Deutsche Bank and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have announced a €560 mn financing partnership to support European SpaceTech companies, expand manufacturing capacity and strengthen Europe’s independent space infrastructure.
The agreement will provide financing for businesses across the space industry, including component manufacturers, launch technology developers, satellite operators and companies offering in-orbit services.
- Deutsche Bank and the European Investment Bank have agreed on a €560 mn financing partnership to support space technology companies across Europe.
- Around half of the investment is expected to go to Germany, with funding targeting reusable launchers, satellite manufacturing, propulsion systems and Earth observation.
- The agreement forms part of the EIB’s Space TechEU programme, launched in November 2025 with a target of mobilising €1.4 bn through commercial banking partnerships.
Around half of the investment is expected to be directed toward Germany, with the remaining financing distributed across other European Union countries.
This new partnership between the EIB and Deutsche Bank will help unlock investment in Germany and across Europe – backing the companies, supply chains and technologies that will make Europe’s space sector stronger, more competitive and ready to scale.
Nicola Beer, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank
The partnership was agreed ahead of the European Space Agency’s Space Investor Forum in Munich and builds on existing cooperation between the EIB and ESA to improve access to financing for European space companies.
European SpaceTech investment exceeds €1.3 bn in 2026
The Deutsche Bank-EIB agreement follows a series of financing rounds involving European space technology companies during 2026.
In Germany, Munich-based The Exploration Company secured €387 mn to advance the development of reusable rocket engine technology, while HyImpulse Technologies raised more than €50 mn to support European launch capabilities.
ATMOS Space Cargo attracted €25.7 mn in Series A funding for space logistics technology, and deltaVision secured €10.2 mn for spacecraft systems.
Elsewhere in Europe, Finnish satellite company ICEYE raised €450 mn in primary funding, Spain’s PLD Space extended its Series C financing to €288 mn, and France-based UNIVITY secured €27 mn for satellite connectivity technology.
Additional funding announcements involved AIRMO, Hydrosat and Arkadia Space. Together, the reported financings exceeded €1.3 bn, excluding the proposed €560 mn investment mobilisation under the Deutsche Bank-EIB partnership.
The EIB also provided a separate €30 mn venture-debt loan to PLD Space in April 2026 to support development of its MIURA 5 launch vehicle.
“Europe has the engineering talent to lead in space. Our job is to help finance its next stage of growth,” said Marc Mueller, Global Head of Trade Finance & Lending at Deutsche Bank. “Working with the EIB, we can offer space businesses the long-term financing they need to invest, expand production and compete internationally.”
Financing targets satellites, reusable launchers and propulsion technology
The partnership will support investment in reusable launch vehicles and spacecraft, advanced propulsion systems, satellite manufacturing and Earth observation technologies. These technologies support commercial and public-sector applications, including communications, navigation, wildfire detection, pollution monitoring and security services.
Space companies frequently face financing constraints because of lengthy development periods, technically complex projects and uncertain commercial returns. Such characteristics can make conventional bank lending difficult to obtain, particularly for businesses moving from development into commercial production.
The agreement aims to give Deutsche Bank access to long-term funding and flexible financing structures for commercially viable companies seeking capital to expand operations.
ESA will contribute market intelligence and industry expertise to help develop financing arrangements suited to small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-cap companies operating in the space sector.
The agency will also help connect financing opportunities with eligible businesses across Europe’s space industry.
This partnership with Deutsche Bank will help companies across Europe’s space sector invest in the technologies, production capacity and supply chains needed to scale up and compete globally.
Robert de Groot, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank
“In doing so, we are strengthening Europe’s capacity to deliver essential space services more autonomously,” said Robert de Groot,.
EIB Space TechEU programme targets €1.4 bn in investment
The financing agreement forms part of Space TechEU, the EIB’s dedicated space investment programme launched in November 2025.
The programme aims to mobilise approximately €1.4 bn in investment through partnerships with commercial banks, providing additional financing options for European space businesses.
It complements existing EIB Group support through direct investment loans, venture debt, equity investment and advisory services.
Combining these financial instruments with commercial bank lending is intended to improve access to capital throughout the development of space technology companies, from early innovation and product development to manufacturing expansion.
The Deutsche Bank partnership adds a commercial lending channel to those efforts, with €560 mn in planned investment mobilisation directed toward European companies developing space technologies and related infrastructure.
