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Blue Origin Seeks First Outside Funding at $130 Billion Valuation, Report Says
Summary
Jeff Bezos's space company, Blue Origin, is reportedly raising $10 billion in its first external funding round, which would value the aerospace firm at $130 billion.
Jeff Bezos’s aerospace company, Blue Origin, is seeking to raise $10 billion in its first-ever bid for outside funding, according to a report from the New York Times DealBook. The fundraising effort is based on a pre-money valuation of $130 billion for the privately held rocket maker.
The report indicates that asset manager Coatue Management is expected to lead the investment round with a $4 billion commitment. Blue Origin's founder, Jeff Bezos, is also set to contribute an additional $2 billion to the round. Since its establishment in 2000, the company has been primarily funded by Bezos.
This move to secure external capital comes amid heightened investor interest in the space industry, partly influenced by the recent initial public offering of its primary competitor, SpaceX. While Blue Origin has secured significant government contracts, including work for NASA’s Artemis lunar program and U.S. Space Force national security missions, it trails SpaceX in launch frequency and overall revenue.
AdUnlike SpaceX, which has diversified with its Starlink satellite internet service, Blue Origin's business model is centered on launch services, rocket engines, and government space programs. The company experienced a setback in May when its New Glenn rocket exploded during a ground test, but it reportedly expects to resume launches later this year.