ATMOS Space Cargo (ATMOS), a pioneering NewSpace startup, has raised an additional €1.3M after successfully closing its initial €4M seed funding round in June 2023.

OTB Ventures, a leading European SpaceTech investor, is joining renowned SpaceTech investors High-Tech Gründerfonds, the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund (which also increased their initial investment in this extension), Seraphim, E2MC, VENTIS, and another.vc.

ATMOS is on track to assemble the first prototype of its Phoenix return capsule for a demonstration mission to LEO.

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.

Sebastian Klaus, CEO and Co-Founder of ATMOS Space Cargo, said: “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. This seed extension will accelerate our time to market for our life sciences service with Phoenix and larger projects like LEO Cargo Return.”

Wojciech Walniczek, Partner at OTB Ventures, said: “As part of our in-space economy strategy we have been thoroughly analyzing future enabling platforms which 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. 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 in pharma, semiconductors, material sciences, and other areas. 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.”

Andreas Riegler, Founding Partner at the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund, said: “Access to orbit is the foundation of a blooming space economy. It encompasses the capability to deploy payloads into space and the critical ability to safely and cost-effectively retrieve them back to Earth. This two-way logistical capacity is essential for harnessing space’s unique microgravity conditions to foster breakthrough technologies in fields such as biotechnology and manufacturing. ATMOS Space Cargo is working on critical capabilities that make the promise of a flourishing space economy come true. I am extremely pleased that APEX Ventures has been part of its early journey and look forward to significant milestones from them in realising the promise of a thriving space economy.”

The ATMOS PR team provided this piece to SME Business Review.