Techstars is a global platform that provides investment and innovation. Through the Techstars Worldwide Entrepreneur Network, founders and their teams connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporate partners who will help their companies grow. Techstars operates four divisions: Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Program supercharges success and Techstars Startup Programs inspire, educate, and connect entrepreneurs. Techstars Venture Capital Fund invests in innovative and disruptive companies. Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships help brands create products and services. Techstars' accelerator portfolio includes more than 1,000 companies with a market cap of $8.1 billion.

Techstars

Vsquared Ventures invests in early-stage deep-tech companies that are tackling society's most pressing challenges, with a focus on quantum and novel computing, green energy, robotics, AI/ML, new space, synthetic biology, and healthcare. It is committed to a partnership and will go to any length to help accelerate and scale vision, unlocking all seemingly impossible possibilities.

Vsquared Ventures

IQT identifies and partners with companies developing advanced technologies. It evaluates emerging technologies and collaborates with entities that show potential for practical applications. IQT serves industries such as defense, cybersecurity, and telecommunications.

Airbus Ventures invests in autonomous mobility, electrification, low-carbon economy, advanced materials, manufacturing systems, next-generation computing, sensing, security, and beyond. AV continuously fosters close and trusted relationships with other leading venture firms, actively offering hands-on expertise to our portfolio companies. We proudly leverage the richly dense networks of our mothership Airbus and its supply chain, as well as the wider ecosystem of our Limited Partners. We work with multiple LPs – including Airbus SE, Development Bank of Japan Inc., Mitsubishi HC Capital, Fuyo General Lease Co., Ltd., and McKinley Capital – to better enable our entrepreneurs to grow and succeed.

Airbus Ventures

Lavrock Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in early-stage (Series A) investments. It seeks to invest in cybersecurity and enterprise software companies. The firm often invests in commercial-focused technologies with potential relevance in National Security

Lavrock Ventures

Pallas Ventures is a private investment fund that provides capital to technology companies whose products will benefit the national security sector.

Pallas Ventures

Alpine Space Ventures is the rapidly growing space industry.

Alpine Space Ventures

Morpheus is a venture capital firm that invests in consumer to enterprise technologies including data analytics, machine learning, robotics, transportation, and SaaS. The firm was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Los Angeles.

Morpheus Ventures

Morpheus Space

Proteus Space is at the forefront of revolutionizing custom satellite bus design and production with its autonomous Digital Engineering and Digital Twin system, MERCURY™. MERCURY™ enables rapid digital engineering, modeling, and twinning of custom satellites, significantly improving production speed and quality while eliminating errors and rework. This pioneering system allows customers to explore all mission-closing designs within the mission-closing trade-space, offering unprecedented flexibility throughout the satellite design lifecycle. MERCURY™ is the world's first autonomous digital engineering system, ushering in a completely new era, empowering customers to change their mind without regret.

Morpheus Space is an aerospace company that produces a modular and electric propulsion system for the small satellite industry. The company is disrupting the NewSpace industry by introducing Agile Constellations, a fusion between cutting-edge electric propulsion and Artificial Intelligence. The solution package enables satellite service providers to operate entire constellations as one entity. Thanks to the highly efficient propulsion systems, each satellite can perform countless orbital maneuvers, which allows for the first time the possibility of ''objective first'' mission planning with an automated trade-off. This provides a never before seen flexibility of satellite networks that is exploited by the A.I. to optimally morph the constellations to fulfill the user's objectives, which can range from revisit frequencies to observation of moving POIs.

Morpheus Space is a provider of modular and scalable electric propulsion systems for small satellites. Founded from a research project at the Dresden University of Technology, the company develops propulsion technology that enables satellite service providers to operate entire constellations as a single entity.

Technology providers that enhance satellite operations

Next-gen Satellites

Morpheus Space Nominated for the Gründerszene Award in Deep Tech & AI

D-Orbit

To conduct an in-orbit demonstration of Morpheus Space's GO-2 electric propulsion system aboard D-Orbit's ION Satellite Carrier, showcasing its enhanced thrust control and adjustable thrust levels for small satellite missions.

