German-based HyImpulse Technologies GmbH (HyImpulse), a provider of hybrid propulsion systems for satellite transport, has raised €15 million in equity capital as part of its Series A funding round and secured an additional €30 million in financing.
The round is led by Campus Founders Ventures. Other investors include Helantic, GIMIC, the Global Resilience Innovation Fund (GRIF), Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft (MBG) Baden-Württemberg, Start-up BW Innovation Fonds, Sparkassen-Beteiligungsgesellschaft (SBG) Heilbronn-Franken, Vienna Point and BTRON.
HyImpulse is an aerospace company developing and manufacturing commercial rockets for suborbital and orbital launch services. Its small launch vehicles use a proprietary hybrid propulsion system based on liquid oxygen and paraffin, designed to offer cost-effective and reliable access to space.
The company is developing the SL1 orbital rocket using hybrid propulsion. In 2024, HyImpulse completed a key milestone with the successful test flight of the SR75 suborbital rocket, demonstrating a commercial paraffin-based hybrid engine and providing a foundation for subsequent development. The first commercial SR75 missions with customers are planned for 2026. The SL1 is expected to deliver up to 600 kg to low Earth orbit starting in 2027.
Europe currently lacks fully independent access to space and relies heavily on non-European launch providers. The Space Economy Report 2024 estimates European providers accounted for under 1 per cent of global launches in 2024. The market is expanding, however, with a McKinsey analysis projecting satellite-based technologies to reach roughly €1.25 trillion by 2040.
HyImpulse’s hybrid architecture is intended to reduce component count by about 50 per cent, lower costs, and improve reliability, key factors for cost-efficient, flexible launch services in the sub-ton payload class. The company reports early traction with contracted orders in the hundreds of millions and planned launch sites on multiple continents.
Dr Christian Schmierer, co-founder and CEO of HyImpulse, commented:
Europe does not have its own access to space. With this injection of capital, we will accelerate the commercialisation of our orbital rocket, making Europe more independent and competitive. While some providers offer a scheduled bus service to space, our solutions allow us to develop a flexible taxi service so that our customers can choose individual launch solutions and flexibly plan their schedules.
New capital will be used to advance the development and commercialisation of SL1 and to expand production capacity.
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