Dcubed, an in-space manufacturing supplier for the NewSpace market, has successfully closed its €4.4M Series A funding round, which was oversubscribed by 26%. This funding round attracted eight prominent investors from France, Sweden, Germany, and the U.S., including lead investors Expansion and BayBG, alongside HTGF, Aurelia Foundry, Ventis, Rymdkapital, and Decisive Point Europe.
In-space manufacturing is essential for the private space industry to advance beyond current capabilities and boost profitability. Currently, payloads must be manufactured on Earth and launched into orbit via rockets, a process that is risky, expensive, and inefficient.
Funding in-space manufacturing
The fresh capital will be used to quadruple the production of satellite actuators, as Dcubed aims to scale up to meet the rising demand from the anticipated 100,000 satellite launches in the coming years. Additionally, Dcubed plans to pioneer in-space manufacturing by developing technologies crucial for high-power satellites, space solar power, lunar bases, and advancing space exploration.
Furthermore, Dcubed will expand its U.S. footprint by establishing a new office in Westminster, Colorado, to tap into the world’s largest NewSpace market [the rapidly growing private space industry]. This office will be led by Andria Fortier, who will oversee U.S. operations and foster strategic relationships.
Leadership insights
Thomas Sinn, CEO of Dcubed, remarked: “Despite a tight global finance environment, investors notably oversubscribed our Series A round. This funding round proves high market trust in our capabilities. With the fresh funding, we will quadruple the production of our current product. At the same time, we are chasing ‘the next big thing’ in space by taking a trailblazing role in the field of in-space manufacturing. By opening our U.S. office, we tap into the world’s most vibrant space ecosystem to further expand our global footprint and develop space innovations for the years to come.”
Investor confidence
Ted Elvhage, General Partner at Expansion Aerospace Ventures, highlighted the immense growth potential in the space market, expected to quadruple from $500 billion to $2 trillion within a decade. “Space is among the most rapidly evolving markets, expected to quadruple from about $500 billion to $2 trillion in just a decade. Dcubed has all the necessary assets to jump on this steep growth trajectory: It combines high-quality German engineering with a strong global business. It combines a space-proven product in the rising satellite business with a leading position in the future market of in-space manufacturing. We are glad to become part of this success story and to support Dcubed in conquering the next orbits.”
Alois Ganter, Investment Manager at BayBG Venture Capital, emphasised the crucial role of space technologies in driving various sectors on Earth. “Dcubed has built a strong position while entirely financing its past growth via customer orders. The NewSpace race has started, and, together with Dcubed and our co-investors, we are glad to take a pole position.”
Ariel Ekblaw, General Partner at Aurelia Foundry, noted the importance of the U.S. ecosystem for NewSpace innovations. “From climate change to economic growth: NewSpace is among the key enablers for solving critical challenges on Earth. To drive this development, the U.S. certainly provides the most flourishing ecosystems and is also one of the most competitive. With its already strong U.S. business – having delivered products for a who’s who of aerospace customers – Dcubed has proven to be a rapid innovator and trusted supplier with immense opportunity to scale. We are glad to propel this journey with our expertise and partners.”
Pioneering in-space manufacturing
Dcubed plans to demonstrate a world-first by 3D-printing a high-performance satellite solar array in free space in 2025, supported by a €9.5M contribution from the European Innovation Council of the European Commission. This initiative is part of Dcubed’s strategy to lead in-space manufacturing, enabling optimised design for high performance in space and saving significant time and money on Earth.
In-space 3D printing could revolutionise space innovation. When combined with asteroid capture technology, it addresses many challenges that limit what we can put in space. Launching even small payloads into orbit requires significant energy, fuel, and money, and carries the risk of launch failure. By harvesting raw materials and manufacturing technology outside Earth’s atmosphere, we can drastically reduce both risk and costs. This approach also removes restrictions on the mass and complexity of devices, paving the way for unprecedented advancements.
U.S. expansion
The new U.S. office in Westminster, Colorado, is strategically located within a major NewSpace hub. This expansion will allow Dcubed to benefit from the network of Advanced Space and nearby customers, aiming to grow its U.S. team significantly in 2025.
Andria Fortier, Managing Director of Dcubed U.S., will spearhead the growth of strategic relationships with American customers and partners, bringing nearly a decade of aerospace and defence industry experience.
About Dcubed
Dcubed, based in Munich, Germany, develops durable and affordable release actuators, solar arrays, and deployables for space missions. Using patented shape-memory technology and proprietary origami structures, Dcubed’s products are superior in cost, mass, and volume, while offering increased reliability, durability, and reusability. Serving a global customer base in over twenty countries, Dcubed is at the forefront of in-space manufacturing, developing technologies to manufacture large structures directly in space.
