In 2025, Europe has seen a flurry of rocket launches after years of planning and investment. But the journey into space has not been smooth.
Europe’s Risky Liftoff in Spacetech
German spacetech startup Isar Aerospace launched its first small rocket, but the rocket flipped upside down and crashed within 30 seconds. Still, the company called it a success because it gathered important test data. It wasn’t trying to reach orbit just yet.
Meanwhile, The Exploration Company, a spacetech firm based in France and Germany, launched a space capsule that successfully reached orbit. But the joy was short-lived — contact with the capsule was lost, and it crashed into the ocean. Despite these mishaps, the spacetech startup scene in Europe is buzzing with excitement.
Why? Because private investors are pouring money into the spacetech sector. Venture capitalists (VCs) see space not only as a new business frontier but also as crucial for European independence. With SpaceX dominating satellite launches, Europe wants to catch up. Investors are looking beyond rockets, backing ideas like space-based internet, Earth imaging, and even pharmaceutical factories in orbit.
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Meet the Startups Fueling Europe’s Space Race
Some European venture capital firms shared the most exciting startups they’re watching — though they weren’t allowed to mention their own portfolio companies. These picks showcase how broad and ambitious Europe’s spacetech dreams have become.
From Germany, Constellr stands out. This startup launches small satellites fitted with special thermal-infrared sensors. These satellites measure Earth’s surface temperature with very high detail — down to 30 meters. This data is useful for smarter farming, better city planning, and monitoring the effects of climate change. Constellr’s latest satellite, SkyBee-2, has already made it into space successfully.
In the UK, NewOrbit is doing something unique — flying satellites lower than ever before. Thanks to its special air-breathing ion engines, NewOrbit can operate satellites just 180 km above Earth. This low orbit brings sharper images (as clear as 0.2 meters), faster data transfer, and cleaner orbits without space junk. It could even support direct phone-to-satellite broadband.
From Paris, Gama Space is working on a truly futuristic idea — solar sails. These spacecraft use sunlight itself to travel, just like a sailboat uses wind. Gama’s solar sails could make deep-space travel cheaper and more flexible by removing the need for fuel.
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Croatian startup Seacras is using satellites to monitor ocean water quality. It combines satellite images and AI to check for pollution and other risks in coastal areas. This helps protect marine life and supports businesses like tourism and fish farming.
UK-based Bioorbit, founded by a medical expert, is turning space into a lab. It plans to use space’s low gravity to make special cancer medicines. These medicines could be given as simple injections instead of long hospital treatments. If successful, this could improve care for many patients.
Another French startup, Metaplanet, is building a digital twin of Earth. It uses satellite data to create an interactive, live model of the planet. This model could help with city planning, farming, and understanding the climate — like using Google Earth, but with real-time updates.
Hypersonica, from Munich, is building a rocket plane that can fly faster than five times the speed of sound. It can launch small satellites or defense tools into orbit and return safely. This could help Europe carry out space missions quickly without depending on other countries.
The Business Behind the Stars
Venture capital firms are keeping a close watch on many of these spacetech startups. NGP Capital, based in Europe and active worldwide, likes companies like Constellr, NewOrbit, and Gama Space. They believe these firms are tackling real-world challenges using spacetech innovations.
Expansion Ventures, a VC firm focused on aerospace and defense, is excited about Seacras, Bioorbit, and Metaplanet. These spacetech companies mix science, health, and data in ways that could make life better on Earth using tools developed for space.
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Alpine Space Ventures, based in Munich, also sees promise in Constellr. But they are also backing other exciting names. LiveEO, from Berlin, helps industries like railways use Earth observation data without needing deep technical knowledge. Gate Space, with offices in Vienna and San Francisco, is working on engines that help move satellites in orbit — solving a major spacetech challenge related to space traffic.
Another bold idea comes from OQ Technology. It turns small satellites into mobile towers in space. These satellites can talk to normal phones and sensors using 5G and NB-IoT — the same tech used on Earth. This could mean worldwide mobile coverage, even in the middle of a desert or the Arctic.
