Active spacetech investors pushing launch, satellites and defense in 2025

Raising money for spacetech is different now. Defense budgets are driving deals. Dual-use tech gets meetings faster than pure commercial plays. If you're building launch systems, satellites, or in-orbit services, you need investors who understand long development cycles and capital-intensive hardware.

The spacetech market hit $8.4 billion in 2025 across 287 deals. Launch capacity became a national security priority. Impulse Space raised $300 million in June. Stoke Space closed $510 million in October. These aren't outliers - they're what happens when defense and commercial demand converge.

This list focuses on investors who've actually closed spacetech deals in 2024-2025. Not firms that mention space on their website but never write checks. These VCs understand orbital mechanics, payload mass, and burn rates for hardware companies.

Quick list

Finding the right spacetech investor

Experience matters more than brand names. Find VCs who've backed companies through flight tests and regulatory approvals. Ask their portfolio founders about actual support during vehicle qualification or when dealing with Space Force contracts.

Network means specific intros, not generic promises. Check if they can connect you to Range Safety Officers, NSSL program managers, or anchor customers at commercial constellation operators. That's what moves deals forward.

Alignment on timelines is critical. Seed investors rarely understand Series B burn rates for manufacturing facilities. Late-stage growth funds won't wait through three years of engine development. Make sure they've funded similar hardware timelines before.

Track record shows up in portfolio outcomes. Look at whether their spacetech companies raised follow-on rounds. Dead portfolio companies or flat valuations are red flags. Check how many made it past prototype to actual missions.

Communication needs tracking from day one. Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see who actually opens your propulsion test data versus who just skims the intro slides. If VCs skip your technical specifications, that tells you something.

Value-add should be concrete. Generic "we have a great network" answers are useless. Ask what operational support they provide during manufacturing scale-up or government contract negotiations. Most can't give specific examples.

How to reach spacetech investors

Identify potential investors by checking recent spacetech deals on Pitchbook or Crunchbase. Seed funds won't lead your Series B no matter how good your deck is. Match your stage and capital needs to their typical check sizes.

Craft a compelling pitch showing specific traction metrics. Spacetech investors are tired of TAM slides without unit economics. Show your cost per kilogram to orbit, time between launches, or payload deployment success rates with real data.

Share your pitch deck using Ellty, you can send trackable links. Upload once and send unique links to each investor. Monitor which pages they spend time on - if they skip your mission profile slides but read financials twice, adjust your pitch accordingly.

Utilize your network through portfolio founders on LinkedIn. Message them directly and ask about response times and actual value-add during due diligence. Most will be honest about whether their VC helped or just showed up at board meetings.

Attend networking events where deals actually happen. Space Symposium, Satellite Conference, and SmallSat Symposium are where you'll meet decision-makers. Skip the small local space events - they're mostly academics and consultants.

Engage on online platforms after getting warm intros. Connect with partners on LinkedIn only after a portfolio founder introduces you. Cold DMs to spacetech VCs rarely work - they get dozens daily from founders with mission patches.

Organize due diligence materials before investors ask. Set up an Ellty data room with your propulsion test results, FCC licenses, and cap table before the first partner meeting. It speeds up diligence by weeks, especially when paired with clean document analytics.

Set up introductory meetings leading with your technical differentiation. Don't waste 20 minutes on market-size slides they've seen 100 times. Jump straight to why your engine has a higher thrust-to-weight ratio or how you're achieving reusability differently, and share it through secure files to keep sensitive engineering data protected.

Why spacetech funding matters now

Space investment reached $3.3 billion across 166 deals in 2025, with late-stage deals hitting their highest percentage in a decade at 41%. Launch capacity became a defining factor in U.S. competitiveness as defense budgets prioritized space capabilities.

The shift toward dual-use technologies accelerated throughout 2025. Defense-focused deals included companies like Castelion ($350 million), Hadrian ($260 million), and multiple aerospace manufacturers securing nine-figure rounds. If your tech maps to both commercial and government applications, you'll get more meetings.

18 best spacetech investors

1. Linse Capital

Led by Thomas Tull, Linse focuses on technologies relevant to national security and economic resilience.

