The Exploration Company
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Investors
Founders
About
The Exploration Company is a European space company developing Nyx, a reusable orbital capsule for cargo and crew transportation, and Storm, a high-thrust reusable rocket engine using full-flow staged combustion 12. The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, with additional operations in France, Luxembourg, Spain, and Italy, and is led by Co-Founder and CEO Hélène Huby 2. On 2026-09-08, The Exploration Company announced a $450 million Series C round — described by the company as “the largest-ever Series C by a European space company” — with capital allocated to bringing Nyx to the International Space Station (with a planned docking by November 2028) and accelerating development of Storm 123. The Series C brought total funding to approximately $680 million 1. The company said 10 Nyx missions are booked, representing more than $2 billion in contracts and commitments 2.
Funding History
| Date | Round | Amount | Lead | Co-investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-08 | Series C | $450M | Bessemer Venture Partners, Atomico, Scaleup Europe Fund (managed by EQT) | Balderton Capital, Plural, Cherry Ventures, Red River West 123 |
What Investors Say
“Space sovereignty is increasingly critical for Europe’s national security, particularly as space becomes the infrastructure layer.” — Alex Ferrara, Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners, in the company’s Series C announcement. Ferrara joined The Exploration Company’s board of directors as part of the round 12.
“European companies can combine the ambition, expertise and execution needed to lead on the global stage.” — Laura Connell, Atomico, in the company’s Series C announcement 1.
What Founders Say
“This financing will allow us to execute with urgency: to bring Nyx to the International Space Station and safely back to Earth, while accelerating Storm.” — Hélène Huby, Co-Founder & CEO of The Exploration Company, in the company’s Series C announcement 1.
“It’s the most difficult, but also the most efficient engine cycle in the world.” — Hélène Huby, on the full-flow staged combustion technology used in Storm, in TechCrunch coverage of the Series C round 2.
Sources
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The Exploration Company, “The Exploration Company Series C — $450 million,” September 8, 2026. Accessed September 2026. https://www.exploration.space/blog/the-exploration-company-series-c-450-million↩↩↩↩↩↩↩
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TechCrunch, “The Exploration Company nabs $450 million to challenge SpaceX,” Anna Heim, September 8, 2026. Accessed September 2026. https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/08/the-exploration-company-nabs-450-million-to-challenge-spacex/↩↩↩↩↩↩↩
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EU-Startups, “The Exploration Company secures €387 million to accelerate development of reusable high-thrust rocket engine,” September 8, 2026. Accessed September 2026. https://www.eu-startups.com/2026/09/the-exploration-company-secures-e387-million-to-accelerate-development-of-reusable-high-thrust-rocket-engine/↩↩