ATMOS Space Cargo Secures Extra €1.3M for Earlier Access to Low Earth Orbit and joined OTB Ventures portfolio
ATMOS successfully extends its initial seed financing round from June 2023, which was oversubscribed at €4 million, in preparation for assembling the first prototype of its Phoenix return capsule to fly into space and back. OTB Ventures joined the consortium of experienced space tech investors: High-Tech Gründerfonds, the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund, Seraphim, E2MC, VENTIS and another.vc.
ATMOS develops and manufactures space capsules capable of safely returning any cargo from space, representing the first sustainable solution for many payloads and experiments. The capsules have been designed to offer microgravity on-demand, ranging from three hours to three months in orbit. These capsules open up unprecedented opportunities for a wide array of applications, including biomedical and material sciences research, In-Orbit Demonstration and Verification (IOD/IOV), and manufacturing products in space.
The additional funding is strengthening ATMOS’ current participation in ESA’s Commercial Cargo Initiative tender. Assuring the space agency’s financial requirements are met while accelerating the time to market for ATMOS’ Phoenix space capsule to fly into LEO and return a microgravity experiment for its first demonstration mission.
OTB is a very experienced space and deeptech investor with successful portfolio companies like ICEYE or ClearSpace. I met Wojtek first at an ESA Investor Forum, and while OTB usually invests at Series A, this early investment into ATMOS is a great sign of trust. Said Sebastian Klaus, CEO and Co-Founder of ATMOS Space Cargo. This seed extension will accelerate our time to market for our life sciences service with Phoenix and larger projects like LEO Cargo Return.
As part of our in-space economy strategy we have thoroughly analysed future enabling platforms that decisively shape and grow this emerging sector. ATMOS Space Cargo struck us as one of the most compelling and innovative new companies, in a market ripe for dynamic growth. Said Wojciech Walniczek, Partner at OTB Ventures. This technology, through a unique combination of cost, frequency and flexibility, intends to “close the loop” for commercially-viable access to space-based R&D and manufacturing, with the ability to spur a new wave of innovation initially in biosciences and pharma, later in semiconductors, material sciences, and other areas. We believe that Atmos Space Cargo can do to space manufacturing and return what SpaceX did to launch and space transportation. The founders of ATMOS are a group of visionaries and effective executors teamed up around inspiring shared mission. We are extremely happy to join forces with this exceptional consortium of investors to support this Team at a crucial development stage.