• Recent Deals: Impulse Space $300M Series C (June 2025), Stoke Space $510M Series D co-investor (October 2025)
• LinkedIn: Bastiaan Janmaat LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Space transportation, defense tech, in-orbit services, dual-use technologies
• Stage Focus: Series C, Series D, late-stage growth
• Location: United States
• Website: linsecapital.com

2. U.S. Innovative Technology Fund (USIT)

Thomas Tull's defense-focused fund investing in critical technologies for national security.

• Recent Deals: Stoke Space $510M Series D lead (October 2025), Shield AI, Gecko Robotics
• LinkedIn: Thomas Tull LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Launch systems, reusable rockets, defense technology, national security
• Stage Focus: Series C, Series D, late-stage
• Location: United States
• Website: usit.com

3. Lux Capital

Science and technology VC backing contrarian founders building frontier companies from $100k to $100M checks.

• Recent Deals: Impulse Space $10M (2022), Hadrian, Anduril, ongoing space portfolio
• LinkedIn: Josh Wolfe LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Space propulsion, aerospace manufacturing, satellites, defense tech, robotics
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, growth
• Location: New York, Menlo Park
• Website: luxcapital.com

4. Founders Fund

Backs audacious companies building the future with long-term contrarian bets on hard tech.

• Recent Deals: Impulse Space Series B and C (2024-2025), early SpaceX investor, 17+ space deals
• LinkedIn: Peter Thiel LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Launch systems, space transportation, propulsion, advanced manufacturing
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: San Francisco
• Website: foundersfund.com

5. Seraphim Space

World's most prolific spacetech investor with 145+ portfolio companies from seed to exit.

• Recent Deals: D-Orbit, ICEYE, Wyvern Space launches (November 2025), Voyager Technologies acquisition
• LinkedIn: James Bruegger LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Earth observation, satellites, space infrastructure, defense, communications
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, growth via SSIT
• Location: London, UK
• Website: seraphim.vc

6. Space Capital

Early-stage fund focused on GPS, geospatial intelligence, and communications technology stacks.

• Recent Deals: 112 portfolio investments, six exits, specialist in space data infrastructure
• LinkedIn: Chad Anderson LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: GPS, geospatial intelligence, satellite communications, space data
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, early-stage
• Location: New York
• Website: spacecapital.com

7. Breakthrough Energy Ventures

Bill Gates-backed climate fund investing in technologies that can eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.

• Recent Deals: Stoke Space Series C and D (2025), climate-focused space applications
• LinkedIn: Carmichael Roberts LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Climate tech, sustainable launch, Earth observation for climate
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C, growth
• Location: United States
• Website: breakthroughenergy.org

8. SpaceFund

Thesis-driven early-stage fund avoiding satellite swarms and drones, focused on space transportation.

• Recent Deals: 21 portfolio companies, focused on infrastructure enabling next era of space economy
• LinkedIn: Rick Tumlinson LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Space transportation, orbital infrastructure, multi-billion dollar markets
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, early-stage
• Location: Austin, Texas
• Website: spacefund.com

9. DCVC

Deep tech fund investing in computational and hard science companies with defensible advantages.

• Recent Deals: Impulse Space Series B and C (2024-2025), dual-use defense technologies
• LinkedIn: Zachary Bogue LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Space propulsion, computational aerospace, dual-use tech
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: San Francisco
• Website: dcvc.com

10. RTX Ventures

Corporate VC from RTX (Raytheon Technologies) backing aerospace and defense innovations.

• Recent Deals: Impulse Space Series C (2025), defense-adjacent space companies
• LinkedIn: Daniel Ateya LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Aerospace, defense, space propulsion, government contracts
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Waltham, Massachusetts
• Website: rtx.com/ventures

11. Airbus Ventures

Corporate VC from aerospace prime investing globally in space applications and infrastructure.

• Recent Deals: Impulse Space Series C (2025), global aerospace portfolio
• LinkedIn: Thomas d'Halluin LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Launch, satellites, space applications, aerospace tech
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Munich, San Francisco, Tokyo
• Website: airbusventures.com

12. Shield Capital

National security-focused VC backing technologies that strengthen defense capabilities.

