The space company Isar Aerospace, based in Ottobrunn near Munich, has completed a financing round of 150 million euros. The investment comes from US investment company Eldridge Industries. Behind it is investor Todd Boehly, known as co-owner of numerous sports clubs such as football club FC Chelsea. The funds will flow to the startup via a convertible bond.
With the new financing round, Isar Aerospace achieves a company valuation of over one billion. This makes the company one of the Munich startups that has achieved unicorn status. CEO and co-founder Daniel Metzler sees the investment as clear confirmation of the company’s global market opportunities:
“We are serving the globally increasing demand for satellite launches and providing markets and governments with independent and flexible access to space. This investment confirms the strong confidence of global markets in our efforts to build a new leading provider in the space sector.”
The capital will be used to expand launch capacities and for series production of launch vehicles near Munich. The goal is to make Europe’s access to space technologically independent and cost-efficient.
Isar Aerospace was founded in 2018 by Daniel Metzler, Josef Fleischmann, and Markus Brandl. The startup develops and manufactures launch vehicles for small and medium-sized satellites as well as satellite constellations. According to its own information, the company now employs more than 400 employees from over 50 nations at five international locations.
The financing round is also strategically significant: Previously, Isar Aerospace had focused primarily on European capital providers. The entry of Eldridge Industries thus marks a turning point in the company’s financing strategy and strengthens its international orientation.
