Europe may finally have found a space entrepreneur who is meeting the moment
Helene Huby, CEO of The Exploration Company, has secured $450 million in Series C funding, marking a significant milestone for the European space industry. Her company aims to address Europe's lagging space capabilities compared to US and Chinese competitors.
Why it matters
This funding represents a pivotal moment for European commercial space efforts, which have struggled to compete with the rapid innovation and lower costs of US-based private space firms.
TEC Europe may finally have found a space entrepreneur who is meeting the moment “We will not be relevant without a massive rocket at a massive cadence.”
31 Helene Huby, founder and CEO of Exploration Company, speaks in 2025. Credit: Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images Helene Huby, founder and CEO of Exploration Company, speaks in 2025. Credit: Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav All of a sudden, French entrepreneur Hèlene Huby is seemingly everywhere.
This week she is serving as one of two envoys, alongside astronaut Thomas Pesquet, at a high-profile International Space Summit convened by French President Emmanuel Macron. The government’s website for the event describes her as chief executive of “the fastest-growing space company in Europe.”
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in