• Recent Deals: Starfish Space, orbital services companies, dual-use technologies
• LinkedIn: Raj Shah LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Defense tech, dual-use space, orbital services, national security
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: United States
• Website: shieldcap.com

13. Industrious Ventures

Hardware-focused fund backing manufacturing-intensive companies at early and growth stages.

• Recent Deals: Stoke Space Series C and D (2025), aerospace manufacturing
• LinkedIn: Robin Vasan LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Aerospace manufacturing, launch systems, hard tech production
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C, growth
• Location: San Francisco
• Website: industriousventures.com

14. Point72 Ventures

Growth-stage investor backing companies with proven traction and scaling revenue.

• Recent Deals: Stoke Space Series C (2025), Starfish Space, space infrastructure
• LinkedIn: Matthew Granade LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Space infrastructure, orbital services, proven space companies
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth
• Location: Stamford, Connecticut
• Website: point72ventures.com

15. Valor Equity Partners

Growth equity firm backing transformative companies with significant market traction.

• Recent Deals: Impulse Space Series C (2025), late-stage space transportation
• LinkedIn: Antonio Gracias LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Space transportation, aerospace, late-stage proven companies
• Stage Focus: Series C, Series D, growth equity
• Location: Chicago
• Website: valorep.com

16. Munich Re Ventures

Corporate VC from insurance giant interested in risk management applications of space tech.

• Recent Deals: Starfish Space, orbital infrastructure for risk assessment
• LinkedIn: Peter Nooteboom LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Orbital services, space infrastructure, satellite applications
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: Munich, San Francisco
• Website: munichreventures.com

17. Space VC

Seed-stage fund investing at intersection of space, defense, and frontier tech from day zero.

• Recent Deals: Early-stage space companies, defense tech, frontier technology
• LinkedIn: Spencer Hemphill LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Space tech, defense tech, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing
• Stage Focus: Seed, pre-seed
• Location: United States
• Website: spacevc.com

18. Prime Movers Lab

Breakthrough tech fund backing physics-based innovations solving global challenges.

• Recent Deals: Space propulsion, advanced manufacturing, breakthrough physics applications
• LinkedIn: Dakin Sloss LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: Space propulsion, aerospace manufacturing, physics-based breakthroughs
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: San Francisco
• Website: primemoverslab.com

Start tracking your spacetech outreach

These 18 investors closed spacetech deals from 2024 to November 2025. Before you start reaching out, set up proper tracking so you know which investors are actually engaged.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your propulsion data. Most founders are surprised when investors skip their market size slides but spend 10 minutes on test results and manufacturing timelines.

When investors ask for due diligence materials, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your vehicle specifications, test data, FCC licenses, and cap table in one secure place. You'll see who accesses what documents and when they're diving deeper versus just browsing.

Common questions

How do I know if a spacetech investor is still active?

Check Crunchbase or Pitchbook for deals in the last 12 months. Talk to their recent portfolio founders on LinkedIn - they'll tell you if the firm is writing new checks or just managing existing investments.

Should I cold email spacetech investors or get introductions?

Get introductions through portfolio founders. Cold emails to spacetech VCs rarely work - they prioritize warm intros from people they trust. Message founders on LinkedIn and ask for connections if your tech is relevant.

What's the difference between seed and Series B spacetech investors?

Seed investors back prototypes and early testing with $500k-$5M checks. Series B investors want flight-proven hardware and government contracts with $20M-$50M checks. They have completely different risk tolerances and timelines.

How many spacetech investors should I reach out to?

Target 15-25 investors who've actually done spacetech deals at your stage. Quality over quantity - a targeted list with warm intros beats 100 cold emails. Use Ellty to track engagement across all of them.

When should I set up a data room for due diligence?

Set it up before your first investor meetings. Have your test data, vehicle specs, licenses, and financial model ready in Ellty. When investors ask for materials, you send one link instead of scrambling to compile documents.

Do investors actually care about pitch deck analytics?

Yes, but not how you think. Analytics show you which investors are serious versus just browsing. If someone views your deck three times and spends 15 minutes on financials, they're interested. If they skim it once and never return, move on.