Companies that manufacture components for mini, micro, nano, and picosatellite systems

Proteus Space

Morpheus Space is a provider of modular and scalable electric propulsion systems for small satellites. Founded from a research project at the Dresden University of Technology, the company develops propulsion technology that enables satellite service providers to operate entire constellations as a single entity.Its core product is the Nano Field Effect Electric Propulsion (NanoFEEP) thruster, a compact ion thruster that includes a neutralizer to prevent electrostatic charging of the satellite and control components. It is one of the world's smallest and most efficient electric in-space propulsion systems.In February 2024, Morpheus unveiled the GO-2, an advanced electric propulsion system using liquid metal propellant. The system offers easy integration with dedicated support and subscription pricing, allowing cost-effective scalability for CubeSats and SmallSats without moving parts, pressurized tanks, or excessive heat generation.Morpheus Space also provides unique services like the "pay-as-you-go" pricing model, allowing commercial operators to align mobility costs with revenue generation.The company's latest product, Journey, is a satellite design and operations platform that assists satellite systems and mission engineers from the initial stages of design, simulation, and procurement through operations and decommissioning. Depending on requirements, customers can choose between preliminary mission design and advanced mission design. This product was in beta (June 2024).In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31930">July 2024</a>, Morpheus Space unveiled its mass production facility for space systems in Dresden, Germany. The factory was reported to have an annual production capacity of 100 units for Morpheus’s GO-2.Key customers and partnershipsMorpheus Space’s key customers include Spire Global, Antaris Space, and Rocket Factory Augsburg.In November 2022, Morpheus Space partnered with Kayhan Space to offer a collision avoidance subscription service, integrating Morpheus' propulsion with Kayhan's space situational awareness software.

SpinLaunch is a space technology company developing a kinetic launch system to provide low-cost and high-frequency access to space. Unlike traditional fuel-based rockets, SpinLaunch's system utilizes a ground-based, electric-powered centrifuge to accelerate payloads to hypersonic speeds before releasing them into the atmosphere. Its solution is capable of putting 200 kg-class satellites into low orbit. The firm claims this method significantly reduces environmental impact by ~95% compared to conventional rocket launches. Its electric-drive Orbital accelerator offers a revolutionary approach to space travel and significantly reduces the fuel needed to reach orbit by 4x, mitigates costs by 10x, and enables multiple launches per day.Suborbital Accelerator operates at speeds between 800 miph and 5,000 miph, and primarily serves as a testing platform for the Orbital Launch System. It allows customers to conduct tests and serves as a facility for long-term satellite qualification. The company’s first major milestone was the successful test of its suborbital accelerator at Spaceport America in New Mexico in October 2021, where a projectile was launched tens of thousands of feet at 20% power capacity. SpinLaunch also planned to launch small satellites into low-Earth orbit by 2026.SpinLaunch has also created a new type of highly affordable satellite. It claims that applying mass manufacturing techniques and simplifying the supply chain reduces costs without compromising performance. SpinLaunch’s satellites are specifically designed for mass accelerators but are also compatible with traditional launch systems and serve a variety of use cases, such as surveillance broadcasts, Internet of things (IoT), machine-to-machine communication (M2M), and emergency communication platforms.<h3>Key customers and partnerships</h3>In September 2023, SpinLaunch partnered with Sumitomo Corporation (Japan) for the global expansion of affordable and sustainable space services. SpinLaunch has also attracted significant interest and formed strategic partnerships with major organizations, including ATW Partners, Kleiner Perkins, and GV. In 2019, the Department of Defense signed a "launch prototype contract" with SpinLaunch to provide reliable and cost-effective launch services​.Funding and financialsIn September 2022, SpinLaunch secured USD 71 million in a Series B funding round led by ATW Partners to continue developing its launch system and satellite technologies​. In January 2020, the company raised USD 35 million from venture capitalists to aid the development of its kinetic launch system.

