SpaceX has successfully raised $3.8 billion over 12 funding rounds, achieving a valuation of $137 billion. The company is at the forefront of revolutionizing space technology with its innovative approach to aerospace and space travel.
Keep reading to explore the intricacies of SpaceX's fundraising journey and the investors backing this groundbreaking company.
What Is SpaceX?
SpaceX, founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company aims to revolutionize space technology with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on other planets.
Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, SpaceX has multiple locations, including Washington and Lompoc. The company is known for its historic milestones, such as being the first private company to return a spacecraft from low Earth orbit and deliver cargo to the International Space Station.
With thousands of employees, SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of space exploration. The company provides launch services for commercial satellites and US government missions, and is developing next-generation reusable launch vehicles for human space travel.
How Much Funding Has SpaceX Raised?
- Series A
- Amount Raised: $20,000,000
- Date: August 2008
- Motivation Behind the Round: To fund the development of the Falcon 1 rocket and secure initial contracts.
- Series B
- Amount Raised: $30,435,000
- Date: August 2009
- Motivation Behind the Round: To scale up production and launch operations for Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets.
- Series C
- Amount Raised: $50,000,000
- Date: November 2010
- Lead Investors: Elon Musk, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Founders Fund
- Motivation Behind the Round: To support SpaceX's efforts in building a rocket company and securing more business from NASA and other commercial deals.
- Series Unknown
- Amount Raised: $1,000,000,000
- Date: January 2015
- Lead Investors: Google and Fidelity
- Valuation at Round: More than $10 billion
- Motivation Behind the Round: To support a satellite project aimed at increasing global Internet connectivity and to pave the way for future Mars missions.
- Series Unknown
- Amount Raised: $250,000,000
- Date: November 2018
- Motivation Behind the Round: To fund the development of the Starship program and expand the Starlink satellite network.
- Series Unknown
- Amount Raised: $486,198,978
- Date: December 2018
- Motivation Behind the Round: To accelerate the development of reusable rocket technology and support ongoing missions.
- Series Unknown
- Amount Raised: $535,744,188
- Date: May 2019
- Motivation Behind the Round: To enhance the Starlink satellite network and fund the Starship program.
- Series Unknown
- Amount Raised: $3,000,000
- Date: October 2019
- Motivation Behind the Round: To support the development of the Starship program and other ongoing projects.
- Series Unknown
- Amount Raised: $337,400,000
- Date: December 2021
- Motivation Behind the Round: To fund the expansion of the Starlink satellite network and support the Starship program.
- Series Unknown Extension
- Amount Raised: $250,000,000
- Date: August 2022
- Lead Investors: Mirae Asset Global Investments, Queensland Investment Corporation
- Valuation at Round: $127 billion
- Motivation Behind the Round: To meet excess demand for SpaceX shares.
- Series Later Stage VC
- Amount Raised: $750,000,000
- Date: January 2023
- Lead Investors: Andreessen Horowitz
- Valuation at Round: $137 billion
- Motivation Behind the Round: To push forward the development of the Starship program, which aims to launch the first manned mission to Mars.
Total Amount Raised: $4.8 billion. Current Valuation: $137 billion.
Key Investors
- Andreessen Horowitz
- Details: Andreessen Horowitz is a private venture capital firm known for investing in early-stage and growth-stage technology companies. Founded by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, the firm has a strong reputation in Silicon Valley.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, software, consumer, enterprise, bio/healthcare, crypto, fintech
- Notable Investments: Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb
- Alphabet Inc.
- Details: Alphabet Inc. is the parent company of Google and several other subsidiaries. It is a major player in the technology sector, focusing on various areas including search engines, advertising services, and cloud computing.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, internet services, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles
- Notable Investments: Google, Waymo, Verily
- Fidelity Investments
- Details: Fidelity Investments is a multinational financial services corporation. It is one of the largest asset managers in the world, providing investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, and other financial services.
- Investment Focus Areas: Financial services, asset management, retirement planning, brokerage services, mutual funds
- Notable Investments: Tesla, Amazon, Apple
- Mirae Asset Global Investments
- Details: Mirae Asset Global Investments is a South Korean investment firm with over $2.5 billion in venture capital-style alternative assets under management. The firm is known for its global reach and diversified investment portfolio.
- Investment Focus Areas: Venture capital-style alternative assets, technology, innovative startups
- Notable Investments: Jokr, Ola, Grab
- Founders Fund
- Details: Founders Fund is a venture capital firm that invests in technology companies. Founded by Peter Thiel, the firm is known for its bold investments in transformative technologies.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology startups, innovative companies, transformative technologies
- Notable Investments: Facebook, Palantir Technologies, Airbnb
What's Next for SpaceX?
SpaceX stands on the brink of monumental opportunities, with the Starship program and the Starlink satellite network leading the charge. The Starship program aims to launch the first manned mission to Mars, while Starlink seeks to provide high-speed internet to remote areas and commercial airlines. These ventures could significantly expand SpaceX's market reach and technological capabilities.
Future fundraising efforts are likely to be robust, given the high demand for SpaceX shares and the company's strong market position. Investors are keen to support these ambitious projects, potentially driving SpaceX's valuation even higher. However, challenges such as technical hurdles, regulatory issues, and competition from other space companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic could pose significant obstacles.
Use Clay to Get Funding Data
Sales professionals looking to stay ahead of the curve should leverage Clay's platform to access comprehensive fundraising data on companies like SpaceX and gather other critical business insights.
Sign up for free on Clay and unlock the tools you need to drive your sales strategy forward.
