Varda Space Industries
In-space pharmaceutical manufacturing and hypersonic re-entry vehicles
Space / Defense
📍 El Segundo, CA
Founded 2020
Current Valuation
$1.0B
as of 2025-Q3
UNICORN
Varda Space Industries manufactures pharmaceuticals in microgravity aboard small orbital capsules, then returns the cargo to Earth via hypersonic re-entry — a dual-use platform that also serves DoD hypersonic-flight testing. Co-founded by SpaceX veteran Will Bruey and Founders Fund partner Delian Asparouhov, Varda has completed three successful re-entry missions (W-1 through W-3) and raised a $187M Series C in July 2025 at unicorn valuation. Defense customers include the US Air Force and Missile Defense Agency.
Company Profile
Growth
Three successful re-entry missions to date
Last Round
Series C — $187M (Jul 2025) · Lead: Natural Capital / Shrug Capital
IPO Status
no imminent plans
Founders & Key People
Will BrueyDelian Asparouhov
Investors
Founders Fund · Khosla Ventures · Lux Capital · Caffeinated Capital · General Catalyst · Peter Thiel · Shrug Capital · Natural Capital
Products
- W-series re-entry capsules (in-space drug crystallization)
- Hypersonic re-entry test vehicles (DoD)
- Ritonavir + other pharma payloads
Competitors
Redwire Space (RDW) · Space Tango · SpaceLogistics (NGC) · Sierra Space
SpaceDefenseIn-Space ManufacturingUnicorn
Private-company numbers are not real-time. Reflects publicly disclosed valuations from press releases, news reports, and tender offers as of 2025-Q3. Refreshed quarterly.