As the global demand for semiconductors skyrockets, a U.K. startup believes the answer to faster, more energy-efficient chips might be found beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Cardiff-based Space Forge just raised a $30 million Series A (roughly £22.6 million), with bold plans to manufacture advanced semiconductor materials in space — where microgravity and extreme conditions make it possible to grow near-perfect crystals. The startup’s vision? Use space-grown materials to power everything from 5G towers to quantum computing systems.
CEO Joshua Western explains that this isn’t science fiction — it’s backed by decades of research. “We’re standing on the shoulders of about 50 years of work,” he told TechCrunch, highlighting how chips grown in space can have far fewer defects, making them significantly more efficient.
Why It Matters:
- Use cases already exist: British Telecom (BT) is testing space-grown crystals to reduce the energy needs of 5G infrastructure.
- Defense and quantum applications: Cleaner crystals mean more efficient chips, valuable for defense, AI, and quantum computing.
- Backed by big players: The round was led by the NATO Innovation Fund, with participation from Northrop Grumman and climate-focused World Fund.
“Mary Poppins from Space”
One of the startup’s biggest challenges — and differentiators — is not launching materials into orbit, but bringing them back safely. Their reentry system, nicknamed Mary Poppins from space, uses an umbrella-like heat shield called Pridwen to return payloads gently to Earth. They’ve also developed Fielder, a floating net to catch satellites as they land on water.
Their goal is to make in-space manufacturing a reality at scale in Europe. To support that, they’ve opened a new office in Portugal’s Azores, a key site for future satellite return missions.
What’s Next:
- ForgeStar-1, their next-generation satellite, is set to launch later this year — a follow-up to the ill-fated ForgeStar-0, lost in Virgin Orbit’s failed 2023 mission.
- Fittingly, their new mission is called: “The Forge Awakens.”
The Big Picture:
Space Forge isn’t building rockets — it’s stitching together proven technologies into a model for sustainable, in-space chip production. The startup also claims its process could be carbon negative, though large-scale environmental benefits will depend on wider adoption.
With rising geopolitical tensions and supply chain risks (especially around Taiwan), Europe’s appetite for homegrown, resilient semiconductor solutions is growing — and Space Forge is betting that space is the next industrial frontier.
As the global demand for semiconductors skyrockets, a U.K. startup believes the answer to faster, more energy-efficient chips might be found beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Cardiff-based Space Forge just raised a $30 million Series A (roughly £22.6 million), with bold plans to manufacture advanced semiconductor materials in space — where microgravity and extreme conditions make it possible to grow near-perfect crystals. The startup’s vision? Use space-grown materials to power everything from 5G towers to quantum computing systems.
CEO Joshua Western explains that this isn’t science fiction — it’s backed by decades of research. “We’re standing on the shoulders of about 50 years of work,” he told TechCrunch, highlighting how chips grown in space can have far fewer defects, making them significantly more efficient.
Why It Matters:
- Use cases already exist: British Telecom (BT) is testing space-grown crystals to reduce the energy needs of 5G infrastructure.
- Defense and quantum applications: Cleaner crystals mean more efficient chips, valuable for defense, AI, and quantum computing.
- Backed by big players: The round was led by the NATO Innovation Fund, with participation from Northrop Grumman and climate-focused World Fund.
“Mary Poppins from Space”
One of the startup’s biggest challenges — and differentiators — is not launching materials into orbit, but bringing them back safely. Their reentry system, nicknamed Mary Poppins from space, uses an umbrella-like heat shield called Pridwen to return payloads gently to Earth. They’ve also developed Fielder, a floating net to catch satellites as they land on water.
Their goal is to make in-space manufacturing a reality at scale in Europe. To support that, they’ve opened a new office in Portugal’s Azores, a key site for future satellite return missions.
What’s Next:
- ForgeStar-1, their next-generation satellite, is set to launch later this year — a follow-up to the ill-fated ForgeStar-0, lost in Virgin Orbit’s failed 2023 mission.
- Fittingly, their new mission is called: “The Forge Awakens.”
The Big Picture:
Space Forge isn’t building rockets — it’s stitching together proven technologies into a model for sustainable, in-space chip production. The startup also claims its process could be carbon negative, though large-scale environmental benefits will depend on wider adoption.
With rising geopolitical tensions and supply chain risks (especially around Taiwan), Europe’s appetite for homegrown, resilient semiconductor solutions is growing — and Space Forge is betting that space is the next industrial frontier.
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