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§ Private Profile · Munich, Bayern, Germany
The Exploration Company is a technology company.
The Exploration Company develops and operates Nyx, a modular and reusable orbital vehicle designed for transporting cargo to and from space stations in low-Earth orbit and beyond. This spacecraft features in-orbit refueling capabilities, enhancing its mission flexibility and longevity for future operational needs, including potential human spaceflight.
The company was founded in July 2021 by Hélène Huby, who also serves as its CEO. Huby leveraged over a decade of prior experience in the space industry, driven by an insight to create a European solution that would democratize access to space. Her vision centered on making space exploration more affordable and accessible.
Nyx targets a diverse clientele, including space agencies, commercial entities requiring orbital logistics, and research organizations with payloads for space stations. The Exploration Company’s long-term vision is to foster a collaborative future in space, aiming to provide robust, accessible infrastructure that supports broader human endeavors and reduces barriers to orbital activities.
The Exploration Company has raised $210.0M across 3 funding rounds.
The Exploration Company has raised $210.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
The Exploration Company is a European aerospace startup founded in 2021, developing Nyx, a family of modular, reusable, and in-orbit refillable spacecraft for cargo transportation to space stations in low-Earth orbit (LEO), lunar orbit, and the Moon surface.[1][2][6] Nyx serves commercial space stations, government agencies like NASA and ESA, and future private operators by solving the need for reliable, cost-effective space logistics amid growing demand from new orbital infrastructures, with the market projected to expand from $5 billion to $50 billion over the next decade.[1][2][3] The company targets 25-50% cost reductions through reusability, launcher-agnostic design, and technologies like 3D-printed engines, demonstrating strong growth via $160 million Series B funding in 2024, NASA Space Act Agreement, ESA contracts, and a successful 2024 demo mission.[1][2][4]
The Exploration Company was founded in July 2021 (Q3) by Hélène Huby (CEO) and a team of space engineers from Airbus and ArianeGroup, who collaborated on major European programs like Orion-ESM, Ariane, and ATV.[1][2][5] Headquartered in Munich and Bordeaux with offices in Italy, Houston, and MENA, the idea emerged from recognizing space's increasing accessibility via reusable rockets and new stations, but a lack of cooperative logistics—prompting a mission to enable peaceful participation in space development.[1][2] Early traction included €5 million seed funding in November 2021, €40 million Series A in 2023 (Europe's largest space Series A), selection for France 2030 funding, and the "Bikini" demonstrator built from sketch to flight-ready in nine months, launched on Ariane 6 in July 2024.[1][2][3]
The Exploration Company rides the commercial space boom, fueled by private stations (e.g., Vast), lunar Gateway, and post-ISS demand, where cargo needs dominate (two-thirds of planned missions).[1][2][3] Timing aligns with reusable tech maturation and Europe’s push for independence from U.S. dominance (e.g., SpaceX), backed by France 2030 and ESA programs amid Ariane 6 delays.[2][3][4] Market tailwinds include a 10x logistics growth forecast and in-space manufacturing/microgravity services, where Nyx enables hopping, re-entry, and open ecosystems.[1][3] It influences the ecosystem by fostering cooperation, open tech bricks, and pan-European innovation, positioning Europe as a SpaceX alternative in sustainable logistics.[1][4][5]
With Nyx Earth’s first commercial ISS-like mission eyed for 2028 and ongoing Typhoon engine work, The Exploration Company is poised for operational cargo flights to private stations by late 2020s, expanding to lunar ops and human-rated variants.[2][3][4] Trends like in-orbit refueling, 3D-printed propulsion, and multi-station economies will accelerate growth, bolstered by recent Bordeaux facility expansion for sovereign capabilities.[2][7] Its influence may evolve from niche demonstrator to key European logistics provider, enabling broader participation in multi-planetary infrastructure—transforming exclusive space development into a cooperative endeavor, as envisioned from its 2021 origins.[1][6]
The Exploration Company has raised $210.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
The Exploration Company's investors include Balderton Capital, Plural, Cherry Ventures, EQT Ventures, OTB Ventures, Pareto Holdings, Vsquared Ventures, Christian Reber, Khaled Helioui, Niklas Jansen, Red River West, 10X Capital.
The Exploration Company has raised $210.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $160.0M Series B in November 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2024 | $160M Series B | Balderton Capital, Plural | Cherry Ventures, EQT Ventures, OTB Ventures, Pareto Holdings, Vsquared Ventures, Christian Reber, Khaled Helioui, Niklas Jansen | Announced |
| Jan 1, 2023 | $44M Series A | EQT Ventures, RED River West | 10X Capital, Access Biotechnology, AirAngels, Anamcara Capital, Awesome People Ventures, Balderton Capital, Cherry Ventures, Creandum, Darling Ventures, DN Capital, Ecapital Entrepreneurial Partners, Menlo Ventures, OTB Ventures, Picus Capital, QEY Capital, Seedcamp, Vsquared Ventures, Baron Davis, Bobby Goodlatte, Christian Reber, Khaled Helioui, Mario Götze, Niklas Jansen, NIK Sharma, Paul Forster, Scott Belsky, Shane Neman, Siqi Chen | Announced |
| Nov 1, 2021 | $6M Seed | — | Anamcara Capital, Cherry Ventures, DN Capital, OTB Ventures, Seedcamp, Paul Forster | Announced |