NATO invests in Munich-based rocket startup Isar Aerospace
Munich-based space tech Isar Aerospace announced a significant expansion of its Series C funding round by more than €65 million, bringing the total Series C funding to over €220 million. The expansion received a commitment from the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), a standalone venture capital fund backed by 24 NATO allies. The startup builds launch vehicles for transporting small and medium-sized satellites and is sometimes referred to as “Europe’s SpaceX.”
This fund provides over €1 billion to support deep-tech companies in the areas of defense, security, and resilience. It is the NATO Innovation Fund’s first direct investment in a satellite launch service provider, which is critical for both civil innovation and defense capabilities.
Using commercial technologies for sovereignty
“Access to space is critical to the technological sovereignty of Europe and the UK. Space technologies such as those developed by Isar offer immense opportunities and will enable us to create a secure and prosperous future for generations to come. We will support Isar on adoption pathways across government and commercial opportunities,” Andrea Traversone, Managing Partner of the NATO Innovation Fund, said.
“The NATO Innovation Fund’s investment in Isar Aerospace is a strong sign of confidence in our approach and underlines the fundamental role of space technologies for our economy and society. Even more, it shows that European governments must encourage and use private innovations and products to remain globally competitive,” said Daniel Metzler, co-founder and CEO of Isar Aerospace.
Leading New Space company in Europe
With more than €400 million in total funding since its inception in 2018, Isar Aerospace is the best-funded independent new space company in Europe. It has established itself as a technology leader and developed proprietary know-how through full vertical integration and ownership of design, production and test operations entirely in-house.
In May 2024, Isar Aerospace announced the establishment of a world-leading commercial launch vehicle manufacturing facility near Munich, Germany. In collaboration with the pan-European real estate company VGP Group, which will develop and build the facility, Isar Aerospace will be able to produce 40 Spectrum launch vehicles per year in the future.
This latest financing will enable Isar Aerospace to continue investing in the construction and equipment of its series production. Due to the high level of automation and scalability, Isar Aerospace is well-positioned to meet the increasing demand from the private and public sectors for the transport of small and medium-sized satellites and satellite constellations into space.