SpinLaunch

Rocket Lab is a global leader in launch services and space systems, offering a comprehensive range of solutions from satellite manufacturing to orbital launches. The company's primary launch vehicle, Electron, has become the second most frequently launched US rocket annually, having delivered over 190 satellites to orbit for various commercial and government partners. Electron is capable of carrying payloads of up to 300 kilograms to low Earth orbit. In addition to Electron, Rocket Lab has developed HASTE, a suborbital hypersonic launch vehicle.Rocket Lab is currently developing Neutron, an advanced 13-tonne payload class reusable launch vehicle designed for constellation deployment and interplanetary missions. The company successfully conducted the first hot fire test of its Archimedes engine in August 2024, which will power Neutron's first stage. Neutron's unique design encapsulates its second stage within a reusable first stage with an integrated payload fairing. Rocket Lab aims to launch Neutron by mid-2025, potentially marking the fastest time to market for a commercially developed medium-class launch vehicle.Beyond launch services, Rocket Lab has established itself as a premier supplier of advanced satellites, flight-proven subsystems, and spacecraft components. The company's technology spans various areas, including space solar power, composite structures, flight software, star trackers, reaction wheels, and separation systems. As of August 2024, Rocket Lab's satellite technology and components have been integrated into more than 1,700 satellite missions globally. In the second quarter of 2024, Rocket Lab reported record revenue of USD 106.3 million, representing a 71% year-over-year increase.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsRocket Lab has secured partnerships with several high-profile customers and organizations. The company has conducted multiple launches for NASA, including the CAPSTONE mission to the Moon in 2022 and the upcoming ESCAPADE mission to Mars. In August 2024, Rocket Lab delivered two spacecraft for the ESCAPADE mission to Cape Canaveral.Rocket Lab has also established a strong relationship with Capella Space, having completed five missions for the company since August 2020. In August 2024, Rocket Lab successfully launched Capella Space's Acadia-3 satellite, a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, into orbit. Additionally, the company has partnered with the University of California Berkeley's Space Science Laboratory to build spacecraft for NASA missions. &nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/35960">In November 2024</a>, Rocket Lab signed a multi-launch agreement with an undisclosed commercial satellite operator for its Neutron rocket.

Rocket Lab

D-Orbit, an Italy-based company, specializes in satellite deployment, in-space transportation, and in-orbit servicing through its ION Satellite Carrier. The ION reduces satellite deployment time by up to 85% and costs by 40%. By December 2024, D-Orbit had completed 13 missions, deploying 110 satellites and 44 hosted payloads. It was the world’s first B Corp-certified space company.D-Orbit delivers services covering satellite deployment, in-orbit maintenance, mission control, and advanced space solutions. Deployment options include Rideshare, which uses third-party launchers for standard orbits; Precision Deployment, which uses the ION Satellite Carrier to tailor orbital placements; and Constellation Deployment, which phases satellites into optimal positions. D-Orbit's Aurora cloud platform supports real-time telemetry monitoring, trajectory updates, telecommands, and 3D visualization, enabling operators to manage satellites efficiently or delegate control to D-Orbit to streamline operations.In-orbit services encompass transportation, lifetime extension, assembly, refurbishment, debris removal, and inspection. Advanced offerings include the ION Hosted Payload Service for technology testing, in-orbit data computing via D-Orbit Cloud, and a SaaS model. The IRIDE constellation project, financed by Italy’s National Plan for Recovery and Resilience and supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Italian Space Agency (ASI), aims to provide Earth observation data for public services like marine monitoring, air quality, and climate analysis. Launches were planned from 2025 to 2026.The company also offers satellite hardware and software, such as the AOCS Suite for satellite control, the D-Sense module for positioning, and systems like D-Raise for propulsion and D3 for satellite disposal.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsD-Orbit's customer base includes ESA, ASI, Planet Labs, Spaceflight, Ensign-Bickford Aerospace &amp; Defense (EBAD), the University of Southern California, Brown University, and TelePIX from South Korea.Early partnerships by the company included&nbsp;<a href="https://spacenews.com/d-orbit-launches-two-ion-satellite-carrier-on-its-seventh-orbital-transportation-mission/#:~:text=D%2DOrbit%20launched%20its%20first,more%20than%2090%20payloads%20collectively.">SpaceX</a> for deploying ION Satellite Carrier missions and collaborations with&nbsp;<a href="https://spacenews.com/d-orbit-launches-aurora-a-cloud-based-mission-control-software-suite/">Leaf Space and AWS</a> Ground Station to enhance the Aurora platform's global mission control. Significant partnerships also included&nbsp;<a href="https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/07/starfish-space-and-d-orbit-complete-orbital-rendezvous-bringing-otter-pup-mission-to-a-close/">Starfish Space</a> for orbital rendezvous,&nbsp;<a href="https://spacenews.com/d-orbit-signs-agreement-with-hyimpulse-technologies-for-joint-eu-based-launch-and-deployment-mission/">HyImpulse Technologies</a> for EU-based satellite launch and deployment services,&nbsp;<a href="https://metasensing.com/metasensing-selected-to-provide-the-sar-payload-sensor-for-the-nox-mission-in-italys-iride-constellation/">MetaSensing</a> for supporting ESA's IRIDE Earth observation project, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/D_Orbit_and_SkyServe_enhance_satellite_analytics_with_new_edge_computing_platform_999.html">SkyServe STORM</a> for utilizing Edge computing in space-based data processing.In&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/34798">October 2024</a>, ESA awarded D-Orbit a contract to develop a spacecraft-servicing vehicle for geostationary satellites and in&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/36352">November 2024</a>, D-Orbit partnered with Morpheus Space to demonstrate the GO-2 electric propulsion system aboard its orbital transfer vehicle.&nbsp;

