Guidance

Unlocking Space for Investment: Programme overview

Updated 16 January 2025

1. Business and Investor Pathway Programme

The Unlocking Space for Investment: Business and Investor Pathway programme seeks to increase private investor awareness and understanding of investment opportunities across the space economy through the delivery of two pathways.

Each pathway offers tailored support to successful applicants, including learning content, masterclasses, networking and pitching opportunities. The programme overall seeks to create long-term, meaningful partnerships between the UK Space Agency, investors and companies.

Both pathways run in parallel, and the programme will culminate in a pitch day, where the training companies from the Business Pathway are given the chance to pitch to the investment community at large.

The 2024/25 Business and Investor Pathway Programme is currently underway, following on from a successful pilot programme in 2023/24.

The Space Investment Pitch Day will take place on 18 March 2025 in London – more details to be released shortly.

Apply for the Business Pathway.

Apply for the Investor Pathway.

2. Business Pathway overview

The Business Pathway will offer tailored content and focused interventions to support space sector businesses to get investor ready, helping to bridge the valley of death in reaching the growth stage (Series A+). We will look to:

• demystify the world of institutional investment through an understanding of the different types of investor and what they care about
• give the opportunity to get hands on with commercial and financial investment advisers from early-stage through to late-stage transactions, helping to frame your investment opportunity and addressable market size
• provide appropriate materials, skills and coaching to generate the right investment content to support due diligence and the investor engagement process
• offer experience pitching to investors, allowing valuable feedback to be shared to support you along your investment process

If you would like any further information or have any questions or feedback, please contact the team by email at USI@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.

3. Investor Pathway overview

The Investor Pathway programme is dedicated to supporting private investors seeking to capitalise on the developing UK space sector and leverage existing government investment. The programme will encourage investment in the sector by sharing knowledge and empowering investors, particularly those considering their first venture into space investment.

The Investor Pathway will grant investors access to:

• knowledge sharing: a 7-week flexible online course tailored for investors moving into the space sector
• pitch day: invitation to an exclusive pitch day hosted by the UK Space Agency, in coordination with the parallel pathway for space businesses
• community: exclusive access to deal-flow backed by UK Space Agency investment, invitation to industry events and opportunities to form investment partnerships with pathway members and the UK Space Agency

4. UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (UKI2S)

Are you a business operating in the space sector, looking to raise pre-seed and seed funds? The UK Space agency UKI2S Space Portfolio may be for you.

UKI2S supports pre-seed and seed companies who can deliver substantial benefits for humanity, from space. With investments ranging from £100,000 to £500,000, the funding aims to address the critical funding gap early-stage space companies face.

UKI2S is active in building companies, playing a hands-on role in finessing the business case, building the team and hiring team members, supporting negotiations around IP, navigating the funding landscape, and establishing best practice in newly founded companies.

Find out more about the UKI2S Space Portfolio.

5. Space Investment Day

Join us on 22 January 2025 at the Brunswick Art Gallery in London for an exclusive space event designed specifically for the finance community.

Hosted by the UK Space Agency as part of the Unlocking Space for Investment programme, the Space Investment Day seeks to offer new perspectives and discussions on UK space industry trends, opportunities and critical technologies, bringing together the finance community, UK Space Agency and government officials to explore the benefits of investing in the UK space industry.  

The event will address common misconceptions by investors in the sector, divided into three core themes that respond to “Why Space? Why the UK? Why Now?”, which are:

• New Markets, New Perspectives: Exploring the rapidly evolving space value chain, this theme spotlights emerging markets and applications, offering fresh perspectives on the opportunities within this expansive and innovative sector. 

• UK’s Competitive Edge: This theme showcases the competitive strengths of the UK’s thriving start-up ecosystem and its role in shaping the future of the global space industry.  

• Realising Value in Space Investments: This theme explores the risks and benefits to pre-revenue investment, covering practical insights on investing into space technology, and spotlighting high potential markets.   

This is an opportunity to hear keynote speeches and expert led panels from leaders across government, industry and finance, aimed at demystifying the space sector and building confidence in space investments. These discussions, alongside an exclusive exhibition showcasing UK space innovations and investment opportunities, will highlight the industry’s untapped potential and offer clear insights into emerging markets for space investment.  

The day is designed to build understanding, establish a common dialogue, discuss challenges and share opportunities for the finance community within the UK’s space sector. 

If you would like to sign up to the event, please apply now.

6. USI Network

We have just launched our USI Network aimed at building a ‘space investment community’ and we want you to join us!

6.1 What’s on offer?

The USI Business Newsletter is a quarterly newsletter which aims to include content such as programme updates, alerts about upcoming events, investor spotlights, case studies and the latest space finance and investment news that could benefit your business.

The USI Investor Update is a bi-monthly update where you will find business spotlights, fundraising success stories and details of other support programmes and upcoming events.

Our goal is to keep you well informed and connected with the UK Space Agency and our investment activity, ensuring you receive the insights needed to support your space investment journey.

Join the USI Network by emailing your interest to USI@ukspaceagency.gov.uk.