German spacetech company HyImpulse Technologies has raised more than €50 million in a Series A extension round to advance its suborbital and orbital launch programmes. The equity investment was co-led by JOIN Capital and Ace Capital Partners and brings the company's total equity and public funding to more than €125 million. HyImpulse plans to use the fresh capital to accelerate development, expand production capacity and scale commercial operations across Europe and international markets.
Funding Round and Investor Backing
The round attracted a mix of new and existing investors, including North Ventures, BW-Capital, Bayern Kapital and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). Existing shareholder Campus Founders Ventures also provided continued support alongside the co-leads JOIN Capital and Ace Capital Partners. In October 2025, the company announced €15 million in equity capital and a further €30 million in financing as part of its Series A funding round, making the extension a significant boost to its capital base.
Leadership and Investor Confidence
Dr Christian Schmierer, co-founder and chief executive officer, said the financing reflects investor confidence in the team, technology and commercial vision. He emphasised that Europe needs sovereign, responsive and economically sustainable launch capabilities to meet growing commercial, institutional and defence demand. JOIN Capital founding partner Jan Borgstädt noted that HyImpulse has built a leaner rocket architecture with roughly half the parts, a path to lower cost per kilogram and flight-proven technology.
Propulsion Technology and Company Background
HyImpulse was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from the German Aerospace Centre and employs more than 100 people at sites in Neuenstadt, Ottobrunn and Glasgow. Its proprietary hybrid propulsion technology combines non-explosive paraffin fuel with liquid oxygen, providing a safer and more cost-efficient alternative to conventional kerosene-based systems. The architecture uses fewer components and lower system complexity, enabling safer and more responsive launch operations and competitive launch economics.
Suborbital and Orbital Launch Programmes
The company currently operates the SR75, a suborbital launch vehicle designed for research, testing and defence applications. Following its inaugural flight campaign at the Koonibba Test Range in South Australia in 2024, HyImpulse is preparing a second SR75 launch from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland by the end of 2026. Alongside this programme, the company is developing the SL1 orbital launch vehicle for dedicated and responsive satellite launches as well as in-space mobility, hypersonic testing and threat simulation.
Market Demand and Order Book
HyImpulse reports an order book exceeding €350 million across its suborbital and orbital programmes, reflecting demand from government agencies, research organisations and defence customers. The suborbital roadmap targets flight profiles with speeds up to Mach 15 and ranges of up to 10,000 kilometres for hypersonic testing, threat simulation and suborbital flight services. This commercial traction supports the company's ambition to serve a broader range of institutional and defence customers with responsive and flexible launch solutions.
Use of Proceeds and Strategic Growth
The new funding will accelerate development and commercialisation of HyImpulse's launch services portfolio, including the next SR75 mission and the maiden flight of the SL1 orbital launch vehicle. The company also plans to expand production capacity and scale commercial operations across Europe and beyond. In addition, the capital will strengthen its position in dedicated and responsive satellite launch services, in-space mobility and suborbital research and defence applications.
HyImpulse's Series A extension reinforces its role in Europe's push for sovereign, responsive and economically viable launch capabilities. The combination of proprietary hybrid propulsion, a substantial order book and expanded production capacity positions the company for a more active commercial phase. Upcoming milestones such as the SR75 launch from Scotland and the SL1 maiden flight will be important tests of its growth trajectory.