What is I-space?
Headquartered in Tokyo, I-space is a specialized developer of robotic spacecraft technologies, including advanced landers and rovers. Since its inception in 2010, the company has carved out a unique niche by offering transportation and exploration mission contracts to both government space agencies and private commercial entities. The firm’s core value proposition lies in its ability to enable clients to discover, map, and eventually utilize natural lunar resources, positioning itself as a critical infrastructure provider for the next generation of space-based commerce. By integrating sophisticated robotics with a scalable business model, I-space is actively shaping the commercial viability of the lunar surface.
How much funding has I-space raised?
I-space has raised a total of $217.7M across 4 funding rounds:
Series A
$90.2M
Series B
$28M
Series C
$46M
Share Placement
$53.5M
Series A (2017): $90.2M with participation from Suzuki Motor Corporation, KDDI, Shimizu Corporation, Real Tech Fund, Konica Minolta, Development Bank of Japan Inc., Japan Airlines Co., Toppan Printing, Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, and Dentsu
Series B (2020): $28M led by Space Frontier Fund, Takasago Thermal Engineering Co., Incubate Fund, and Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co.
Series C (2021): $46M supported by SoftBank Group Corp, Incubate Fund, and Katsunori Sago
Share Placement (2024): $53.5M, investors not publicly disclosed
Key Investors in I-space
SoftBank Group Corp
A global technology holding company that drives innovation across AI, robotics, and telecommunications, providing strategic capital to companies poised to lead the Information Revolution.
Incubate Fund
A venture capital firm dedicated to supporting ambitious entrepreneurs from the early stages, offering both financial resources and human capital to maximize startup growth.
Suzuki Motor Corporation
A Japanese multinational corporation specializing in the manufacturing of automobiles and advanced mobility solutions, bringing industrial expertise to the aerospace sector.
What's next for I-space?
The recent influx of capital is expected to accelerate the deployment of I-space’s next-generation landers, which are essential for fulfilling its growing pipeline of mission contracts. As the company moves into a more mature lifecycle stage, the focus will likely shift toward increasing mission frequency and enhancing the payload capacity of its robotic fleet. Strategic priorities include the refinement of lunar resource extraction technologies and the expansion of its global partnership network to include more international commercial stakeholders. By maintaining its trajectory of technological innovation and operational excellence, I-space is well-positioned to lead the commercialization of the cislunar space environment.
See full I-space company page