Phantom Space Corporation is a space services company providing all-in-one capabilities for satellite manufacturing and launch services to commercial and government clients.Phantom Space caters to launch services primarily using its launch vehicle, Daytona Rocket, which is a two-stage system designed to carry payloads of up to 450 kg, including satellites and other space cargo into low-Earth orbit (LEO), for less than USD 4 million per launch. In addition to the Daytona, Phantom Space was developing the larger Laguna rocket, scheduled for launch in 2025, to be powered by a combination of Ripley and Hadley engines produced by Ursa Major to increase payload capacity to 1,200 kg for LEO missions at USD 8 million per launch.In November 2022, the company achieved a major milestone by conducting a successful 60-second hot fire test of the Daytona's Pathfinder test stage at Spaceport America in New Mexico, validating approximately 75% of the vehicle's systems in a flight-realistic condition.The company also provides solutions for designing, manufacturing, and operating small satellites, ranging from single CubeSats to constellations of ESPA-class spacecraft. As of May 2024, Phantom Space had 46 satellite and spacecraft programs successfully executed, while three were currently in progress.As of June 2023, the company aimed to offer affordable access to space through its proprietary rocket and satellite designs. To this end, Phantom Space aimed to employ mass production techniques to reduce costs and increase the frequency of space access for government and commercial entities. Key customers and partnershipsIn May 2023, Phantom Space signed a launch services agreement with Quub, a satellite manufacturer, for three dedicated launches in 2025.In November 2022, Phantom Space secured task orders from NASA for the agency's Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) missions program. The orders involved launching four CubeSat satellites on the second and fourth Daytona rocket flights from Vandenberg Space Force Base, planned for 2024.

Phantom Space

The Beyond Earth Institute is a space policy think tank focused on human spaceflight established in 2010. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation with a mission to establish and sustain policy and legal frameworks that enable economically vibrant communities beyond Earth. The institute conducts primary and secondary research to develop and publicize reports and policy recommendations throughout space policy communities in the US and internationally. Their work centers on catalyzing technology readiness, worldwide public support, and public policies needed to achieve a permanent human presence in space. The organization's research and policy efforts particularly focus on enabling long-term human settlement beyond Earth and developing the cislunar economy.
Key customers and partnerships
Beyond Earth has collaborated with Space Perspective. In January 2023, the organization worked with Japanese space company ispace to support their Hakuto-R moon lander mission, which launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Beyond Earth

Companies that offer launch capabilities to get satellites into orbit, including last-mile delivery of satellites and value-added services including launch mission planning and execution

Companies that provide satellite management services once they are deployed

Includes companies that develop satellite buses and payloads for mini, micro and nano systems

Satellite companies that offer location-based intelligence, navigation, mapping, spatial awareness, and data analytics services

Use of autonomous robotics in the production process, specially in the miniature satellite segments

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 Morpheus Space, a small satellite electric propulsion system provider, and D-Orbit, an Italian space logistics company, have come together to carry out an in-orbit demonstration of Morpheus' GO-2 electric propulsion system using D-Orbit's orbital transfer vehicle, the ION Satellite Carrier.
 The GO-2 system, with its 40 individually controllable emission sites, provides optimal thrust control and adjustable thrust levels for a prolonged period. This upcoming in-orbit demonstration will test these functionalities. D-Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier's adaptability will be utilized for the test, supporting both satellite deployment and outer space experiments.
 Morpheus Space states that the modular design of the GO-2 system promotes reliability by partitioning component failures and reducing mission risks. The demonstration's purpose is to pave the way for mass production and fortify the company's standing in the rapidly growing New Space market.
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Morpheus Space

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