EQT anounced that EQT X has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Exolaunch, a global leader in mission management, satellite integration, and deployment technologies, from founder Dmitriy Sternharz. Based in Germany, Exolaunch provides mission management, satellite integration, and deployment technologies for satellite operators globally.
The company helps customers access space through deployment hardware, satellite integration, launch program planning, launch capacity procurement, testing, logistics, and orbital deployment services.
Exolaunch has deployed more than 790 satellites across 47 missions for more than 200 commercial and government customers across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
The company works with traditional and emerging launch providers and has maintained a strategic relationship with SpaceX since 2020. Exolaunch has participated in every SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter and Bandwagon rideshare mission since those programs began.
Exolaunch has also started procuring dedicated launches, with its first secured SpaceX Falcon 9 missions, Exo-1 and Exo-2, scheduled for 2027 and 2028.
EQT said it will support Exolaunch’s next phase of growth by investing in global operations, product innovation, new satellite launch and deployment technologies, and additional services across the satellite mission lifecycle.
The investment also marks EQT Private Equity’s first investment in the space sector. The deal is subject to customary conditions and approvals and is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2026.
Support: Goldman Sachs Bank Europe served as exclusive financial advisor and DLA Piper served as legal counsel to founder Dmitriy Sternharz. Milbank served as legal counsel to EQT.
KEY QUOTES:
“EQT is excited to partner with Exolaunch, which marks EQT Private Equity’s first investment in the space sector. Built by a visionary founder together with a world-class team, Exolaunch developed mission-critical deployment technologies and built a full end-to-end service offering around it. The Company thereby solves critical pain points for satellite customers and launch vehicle providers alike. Its deep technological expertise and proven track record makes Exolaunch one of the most trusted names in the launch ecosystem. We look forward to supporting Exolaunch’s management working with customers and partners to expand access to space. We see great potential for rapidly developing use cases, including for connectivity, Earth observation and orbital compute.”
Nils Ketter, Partner and Head of Industrial Technology in the EQT Private Equity Advisory Team
“The foundations of Exolaunch were laid during my time at the Aerospace Department of the Technical University of Berlin, inspired by the lectures and guidance of my role models Prof. Udo Renner and Prof. Klaus Brieß. What began as a passion for space has grown into a leading global provider of satellite launch and deployment services, helping customers around the world access orbit and deploy constellations with reliability and precision. I am extremely proud of the execution excellence consistently demonstrated by the Exolaunch team, as well as the reputation we have built together over the years. As the space economy enters a period of extraordinary growth, Exolaunch is strongly positioned to capitalize on the increasing demand for launch access, orbital infrastructure and space-enabled services. I warmly welcome EQT as the new owner of Exolaunch, as EQT’s global network, operational expertise and long-term ownership mindset make them ideally placed to lead the Company into its next phase of growth.”
Dmitriy Sternharz, Founder and President of Exolaunch
“At Exolaunch, we transform the complex task of launch campaigns into seamless and affordable experiences for our customers. We help to enable the visions of some of the world’s most ambitious companies, research institutions, governments and space agencies. With EQT’s backing, we’re moving from being the trusted name in deployment to building the backbone of the entire launch ecosystem – expanding our technology, our services and our global reach to become the definitive partner for access to space.”
Robert Sproles, Chief Executive Officer of Exolaunch
