German SpaceTech HyImpulse raises over €50 million to advance Europe’s sovereign launch capabilities

German SpaceTech company HyImpulse Technologies, based in Neuenstadt am Kocher, has raised more than €50 million in a Series A extension round to support the development of its commercial rocket technology and launch services for suborbital and orbital missions.

The funding round was co-led by JOIN Capital and Ace Capital Partners, with new investment from North Ventures, BW-Capital, Bayern Kapital, and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). Existing investors, including Campus Founders Ventures, also participated in the round.

The latest funding builds on HyImpulse’s Series A round announced in October 2025, when the company raised €15 million in equity and secured an additional €30 million in financing. With the latest investment, HyImpulse’s total equity and public funding has now surpassed €125 million.

Dr. Christian Schmierer, co-founder and CEO of HyImpulse, said, “This financing reflects our investors’ confidence in our team, technology and commercial vision. Europe needs sovereign, responsive and economically sustainable launch capabilities. Our proprietary hybrid propulsion technology and suborbital and orbital services position us to meet growing demand across commercial, institutional and defence markets.”

Founded in 2018 as a spin-off from the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), HyImpulse was established by Dr. Schmierer, Dr. Mario Kobald, Konstantin Tomilin, and Ulrich Fischer. Headquartered in southern Germany, the company develops and provides suborbital and orbital launch services using its proprietary propulsion technology.

HyImpulse aims to make access to space more affordable and reliable by offering cost-efficient launch and in-space services. Its proprietary hybrid propulsion system uses non-explosive paraffin fuel and liquid oxygen, which the company says provides a safer, more scalable and cost-effective alternative to traditional kerosene-based propulsion systems.

According to HyImpulse, the technology’s lower system complexity and reduced number of components can improve safety, enable more responsive launch operations, and help lower launch costs.

The company already operates the SR75, a commercial suborbital launcher. After completing its inaugural flight campaign at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia in 2024, HyImpulse is now preparing for its next SR75 launch from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland.

HyImpulse’s SR75 and wider suborbital programme are designed to support speeds of up to Mach 15 and flight ranges of up to 10,000 kilometres. The company is targeting growing demand from government agencies, research institutions and defence organisations for applications including hypersonic testing, threat simulation and suborbital flight services.

HyImpulse says it is benefiting from rising demand for independent launch capabilities and currently has an order book worth more than €350 million across its suborbital and orbital programmes.

“Europe doesn’t just need more rockets; it needs launch economics that actually work. HyImpulse has built a fundamentally leaner rocket architecture: roughly half the parts, a path to half the cost per kilogram and far less capital required to get to orbit. They have already proven the technology in flight. That’s why we co-led this round, and why the upcoming SR75 launch matters,” said JOIN Capital Founding Partner Jan Borgstädt.

HyImpulse plans to use the new funding to accelerate the development and commercialisation of its launch services portfolio. This includes conducting the second SR75 launch from SaxaVord Spaceport by the end of 2026 and preparing for the maiden flight of its SL1 launch vehicle.

The company also plans to expand its production capacity and scale its commercial operations across Europe and international markets. The investment will further strengthen HyImpulse’s presence in key growth areas, including dedicated and responsive satellite launches, in-space mobility, and suborbital research and defence applications. HyImpulse currently employs more than 100 people across its locations in Neuenstadt, Ottobrunn and Glasgow.