Space investment in first quarter hits record as SpaceX IPO buzz lifts sector

By Akash Sriram

April 21 (Reuters) - Global concern successful abstraction companies surged to a grounds successful the archetypal 4th of 2026, driven by ‌larger late-stage financing and increasing capitalist enthusiasm implicit SpaceX's nationalist marketplace ‌debut, information from concern steadfast Seraphim Space showed connected Tuesday.

Funding reached $7.95 cardinal during the quarter, astir ​double the $3.93 cardinal successful the erstwhile three-month period, pushing the trailing 12-month concern to an all-time precocious of $18.8 billion.

Deal number besides roseate to 159 transactions, bringing the yearly full to a grounds 654.

The summation successful superior deployment was mostly ‌attributed to bigger cheque sizes ⁠rather than a crisp summation successful woody volume, with mean woody size climbing to $68 cardinal from $35.1 cardinal successful 4th quarter. ⁠The largest transaction was U.S.-based Saronic's $1.75 cardinal round, 1 of the biggest abstraction financings connected record, the study said.

"The marketplace contiguous decidedly feels 'risk-on' with superior moving rapidly ​into perceived ​category leaders," said Lucas Bishop, concern ​associate astatine Seraphim Space, pointing to ‌a convergence of tailwinds, including defence spending, renewed lunar ambitions and capitalist anticipation astir SpaceX's IPO.

A SpaceX IPO could supply a landmark liquidity lawsuit for aboriginal investors and employees, portion besides creating a valuation benchmark, improving exit visibility for venture-backed abstraction companies. Elon Musk's rocket shaper volition big an expert time ‌on Tuesday, Reuters reported earlier this month.

North ​America accounted for astir 70% of full backing ​in the archetypal quarter, portion ​Europe posted its strongest show since 2022 and Asia contributed ‌more than $1.2 billion.

Notably, concern has shifted ​beyond accepted outer ​communications, with importantly much superior flowing into emerging segments specified arsenic in-space infrastructure, including abstraction stations and information centers, reflecting a broadening of the ​sector's addressable market.

Recent developments ‌have besides highlighted continued momentum successful outer connectivity, with Amazon saying ​last week it would get Globalstar for $11.6 billion.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram ​in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)