ElevationSpace Inc. (CEO: Ryohei Kobayashi), a company developing Space-to-Earth transportation as well as a Space Environment Utilization and Recovery Platform, has raised a total of US $40 million in its Series B round through a third-party allotment of shares from investors including SPARX Asset Management, Beyond Next Ventures, Energy & Environment Investment, NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Toyoda Gosei and Dai Nippon Printing.
Through the largest funding round in the company’s history, the close of the funding round brings the total amount raised since its founding to US $63.5 million, demonstrating the growing attention and confidence in the space transportation and low-Earth orbit (LEO) utilization markets.
Background of the Funding
The company is developing the “ELS-R” series satellite for the space environment utilization and recovery platform and “ELS-RS” for a high-frequency cargo recovery service from space stations back to Earth.
This initiative leverages Japan’s unique expertise in small satellite lift-guided re-entry – a capability solely demonstrated by Japan and essential for returning payloads from space stations to Earth as well as crewed spacecraft from space to Earth. The company is close to completing assembly of the “AOBA”, which is the first private re-entry satellite and the first model of the “ELS-R” series.
Since its Pre-Series B funding round, ElevationSpace has dynamically driven global partnerships. These include signing an agreement with Axiom Space to assess high-frequency re-entry and recovery services, and announcing plans to integrate Redwire’s biopharma technology into its own platform.
The company has also made steady and ambitious strides in technology, organizational capability, and business expansion as a next-generation space infrastructure provider. Key recent milestones include:
- Selection for the Space Strategy Fund’s “Technologies for High-Frequency Cargo Recovery Systems” program.
- Participation as a collaborating organization in the “Manned Space Transportation System Foundational Safety Technology” category of the Space Strategy Fund.
- Partnership with Japan LEO Shachu to establish the post-ISS LEO activity infrastructure.
The newly raised capital will be allocated toward the development and operation of the company’s space-to-Earth transportation and space environment utilization services, as well as its global expansion, ensuring steady progress toward the further growth of its business.
Under the vision of “Building an in-orbit transportation network to connect cargo, crew, and all orbital operations,” our company has been promoting the development of space transportation services centered on Japan’s world-renowned small re-entry and recovery technology.
Re-entry and recovery technology is an essential piece of space transportation infrastructure beyond the rocket. Over the past year, our company has secured multiple research and development projects related to recovering materials from space stations, manned spacecraft, and Mars landings, demonstrating both our technical potential and the crucial need for our transportation infrastructure.
Driven by the fund raised in this Series B, we will further accelerate the development of the successor model following the first “Aoba,” while also promoting full-scale entry into the European and U.S. markets.
Together with our trusted shareholders and partners, we will continue to take on challenges at full speed, aiming to become the driving force behind global space infrastructure in the post-ISS era.
About ElevationSpace Inc.
ElevationSpace is a startup company developing Space-to-Earth transportation services based on Japan’s world-class small satellite re-entry technology. In collaboration with JAXA and Tohoku University, the company is developing small spacecraft designed to bring back materials researched, developed, and manufactured in the microgravity environment of space to Earth.
The company is developing high-precision lift-guided re-entry technology for businesses in space transportation and low Earth orbit (LEO) services, leveraging Japan’s unique and cutting-edge technology of small satellite lift-guided re-entry, which has been solely demonstrated by Japan.
Anticipating this “Post-ISS Era,” ElevationSpace aims to provide “ELS-R,” a free-flyer type orbital verification and recovery satellite, and “ELS-RS,” a high-frequency cargo recovery capsule from space stations. “ELS-R” will be Japan’s first service to conduct experiments and demonstrations for customers using unmanned small satellites in a microgravity environment, return them to Earth, and deliver them back into the hands of the customers.
Established: February 2021
Location: Sendai Headquarter, Fukushima Factory, Tokyo Office, Nagoya Office
Website: https://elevation-space.com/en/
Email: pr@elevation-space.com
