Space BD, a Japanese space startup, has raised a total of 1.04 billion JPY ($9.2 million) through a third-party allotment of new shares to the existing shareholders Incubate Fund, Anniversaire Holdings, SMBC Venture Capital, Mizuho Capital, and the new shareholder Pavilion Capital, a wholly owned unit of Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings.

Space BD said in a statement, the focus areas for this fundraising includes the expansion of satellite launch services by securing a variety of global launch methods.

According to the statement, the company is expanding the launch options to meet a wide variety of global demand, including a contract signed with SpaceX in November 2021 securing the right to use the Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Space BD will also continue its efforts to establish a system to provide users with more flexible options that incorporate launch methods overseas as well as those in Japan.

The funding will also be used to strengthen Space BD human resource recruitment and organizational capabilities, which are key to its competitiveness.

According to the statement, Space BD is strengthening its organization by accelerating the hiring and training of business development personnel and engineering personnel for new business development. It is enhancing new business development in expanding areas, such as space-themed projects to connect space and society including education, regional revitalization, and marketing, as well as large-scale projects including deep space development beyond the Moon.

“Space BD is a pioneering company that connects space and society, and based on its strong partnership with JAXA to date has become the No. 1 player in space business development. We have been very impressed with Space BD’s unique approach even before this investment. We have high expectations for the company’s future growth. Pavilion Capital is confident that Space BD will lead the Japanese space industry. We look forward to working with the company’s management team for many years to come as we work together to build the industrialization of space for the world,” said Choun Chee Kong, Head Japan Investments, Pavilion Capital.

Space BD is a space business development firm aiming to be a company that represents Japan and develops a world-class industry. Since its foundation in 2017, it has provided a one-stop service from proposing business plans to providing engineering support regarding space utilization, including the International Space Station (ISS). It also promotes the industrialization of space by providing comprehensive services with both business development and technical aspects for all those who want to utilize space.

Space BD has been engaged in global businesses based on its partnership with JAXA, such as the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo Exposed Facility Utilization Project on the International Space Station (ISS), the Life Science Business utilizing a microgravity environment, and the H-IIA/H3 Launch Vehicle Shared Launch Project following Space BD’s selection as the first commercial service provider for a small satellite deployment service.

In addition to expanding its satellite launch business, Space BD is currently developing businesses to create new applications for space. Its aim is to respond to increasing and diverse demands relevant to space, including demand for regional industrial development, education and human resource development, and technical project management based on our technological capabilities. With its strength in sales and business development based on its technological capabilities, Space BD is striving to achieve its founding mission of “making space a world-leading industry from Japan” by providing a one-stop-shop for business planning and execution from scratch as well as technical support for the issues and objectives that differ from project to project.

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