How The Space Economy Is Lifting Off With Venture Capital

Stellar Ventures is bringing deep technical expertise, conviction-based investing, and a fresh perspective to the booming space economy. Led by aerospace engineer and entrepreneur Celeste Ford, the woman-led venture capital firm is backing early-stage space startups with more than just funding. As costs to access space plummet and commercial applications soar, Stellar Ventures is helping shape the next generation of space technology companies poised to transform communications, defense, manufacturing, and more.

Stellar Ventures Backs The Next Space Giants

Space is no longer the exclusive domain of governments and billionaires. With the dramatic drop in launch and satellite manufacturing costs, a new generation of startups is entering orbit—and Stellar Ventures is among the first venture capital firms designed to meet them there.

The global aerospace market is expected to climb from $401 billion in 2025 to more than $726 billion by 2033, fueled by private investment and growing demand for commercial applications, including telecom and climate tech. Venture capital is following the momentum, helping to fund the infrastructure and innovation needed to capitalize on this shift.

“I think of space like the internet in the 1990s,” said Ford, managing partner of Stellar Ventures and founder of aerospace engineering firm Stellar Solutions. “It’s becoming the infrastructure for a whole new wave of commercial innovation.”

Ford co-founded Stellar Ventures after noticing that the space investments she made as an angel investor outperformed her other bets. With decades of experience in aerospace and active security clearances, she recognized that she could offer far more than capital.

“We bring deal flow, due diligence, and introductions to customers,” she said. “That combination is rocket fuel for companies in this industry.”

Launched in 2022, Stellar’s first fund, SV Andromeda Fund LP, raised $23 million to invest in seed and pre-seed companies building the infrastructure of the commercial space economy—from satellite-based navigation systems to in-orbit manufacturing. Stellar Ventures is also preparing to raise a second fund to provide follow-on capital for its existing portfolio and to invest in additional early-stage space technology companies.

Ford describes Stellar’s approach as “conviction-based,” meaning the team sticks with portfolio companies they believe in, even when times get tough.

Investing In Aerospace With Conviction, Connection, And Clarity

Stellar Ventures’ approach is resonating with founders. “Stellar has invested in every round we’ve had,” said Brian Manning, founder and CEO of Xona Space Systems. “Even when we were struggling, they had conviction. They really understand our company, our market, and our capabilities.”

That technical and market insight stems from Ford’s decades of experience in the field and her role as founder and board chair of Stellar Solutions, a global aerospace engineering firm that provides high-impact technical expertise to government and commercial clients across the space, defense, and intelligence sectors. Stellar Solutions continues to support the fund’s diligence process. The firm also prides itself on helping founders refine their pitch and strengthen their business strategy.

“They changed my perspective on venture raising and partnerships,” said Oluseun Taiwo, founder and CEO of Solideon. “A lot of what I’ve learned about telling a story and backing it with financials, I learned from Stellar. They are a firm that is there for me.”

Alexander Levy, founder of climate intelligence startup Atmo.ai, credits Stellar with a key customer introduction. “Stellar Ventures is one of our largest and most important shareholders,” he said. “They joined us at our inflection point and introduced us to our largest customer.”

So far, 14.5% of the fund’s capital has been allocated to solo female founders—a figure that significantly surpasses the 2024 VC industry average of 2%. But Ford insists that this wasn’t intentional. “We look for technical excellence, market need, and good business sense,” she said. “If more women are meeting that bar, great. But we don’t lower the bar for anyone.”

Launching To New Heights

The firm is also collaborating with the ISS National Lab to co-lead the new Orbital Edge Accelerator. The program will provide startups with the opportunity to test their technologies on the International Space Station—a rare chance to validate hardware in an actual microgravity environment.

“We’re taking accelerators to a new level—literally into orbit,” Ford said with a laugh.

Looking ahead, Stellar Ventures is eyeing new opportunities in resilient navigation systems, Earth observation, direct-to-device telecom, and space-based manufacturing. The firm’s technical credibility, deep network, and founder-first ethos position it as a unique player in the growing space VC landscape.

As Ford put it: “We’re moving toward a multi-planet world. I always said I hoped to take my kids to space camp in space. They’re too old now. But maybe my grandkids will get to go.”

As the space economy continues to expand beyond rockets and government missions, firms like Stellar Ventures are charting a new course for venture capital. By combining technical depth, real-world connections, and steadfast support for entrepreneurs, Celeste Ford and her team are helping launch the future of space, one startup at a time.