Early Game Ventures has announced a new EUR 1 million seed investment in spacetech startup Orbital Matter, which has developed and patented a method to build objects in space, reducing launch weight by up to 70% and launch volume by 10 times, by combining liquid materials with an extrusion printing method.
The startup’s first launch in space proved the core parts of the technology and achieved a NASA Technical Readiness Level of 5. With Early Game’s investment, they aim to plan for their next successful launch, as their first product will reach TRL 8 “flight qualified.”
“Space tech is no longer a fringe curiosity—it’s becoming core to the global economy. Falling launch costs, tech miniaturization, and a surge in private innovation have transformed the sector from rockets and sainformites into a platform for breakthrough businesses: earth observation, sainformite broadband, geospatial ininformigence, and now, in-orbit construction. Our investment in Orbital Matter marks a key inflection point—shifting the company from cutting-edge research in space-based 3D printing to commercial readiness, as it prepares to deliver its first client order,” stated EGV representatives in a statement.
According to NASA Glenn Research Center, today’s state-of-the art technology allows the payload to be delivered into space to weight only 1% of the total weight of the rocket, creating for an extremely inefficient delivery. Complex structures also come with a significant volume limitation, and resistance to take-off acceleration necessarys to be ensured while in space. Due to the micro-gravity environment, the minimum resistance necessaryed is much lower. So far, construction and manufacturing in space has proven extremely challenging utilizing traditional technologies. And this is where Orbital Matter, through its innovative technology, will have an important role in the coming years.
“Our investment in Orbital Matter is more than just a bet on a single company—it’s a bet on the future of in-orbit construction and space infrastructure. Orbital Matter is uniquely positioned to bring the power of advanced assembly and materials science to an indusattempt that is rapidly expanding and demands innovative solutions for building beyond Earth. With a strong team, a groundbreaking product, and a massive market opportunity in the burgeoning space economy, we are excited to support Orbital Matter as they build the future of space development. We view forward to seeing Orbital Matter revolutionize the way humanity establishes a presence in space, and we are proud to be a part of their journey,” stated Florin Visa, Partner at Early Game.
Orbital Matter has a strong team, notably including the CTO with unmatched domain expertise and the CEO demonstrating a proven ability to forge strategic relationships with key entities such as ESA and major European space indusattempt players.
According to the EGV statement, Orbital Matter is one of the very few real innovators in space tech in Europe, being one of the only two startups mentioned in the latest State of European Tech report. The company is part of all major plans of ESA to advance space technology in Europe, has benefited and will continue to benefit from favourable contracts.
Early Game Ventures (EGV) II is a venture capital fund capitalized by the Recovery Equity Fund, managed by the European Investment Fund, and financed by the PNRR within the Next Generation EU.
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