Artificial Intelligence
Mathieu Kassovitz on Space, Cinema, and AI at the Paris Air Show
At the Paris Air Show, our editor-in-chief had the great privilege of interviewing Mathieu Kassovitz. The French actor and director visited the Venturi Space stand on the first day of the show. He answered DirectIndustry’s questions about his interest in space and how cinema has a stake in embracing technology—especially the kind we frequently discuss here, like AI or LiDAR.
Technology
Meet the woman behind an $800m firm launching shoebox-sized satellites
Flavia Tata Nardini always wanted to be an astronaut. Now her space-tech firm is on its way to joining the ranks of unicorns – start-ups worth over $1 billion – but she almost ran out of cash, twice.
Space Forge makes history with UK's first in-space manufacturing mission
The mission will trial Space Forge’s proprietary heat shield, steering systems, and re-entry software as it lays the groundwork for future orbital manufacturing return missions.
For Pulsar Fusion, Business is Bigger in Texas
UK nuclear propulsion startup Pulsar Fusion has dreams of ferrying rockets to the Moon, Mars, and Saturn—but first, they’re headed to Texas.
The company is opening a new office in Austin, TX, to increase its proximity to potential US clients and investors. After over a decade studying, developing, and testing its nuclear propulsion tech, the expansion comes amid a ramp up of Pulsar’s commercial partnerships.
VC
Aiming to accelerate product design with AI, Trace.Space raises a seed round
Modern product engineering requires the production of highly accurate digital simulations, allowing engineers to create prototypes and understand the real-world performance of materials. Currently, legacy software platforms from companies like IBM and Dassault are generally deployed, but now startups are joining the arena, powered by generative AI.
Georgia tech startup Atomic-6 gets $2 million contract from Space Force
Technology created by a metro Atlanta firm could soon be orbiting the Earth on a satellite or planted on the south pole of the moon to help make it potentially habitable for humans. And the federal government is helping make that happen.
Isar Aerospace raises €150mn to strengthen Europe’s launch capabilities
The German startup wants to be a European SpaceX.
Defence and spacetech backer Omnes Capital raises €112m for second deeptech fund
It’s a first close of the fund for Omnes, which has made big bets on startups like drones unicorn Quantum Systems.
Investing in Space Exploration as VC Funding Soars
Space tech companies are attracting record levels of venture capital (VC) as falling launch costs and increasing government budgets create new opportunities. In 2024, VC investments in space startups surged to $8.6 billion, with 595 deals, reflecting a 75% year-over-year increase.
The industry is expanding beyond traditional government contracts, integrating with the broader tech ecosystem and offering commercial applications in communications, defense, and earth monitoring.
VCs shoot for the stars, send space-tech funding on course for new record
Global VC funding for space-tech startups is set to reach new heights this year, but investor bets are becoming more concentrated as the vertical matures.
According to PitchBook data, VC investment in space tech has already reached $5.9 billion this year, which puts 2025 on course to exceed 2021’s record. However, the deal count could land below last year’s level, with most capital going toward mature startups.
Europe
These 5 New UK Projects Are Using Space Tech to Fix Public Services
Five UK projects will apply satellite technology to improve how public services are delivered, after receiving funding from the UK Space Agency. This was announced on 24 June at the European Space Agency’s Living Planet Symposium in Vienna. The projects involve collaborations between space companies and public bodies.
Innovation
Watch How Space Tech Is Shaping US Defense Spending
Spire Global sends satellites, which are about the size of a loaf of bread, into space to track atmospheric data to help drive data-driven decisions. The company has contracts with the Canadian Space Agency and has secured a 10-year contract with the US Space Force last month. Theresa Condor, Spire's CEO joined the C-Suite on Bloomberg Open Interest to talk about the role of tech in defense spending.
India Must Build Space Tech Muscle to Avoid New-Age Colonization: Former ISRO Chief AS Kiran
The country is now home to more than 100 space-tech startups, most of which were founded in the last 5 years. The global space technology startup stage experienced a slowdown, while the Indian counterparts enjoyed a healthy upward funding trend.
Miami-Dade takes off: West Kendall Is fueling the next space tech boom
There’s an old saying that opportunity knocks once. Right now, the future isn’t just knocking; it is practically kicking down the door, and that future is space. Miami-Dade County must seize this future to become an epicenter for aviation and aerospace. We are well positioned to lead the way, and now is the time to go all in and open the door to this once-in-a-generation opportunity.