
Radiation-Hardened-By-Design library cells and design services, delivered as die, packaged ICs or licensed IP.
Heavy-ion and laser diagnostic testing and advisory services for characterizing radiation effects.
Everyone chases the flashy layers of space - rockets, constellations, imagery. ZES went for the layer underneath: the power reliability and data integrity that decides whether any of it works. Below, an illustrative view of how ZES applications break down across mission types.
Chart is illustrative of ZES's stated application focus, not audited financial data.
Radiation-hardened ICs and radiation-tolerant System-on-Modules sold as die or packaged parts, distributed with partners such as Spirit Electronics.
Radiation-Hardened-By-Design library cells and design services licensed to chip designers who need proven rad-hard building blocks.
Fee-based heavy-ion and laser irradiation testing and advisory work for the broader semiconductor and space industry.
The incumbents in radiation-hardened silicon are large, established suppliers - Microchip (Microsemi), Renesas/Intersil, Texas Instruments' space line, STMicroelectronics, CAES/Cobham and Infineon. Most sell higher-cost, fully rad-hard parts. ZES's wedge is different: protection layers and design techniques that make affordable commercial silicon flight-worthy, aimed squarely at cost-sensitive New Space builders.
Airbus Ventures added ZES to its space portfolio early and returned for the Series A - a signal that the reliability problem ZES solves is real and strategic.
ZES is led by CEO Rajan Rajgopal, a semiconductor veteran with 25+ years of global experience, atop a founding team drawn from NTU's radiation-hardening research.
Incorporated as a Nanyang Technological University spin-off, licensing five patents from years of radiation-hardening research.
Raises ~$2.4M and joins the Airbus Ventures space portfolio.
Radiation-detection technology flies aboard three Kyushu Institute of Technology picosatellites.
Commercially launches its radiation-hardened IC portfolio.
Closes an oversubscribed $7.5M Series A and appoints Rajan Rajgopal as CEO.
Launches ZSOM-F01, the industry's first COTS FPGA-based radiation-tolerant System-on-Module.
Named Best Space Electronics Manufacturing Company 2026 - Asia.
It designs radiation-hardened integrated circuits, radiation-tolerant system-on-modules, and irradiation testing services that let low-cost commercial-off-the-shelf electronics operate reliably in space.
It is headquartered at 25 International Business Park, Singapore, and is a spin-off of Nanyang Technological University.
It was founded in 2019 by Arun Mittal, Shu Wei, Chong Kwen Siong and Prof. Joseph Chang. Rajan Rajgopal joined as CEO in 2023.
About USD 9.9M total, including roughly $2.4M in seed funding and an oversubscribed $7.5M Series A in 2023 led by Airbus Ventures and Dart Family Office.
More than 50 satellite makers across the US, Japan, India and Europe. Its technology first flew on Kyushu Institute of Technology picosatellites in 2021.
No official YouTube channel, product-demo, or interview video was found in public sources at the time of writing. Check the company's LinkedIn page for the latest media.