There was $2.2 billion invested in space companies in the first three months of 2023, which means a 53 percent decline from the previous quarter and the lowest quarter for space investment since 2015.
According to a report from venture capital firm Space Capital on Thursday, the decrease in investment left many companies in a vulnerable state, while Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse has added to the challenge, as the bank was a leading provider of venture debt.
Space Capital’s report, coming on the heels of a Chapter 11 filing from Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit, tracked 89 companies active in the sector.
“Of the 100+ launch companies that collectively raised $27 billion over the last decade, there are currently only two that are operational: SpaceX and Rocket Lab,” the report said, adding that there was a visible “dichotomy between the winners and everyone else” in the rocket manufacturing sector….