Space Forge is a technology company.
Space Forge has raised $40.0M across 2 funding rounds.
Space Forge has raised $40.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Space Forge has raised $40.0M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Space Forge's investors include Pioneer Fund, Tet Ventures, World Fund, Chris Murphy, 1435 Capital Management, Addition, Afore Capital, AME Cloud Ventures, E1 Ventures, Flucas Ventures, Hardware Club, Heavybit.
Space Forge is a UK-based deep-tech startup founded in 2018 that develops reusable orbital manufacturing platforms to produce revolutionary materials in microgravity, enabling applications in semiconductors, advanced alloys, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. Its core product, the ForgeStar vehicle, is a low-cost, independent, reusable satellite that launches payloads into orbit (500-800 km sun-synchronous orbits), performs scalable in-space manufacturing autonomously for 10 days to 6 months, and returns them intact via a proprietary Pridwen heat shield and capture system, reducing space debris and costs while serving industries like automotive (e.g., efficient EV batteries), aerospace, and computing.[1][3][4][5] The company solves the limitations of Earth-based manufacturing—such as gravity-induced defects—by leveraging microgravity for ultra-high-quality crystals, superalloys, and semiconductors, with a U.S. arm targeting domestic chip production growth under the CHIPS Act.[3][5][6] Growth momentum includes employing over 70 people, record-breaking funding, and positioning as a leader in Europe's return-from-space capabilities, with first material deliveries underway and sustainability benefits like preventing 15 tonnes of CO2 per kg produced.[4][5]
Space Forge emerged in 2018 from a casual pub conversation between founders Joshua Western and Andrew Bacon, who registered the company for £10 with the bold vision of using cosmic conditions for next-level materials manufacturing.[5] Drawing from decades of in-space experiments since Soyuz and Skylab, the duo identified microgravity's untapped potential for defect-free production, leading to the development of ForgeStar as a responsive, returnable platform.[1] Early traction came from partnerships like the European Space Agency (ESA), advancements in 3D printing and heat shield tech, and expansion to the U.S. with Michelle Flemming leading Space Forge Inc. near Kennedy Space Center to tap semiconductor needs.[1][2][6] Pivotal moments include raising record funds, scaling to 70+ employees, and deploying Pridwen for reusable re-entry, marking a shift from concept to operational deep-tech leader in Wales.[5]
Space Forge rides the in-space manufacturing wave, capitalizing on microgravity's unique benefits for high-performance materials amid surging demand for advanced semiconductors, EVs, and AI hardware—trends amplified by U.S. CHIPS Act tripling domestic capacity by 2032 and Europe's push for space leadership.[1][3][6] Timing is ideal with falling launch costs, reusable rocket proliferation, and global supply chain vulnerabilities, allowing Space Forge to deliver Earth-impossible products like faster-charging EV chips and low-energy computing while cutting CO2 via efficient materials.[4][5] It influences the ecosystem by establishing Europe as a top return-from-space hub, fostering cross-industry adoption (pharma to autos), enabling sustainable orbits, and bridging space tech with terrestrial manufacturing revolutions.[1][5]
Space Forge is poised for rapid scaling with high-cadence ForgeStar missions, U.S. expansion revolutionizing onshore semiconductors, and first commercial deliveries unlocking markets in EVs, AI, and aerospace. Trends like orbital economies, CHIPS-driven chip booms, and climate imperatives will propel it, potentially evolving from manufacturer to ecosystem enabler with refurbished satellites and global factories. As a sustainability innovator halving emissions in key sectors, it ties back to its pub-born mission: forging humanity's abundant technological age from space.[3][4][5][6]
Space Forge has raised $40.0M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $30.0M Series A in May 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2025 | $30.0M Series A | Pioneer Fund, Tet Ventures, World Fund, Chris Murphy | |
| Dec 1, 2021 | $10.0M Seed | 1435 Capital Management, Addition, Afore Capital, AME Cloud Ventures, E1 Ventures, Flucas Ventures, Hardware Club, Heavybit, Invariantes Fund, Lakestar, LombardStreet Ventures, Pioneer Fund, Rebel Fund, Robert Bosch Venture Capital, Sageview Capital, SpaceFund, Starbridge Venture Capital, Sterling Equity, Tet Ventures, William Guo, Type One Ventures, World Fund, WorldQuant Ventures, Chris Murphy, Demetrios Christofidis Jr, Dylan Taylor, Richard Cooperstein, Rob Meyerson, Sung ho Choi |