<ul>
<li>Average deal size nearly doubles, led by Saronic’s $1.75 billion funding round</li>
<li>North America dominates funding, Europe and Asia also see strong investment growth</li>
<li>Capital increasingly targets in-space infrastructure like stations, data centers</li>
</ul>
By Akash Sriram
April 21 (Reuters) - Global investment in space companies surged to a record in the first quarter of 2026, driven by larger late-stage financing and growing investor enthusiasm over SpaceX’s public market debut, data from investment firm Seraphim Space showed on Tuesday.
Funding reached $7.95 billion during the quarter, nearly double the $3.93 billion in the previous three-month period, pushing the trailing 12-month investment to an all-time high of $18.8 billion.
Deal count also rose to 159 transactions, bringing the annual total to a record 654.
The increase in capital deployment was largely attributed to bigger cheque sizes rather than a sharp increase in deal volume, with average deal size climbing to $68 million from $35.1 million in fourth quarter. The largest transaction was U.S.-based Saronic’s $1.75 billion round, one of the biggest space financings on record, the report said.
“The market today definitely feels ‘risk-on’ with capital moving quickly into perceived category leaders,” said Lucas Bishop, investment associate at Seraphim Space, pointing to a convergence of tailwinds, including defense spending, renewed lunar ambitions and investor anticipation around SpaceX’s IPO.
A SpaceX IPO could provide a landmark liquidity event for early investors and employees, while also creating a valuation benchmark, improving exit visibility for venture-backed space companies. Elon Musk’s rocket maker ‌will host an analyst day ​on Tuesday, Reuters reported earlier this month.
North America accounted for roughly 70% of total funding in the first quarter, while Europe posted its strongest performance since 2022 and Asia contributed more than $1.2 billion.
Notably, investment has shifted beyond traditional satellite communications, with significantly more capital flowing into emerging segments such as in-space infrastructure, including space stations and data centers, reflecting a broadening of the sector’s addressable market.
Recent developments have also highlighted continued momentum in satellite connectivity, with Amazon (AMZN.O) saying last week it would acquire Globalstar (GSAT.O) for $11.6 billion.

Elon Musk's SpaceX plans an IPO, targeting a valuation exceeding $2 trillion, potentially making it one of the world's most valuable companies. With its Starlink global network and industry-leading position in space launches, SpaceX is attracting global investor attention. Can its vision for space exploration and commercial potential support this astronomical valuation? What are your thoughts on SpaceX's future performance?

Elon Musk's SpaceX plans an IPO, targeting a valuation exceeding $2 trillion, potentially making it one of the world's most valuable companies. With its Starlink global network and industry-leading position in space launches, SpaceX is attracting global investor attention. Can its vision for space exploration and commercial potential support this astronomical valuation? What are your thoughts on SpaceX's future performance?

Space investment in first quarter hits record as SpaceX IPO buzz lifts sector