PowerBank Corporation and Orbit AI (formerly Smartlink AI) announced a partnership to launch the first Orbital Cloud, a low‑Earth‑orbit platform that will combine solar‑powered AI compute hardware with blockchain‑verified data nodes. The initiative, slated to begin with the DeStarlink Genesis‑1 satellite launch in December 2025, will deploy PowerBank’s advanced solar arrays and adaptive thermal control systems to provide continuous, 24/7 power for the in‑orbit AI data centers and global connectivity services.
PowerBank’s core expertise lies in distributed and community solar projects and battery energy storage systems across North America. In its most recent quarterly report, the company posted Q1 2025 revenue of $14.01 million and returned to profitability, a turnaround that underscores its operational discipline. The Orbital Cloud partnership represents a strategic extension of that expertise into space‑based infrastructure, leveraging the company’s clean‑energy technology to power a new class of data centers above Earth.
Orbit AI, which remains unfunded as of mid‑November 2025, will develop the decentralized satellite network (DeStarlink) and the orbital AI data centers (DeStarAI). PowerBank will invest an initial $50,000, with an option to increase the commitment to $10 million for a 20% equity stake. The partnership’s launch schedule includes 5–8 additional nodes in 2026 and a full constellation by 2027‑2028, positioning the two firms to capture a projected $700 billion+ market over the next decade across orbital infrastructure, satellite services, in‑orbit data centers, and blockchain verification.
The Orbital Cloud market is part of a broader shift toward space‑based AI and data services, with competitors such as Google’s Project Suncatcher, Starcloud, Axiom Space, and TakeMe2Space also pursuing similar concepts. PowerBank’s solar‑powered approach differentiates it by offering a sovereign, censorship‑resistant digital layer that can serve finance, communications, and critical infrastructure, aligning with the company’s vision of “building the infrastructure of tomorrow above the Earth.”
Following the announcement, PowerBank’s shares rose 10.5%, reflecting investor enthusiasm for the company’s pivot into a high‑growth, high‑barrier market. CEO Dr. Richard Lu emphasized that the partnership “leverages our solar expertise to create a globally sovereign, AI‑enabled digital layer in space,” while Orbit AI co‑founder Gus Liu highlighted the opportunity to “open an entirely new $700+ billion‑dollar market by combining energy, data, and sovereignty.”
The partnership offers PowerBank diversification beyond its traditional renewable portfolio, but it also introduces new risks. Orbit AI’s unfunded status and the technical challenges of deploying and operating in‑orbit AI data centers could delay revenue realization. Nonetheless, the strategic alignment of clean energy and AI infrastructure positions PowerBank to tap into a rapidly expanding market, potentially generating significant new revenue streams and reinforcing its role as a pioneer in space‑based power solutions.
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