Space Ambition Library: An Extensive Guide for VCs and Business Angels
Space Ambition Library: An Extensive Guide for VCs and Business Angels
Explore the Space Ambition library, your go-to guide for niche aerospace sectors, SpaceTech investment insights, frameworks, and expert interviews with VCs.
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Over the past two years, Space Ambition has published over 100 articles on various SpaceTech topics, providing insights for both DeepTech and generalist VCs looking to explore investments in the SpaceTech sector. In this article, we've organized some of our previous content to highlight information that might be relevant to you. Below, you’ll find resources on niche SpaceTech market overviews, in-depth looks at SpaceTech ecosystems of various countries, guidance on operating and marketing in the SpaceTech industry, deal and exit analysis, interviews with SpaceTech VCs, lists of top SpaceTech accelerators and incubators, industry conference guides, insights into space law, and more. We hope this guide proves useful in your SpaceTech investment journey.
Insights and Frameworks for DeepTech and Generalist Investors
Whether you're an experienced DeepTech or generalist VC or a business angel, making your first SpaceTech investment requires a deep understanding of the market, examples of past deals and exits, and insight into how peers make investment decisions. In this section, we share articles to help you navigate these topics.
We regularly interview top SpaceTech investors to discuss their decision-making processes, market insights, and more. So far, we've spoken with experts from Seraphim Space, Balerion Space Ventures, Techstars, Primo Space, Space.VC, Alpine Space Ventures, Stellar Ventures, Aloniq, OTB Ventures, Starbridge Venture Capital, E2MC, and Starburst. You can find all the interviews here.
When starting SpaceTech investing, analyzing deals of other investors is important. In 2023, we published an overview of Series A SpaceTech deals, which we plan to release regularly.
Y Combinator, a well-known accelerator, has backed over 30 SpaceTech startups and even lists New Space startups among its top 20 verticals. We’ve analyzed Y Combinator’s SpaceTech portfolio in detail here.
Exit strategies are always top-of-mind for investors. Since Earth observation is one of the topics many Space Investors explore, we’ve published an overview of exits and the top-funded companies in satellite constellations for Earth observation. We’re also working on a broader overview of M&As and IPOs in this field.
Understanding investor decision-making is key. Bessemer Venture Partners published its investment memorandum for Rocket Lab, and we analyzed this deal using our investment framework.
Strong founders are critical in building thriving startups. We’ve explored the backgrounds of various SpaceTech founders here.
Many SpaceTech startups originate as university or corporate spin-offs. Our deep dive into DeepTech spin-offs is available here.
Public-private partnerships are common in SpaceTech, and we’ve explored how these collaborations work here.
Not all startups succeed, especially in DeepTech and SpaceTech. We’ve compiled lessons from SpaceTech failures here.
SpaceTech solutions are finding applications in markets beyond aerospace, from healthcare to sports and even fashion. We’ve compiled a list of unusual Earth applications for space technologies here. We hope it will inspire both entrepreneurs and investors to think outside the box.
We have also covered the topic of who and why invests in SpaceTech where we discussed top VCs, accelerators, corporate players, and business angels. You can read the full article here.
For those new to the market, we recommend attending top SpaceTech conferences. Our curated list for 2024-2025 is here.
Accelerators and incubators play a crucial role in startup development. We’ve put together a comprehensive list of 50+ SpaceTech programs to consider here.
Effective PR is essential for DeepTech and SpaceTech startups, particularly for early funding, grants, and government contracts. We’ve analyzed PR strategies for SpaceTech here and further explored successful and unsuccessful campaigns here.
Even if you are new to the market, you have definitely heard of the new SpaceX’s rocket Starhip. You can find our analysis on its potential impact here.
Niche SpaceTech Startup Sector Deep Dives
When speaking with those outside aerospace, SpaceTech is often equated with launching rockets. However, SpaceTech comprises a wide variety of niches, and this diversity is expected to expand significantly in the next decade. To capture this, we regularly publish deep dives into various SpaceTech sectors.
Earth Observation
Earth observation is a frequently discussed area, though not all satellite imaging applications are widely recognized yet. As the industry evolves, we anticipate new and diverse use cases. Explore some of our Earth observation deep dives below:
Satellite Internet and IoT
Starlink and other satellite internet services are transforming connectivity. You could even use it for in-flight internet access. Check out our deep dives:
Jet Propulsion Technologies
Of course, rocket technology is central to SpaceTech. Our recent articles cover current launch technologies, propulsion advances, and satellite engines:
In-Orbit Manufacturing
Though it may sound futuristic, in-orbit manufacturing startups are raising investments. Dive into our analyses of these emerging technologies:
Additional Topics
Other fascinating areas in SpaceTech that we’ve covered include:
Country Aerospace Sector Overviews
While the U.S., EU, and China are well-established leaders in the aerospace industry, Space Ambition is dedicated to showcasing emerging markets and lesser-known opportunities around the world. That’s why we regularly publish in-depth overviews of the aerospace sectors in various countries. Check out our recent articles:
How Space Technology Works
At Space Ambition, our team combines VC, business, and aerospace expertise, giving us unique insights into SpaceTech opportunities. However, we recognize that some emerging SpaceTech investors may not fully understand the specifics and physics behind space operations. To bridge this gap, we regularly publish articles that explain key technical concepts in SpaceTech, helping investors make more informed decisions. Explore our articles below:
Orbital Stations: Past and Present of ISS and Other Stations
Space Law: The Legal Landscape of Space Exploration and International Agreements on Space Resource Utilization
With thousands of investors following Space Ambition, we hope our content and this guide enhance your understanding of the SpaceTech sector and support high-return investments. We also host SpaceTech pitch sessions and run a dedicated group for SpaceTech VCs. To join, please contact Alexandra Vidyuk at alexandra@spaceambition.org.