EM Solutions is a proudly Australian company, born global, but of local talent.
First Cobra terminal installed on Royal Australian Navy vessel and certified for operation on both military and commercial SATCOM constellations
EM Solutions wins Essington Lewis award and named best Australian Defence SME in CASG Awards
EM Solutions acquired by Cohort PLC
In 1987, two of the key founders of EM Solutions (who are still with the company), Dr John Ness and Peter Bradley, created a spin out company from the University of Queensland, MITEC, before they went on to found EM Solutions in 1998. At the time, MITEC was a microwave components and microwave links company with pioneering products in high power and long range microwave communications. MITEC was also one of the university’s most successful spin out companies, both technically and commercially in terms of the capital returned to UQ, even though this was realised well before the successful float of MITEC on the Australian Stock Exchange in 1994 or its $28m purchase by CODAN in 1997. This early success was significant because it led the way for other start-up companies to follow, including EM Solutions.
EM Solutions continued to grow in the decade following its inception, and in 2009, EMClarity was spun out of EM Solutions together with its intellectual property portfolio in terrestrial radios and modems. This move proved successful, with EMClarity able to pursue microwave backhaul markets in sectors such as the finance sector, which have proven considerably different than EM Solutions’ traditional markets in satellite communications.
The broader economic contribution of the MITEC, EM Solutions, and EMClarity family should not be underestimated. In 1987, there was no microwave industry in Queensland, and AWA was the only other microwave company of any substance in Australia. Original employees of MITEC later went on to create other companies in the microwave, wireless and manufacturing industries, some of the larger ones being Micreo (now L3 Micreo), Triasx (now Kaelus), Syndetic, and Surtech. Two students employed at MITEC subsequently became founders of GroundProbe, a company that today is one of the most innovative and successful high technology companies in Brisbane. Taken together, these companies now employ over 400 people in South East Queensland alone, contributing at least $100M per year to the local economy, and exporting to most corners of the globe (approximately 80% of the total volume). There is no doubt that the roots of this industrial growth in the microwave sector can be traced back to MITEC.
MITEC was the direct predecessor of EM Solutions and even if history does not repeat itself, it rhymes. EM Solutions has tripled in size since 2013 and today is one of the most prestigious high technology companies in Australia.
In October 2019, EM Solutions was acquired by Australian company Electro Optic Systems (EOS).
CEO Dr Rowan Gilmore said, “EM Solutions is delighted to become a part of the EOS Group. For our customers, the new group offers a deeper capital base, access to further leading edge research, and much greater support capability offshore.”
“For the Australian Defence Force, the new entity provides an even stronger sovereign capability in future communications capability. We look forward to continuing to develop and improve our existing suite of on-the-move satellite communications products and flat panel antennas while now investing in future space communications technology as part of EOS.”
In December 2024, Cohort plc, the independent technology group, completed the acquisition of EM Solutions, expanding its naval defence offer and reinforcing the Group’s presence in Australasia, to become the seventh independent business within the Group.
Andy Thomis, Cohort Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome EM Solutions to the Cohort group. This is a significant step for Cohort, broadening the Group’s strong naval systems service offering, bringing new customers and enhancing the global footprint of the combined business.”
EM Solutions’ unique capabilities enable the Group to diversify into the expanding satellite communications market and complement its existing naval offer.