EQT Makes First Space Sector Bet With Acquisition of Germany's Exolaunch

EQT Private Equity of Sweden is buying Exolaunch, a German rideshare mission management and integration provider, in a transaction of undisclosed value. The deal marks EQT's first investment in the space sector and arrives as Exolaunch projects a 250 percent revenue increase this year.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year. Exolaunch was founded in 2010 as a spinoff of the Technical University of Berlin. The data service dealroom.co estimated the deal value at $339 million, a figure that would reflect the company's rapid expansion over the last couple of years.

Exolaunch specializes in managing rideshare launches and integrating satellites onto launch vehicles. The company has handled rideshare missions for hundreds of satellites. Financial terms of the EQT purchase were not disclosed by the parties.

The projected 250 percent revenue increase in 2026 points to the scale of the company's recent growth. EQT, described as a Swedish private equity firm, is entering the space sector as an acquirer for the first time through this transaction.

For EQT, the acquisition represents an entry into a new market segment, its first move into space. For Exolaunch, the deal brings it under the ownership of a major institutional private equity firm as it forecasts a sharp jump in revenue this year.

The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year.