EQT to Acquire German-Based Satellite Deployment Tech Firm Exolaunch

Swedish private equity firm EQT AB has agreed to acquire Exolaunch, a Berlin-headquartered satellite deployment and launch mission management company, in a deal announced June 18, 2026. The transaction is being made through EQT X, the firm's flagship private equity fund, and is expected to close in Q4 2026. EQT is buying Exolaunch from its founder Dmitriy Sternharz, who spun the company out of the Technical University of Berlin in 2013. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Exolaunch has become one of the most active operators in the commercial smallsat rideshare market, having deployed more than 790 satellites across 47 missions for over 200 customers. The company has flown on every SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter and Bandwagon rideshare mission since those programs began, making it a central logistics layer in the booming small satellite economy. Beyond rideshare, Exolaunch has already secured two dedicated Falcon 9 missions with SPCX, designated Exo-1 and Exo-2, scheduled for 2027 and 2028, signaling an ambition to move up the launch value chain.

The acquisition is EQT's first foray into the space sector and reflects a broader private equity push into commercial space infrastructure as launch costs continue to fall and satellite demand grows. EQT has stated it will support Exolaunch in scaling global operations and investing in next-generation deployment technologies. For EQT X, the deal is expected to bring the fund to 80 to 85 percent invested following close. The transaction positions EQT at the operational heart of the rideshare supply chain at a moment when satellite constellation buildouts from multiple operators are accelerating demand for reliable, cost-efficient deployment services.