KPI 04 · Autonomy indicator
Private capital raised by European space companies per year
Strategic objective: A deep European capital market for space innovation.
Latest value
€1.4bn
Reporting period: 2025
Source: ESPI: Space Venture 2025 report page
Baseline
€1.4bn
Baseline period: 2025
Target
€3.5bn per year
Target year: 2036 · Target hypothesis
Status and how it was assigned
Assessment, distinct from the sourced values. Status methodology
16% of the gap from the baseline (2022) to the target has been closed by 2025, against 21% of the timeframe to 2036 elapsed.
- Baseline
- 1 (2022)
- Latest
- 1.4 (2025)
- Gap closed
- 16%
- Time elapsed
- 21% of timeframe to 2036
Quality indicators
Data quality
⚑ Partially verified
Status of the measurement itself.
Confidence
✓ Medium
Independent of the progress status.
Data freshness
✓ Current
Latest period ends 31 Dec 2025; outdated after 24 months.
Source availability
⚑ 0 of 6 verified
Source–value links fully verified.
Limitations
⚑ 2 open questions
See limitations and outstanding questions.
Definition
Annual capital raised by European space ventures as reported by ESPI's Space Venture series. Note: ESPI totals include rounds with public or mixed investor participation, so they are not exclusively private capital.
- ESPI dataset
- Space venture transactions tracked by ESPI; includes public and mixed consortia.
- Seraphim Space dataset
- Not used in this series; different coverage.
- Tech.eu dataset
- Includes debt financing; context only, not comparable without harmonisation.
Historical development
Observation log
All recorded values, including supplied, comparison and contextual figures. History is append-only; values are never overwritten.
| Period | Value | Series · type | Source · status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | €1.0bn (approx.) European space ventures | ESPI total Measurement | ESPI: Space Venture Europe 2023 ⚑ Partially verified Supplied value. Consistent with ESPI's reported 7% decrease to €942m in 2023, but the exact 2022 amount has not been separately verified. Confidence medium · added 9 Nov 2026 |
| 2023 | €0.94bn European space ventures | ESPI total Measurement | ESPI: Space Venture Europe 2023 ⚑ Partially verified "The space sector raised €942 million, representing a 7% decrease in investment in 2023." Not exclusively private capital. Confidence medium · added 9 Nov 2026 |
| 2024 | €1.5bn European space ventures | ESPI total Measurement | ESPI: Space Venture 2024 ⚑ Partially verified "Attracting €1.5 billion". ESPI: over 80% of capital secured in Europe came from public or mixed investor consortia. Confidence medium · added 9 Nov 2026 |
| 2025 | €1.4bn European space ventures | ESPI total Measurement | ESPI: Space Venture 2025 report page ⚑ Partially verified "Europe's space ventures attracted €1.4 billion in 2025." Not exclusively private capital. Confidence medium · added 9 Nov 2026 |
| H1 2026 | €2.9bn (incl. 45.6% debt) European space-tech companies (Tech.eu coverage) | Tech.eu (context only, includes debt) Context | Jumpseat Aerospace News: European space-tech funding H1 2026 ⚑ Partially verified Secondary report of Tech.eu Funding Explorer data. Different scope (includes debt, half-year). Not comparable with ESPI annual totals. Confidence low · added 9 Nov 2026 |
Sources and evidence
What each source supports for this KPI. A URL alone does not make a value verified.
contextual source
European Space-Tech Funding Reaches €2.9 Billion in H1 2026Jumpseat Aerospace News · Industry publication
Published: 12 Aug 2026 · Accessed: 9 Nov 2026
"European space-tech companies raised €2.9 billion"; "Debt financing accounted for 45.6% of the total."
Reference period: H1 2026 · Scope: European space-tech companies (Tech.eu coverage)
Limitations: Secondary report of Tech.eu data; includes debt; half-year; different coverage from ESPI.
⚑ Partially verifiedChecked 9 Nov 2026Context only. Not combined with ESPI series.
input source
Space Autonomy Monitor: Phase 1 KPI framework and initial figures
Project owner (internal brief) · Supplied input (not evidence)
Published: Supplied on 9 November 2026. Underlying references were not provided with the brief. · Accessed: 9 Nov 2026
ESPI figures 2022 €1.0bn, 2023 €0.94bn, 2024 €1.5bn, 2025 €1.4bn; Tech.eu H1 2026 €2.9bn incl. debt.
Reference period: 2022–2026 · Scope: Europe
Limitations: Supplied summary.
⚑ Partially verified2023–2025 match ESPI; 2022 not separately verified.
primary source
Space Venture Europe 2023: Investment in the European and Global Space SectorEuropean Space Policy Institute (ESPI) · Research institution
Published: 22 May 2024 · Accessed: 9 Nov 2026
"The space sector raised €942 million, representing a 7% decrease in investment in 2023."
Reference period: 2023 (with comparison to 2022) · Scope: European space ventures
Limitations: ESPI totals include public and mixed investor participation; not exclusively private capital. 2022 value implied, not stated.
⚑ Partially verifiedChecked 9 Nov 2026Value located in retrieved text; definition mismatch (private vs all capital).
primary source
Space Venture Europe 2023: Investment in the European and Global Space SectorEuropean Space Policy Institute (ESPI) · Research institution
Published: 22 May 2024 · Accessed: 9 Nov 2026
2022 value of about €1.0bn implied by the reported 7% decrease to €942m in 2023.
Reference period: 2022 · Scope: European space ventures
Limitations: Derived; exact 2022 figure not located.
⚑ Partially verifiedChecked 9 Nov 2026Consistent with supplied €1.0bn; exact value not verified.
primary source
Space Venture 2024: Global Investment DynamicsEuropean Space Policy Institute (ESPI) · Research institution
Published: 20 Jun 2025 · Accessed: 9 Nov 2026
"Attracting €1.5 billion"; "over 80% of the capital secured in Europe came from public or mixed investor consortia."
Reference period: 2024 · Scope: European space ventures
Limitations: Not exclusively private capital.
⚑ Partially verifiedChecked 9 Nov 2026Value located in retrieved text; definition mismatch (private vs all capital).
primary source
Space Venture 2025European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) · Research institution
Published: 5 May 2026 · Accessed: 9 Nov 2026
"Europe's space ventures attracted €1.4 billion in 2025"; "Venture capital…grew by 13% to €1.2 billion."
Reference period: 2025 · Scope: European space ventures
Limitations: Not exclusively private capital.
⚑ Partially verifiedChecked 9 Nov 2026Value located in retrieved text; definition mismatch (private vs all capital).
Related strategic risks
Suggested relationships, not validated causal links.
- R1 Ambition versus capacity
Capital levels below target indicate financing gaps.
⚑ Suggested link — not validated
- R2 Sovereignty versus innovation
Private investment is a warning indicator for innovation.
⚑ Suggested link — not validated
Related capabilities
Suggested relationships, not validated causal links.
No capabilities linked
Related news
Reserved for linking in a later phase.
No news linked yet