Blue Origin
Facts
- HQ
- Kent, WA, US
- Sectors
- Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
- Founded
- 2000
- Employees
- 12874
- Stage
- Public
Jeff Bezos’ Bezos Expeditions backs CuspAI as it raises $450M at $2.6B valuation; Nvidia, AMD and Meta sign on as partners
CuspAI raised $450 million at a $2.6 billion valuation in a round backed by Jeff Bezos’ Bezos Expeditions, with Nvidia, AMD and Meta as development partners to use AI for discovering new chip materials. The startup pivots from early work on materials for carbon capture and water purification to addressing material shortages in the AI supply chain.
What's going on with Seattle startup funding, a Kalshi setback, Impinj's long game, and a smartphone detox
This week on the GeekWire Podcast: Seattle startup funding drops 40% in the first half of the year while AI money floods everywhere else. We dig into the numbers and the implications for the region. Plus: a Seattle judge deals Kalshi a setback, Impinj marks a decade on the Nasdaq after a 26-year climb, and nearly 40 Seattleites trade their smartphones for flip phones for five weeks. Related Stories Venture funding drops in Seattle area as AI boom reshapes startup world Helion raises $465M at $15.5B valuation as it aims to commercialize fusion UK data center startup Nscale bets big…
Ascend series: Seattle’s ‘Third Act’ — physical AI startups on Lake Union signal a shift toward software-enabled hardware
The piece reports from Lake Union to argue Seattle is entering a third industrial era—'physical AI'—where hardware-enabled intelligent machines mix with legacy maritime and aerospace industries, exemplified by startups like Overland, Anduril, Brinc, and Endurance Energy. The authors say Seattle has the talent, infrastructure, and institutions to lead but needs more risk-taking, investor capital for hardware, and pro-innovation policy to fully capitalize on this shift.
Satellite Companies Raise $8.1 Billion in H1 2026, Surpassing All Prior Annual Totals Tracked by Space Capital
Satellite companies attracted $8.1 billion in investment in the first half of 2026, surpassing every previous annual total tracked by Space Capital.
Seattle Startups Raise $2.7B in H1 2026 — Down 40% Year‑Over‑Year While U.S. VC Hits Record $412.7B
Seattle-area startups raised $2.7 billion across 163 deals in H1 2026, a roughly 40% drop from $4.5 billion a year earlier, as national venture funding surged to a record $412.7 billion driven largely by AI mega-rounds that Seattle’s pure-play AI companies did not capture.
Blue Origin Seeks $10 Billion in First External Funding at $130 Billion Valuation to Boost Satellite Internet Ambitions
Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos' space company founded in 2000, is reportedly seeking to raise $10 billion in its first outside funding round, valuing the company at $130 billion. The funds would support its satellite internet project TeraWave and competition with SpaceX.
Former OpenAI CPO Kevin Weil Joins Stoke Space Board as Startup Targets 2027 Reusable Rocket Test Flight
Kevin Weil, former Chief Product Officer at OpenAI, has joined the board of reusable rocket startup Stoke Space, signaling growing Silicon Valley interest in commercial spaceflight. Stoke Space aims to challenge SpaceX with innovative reusable rocket designs, targeting its first test flight in 2027.
OpenAI’s Kevin Weil Joins Stoke Space Board as Company Prepares First Launch of Fully Reusable Nova Rocket
OpenAI chief product officer Kevin Weil has joined the board of reusable rocket startup Stoke Space as it prepares for the launch of its fully reusable Nova rocket. Weil's expertise in scaling tech and AI products is expected to help guide Stoke from development to commercial operations.
Ex-OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil Joins Stoke Space Board to Advance Fully Reusable Rocket Technology
Kevin Weil, former Chief Product Officer at OpenAI and instrumental in ChatGPT's development, has joined the board of Stoke Space, a startup developing fully reusable rockets to significantly reduce launch costs. His appointment highlights a notable crossover between AI tech leadership and the advancing commercial space industry.
Blue Origin Earned $1.1B in Trump-Era Contracts Despite New Glenn Rocket’s Only Launch Pad Destroyed in May 2026
Blue Origin secured $1.1 billion in federal contracts under Trump due to Jeff Bezos's political outreach, but its New Glenn rocket remains grounded after its only launch pad was destroyed in a May 2026 explosion of unknown cause. This raises concerns about the company's ability to fulfill its NASA and Space Force contracts despite the financial gains.
Starcloud Raises $170M, Hits $1.1B Valuation to Build AI Data Centers in Space Ahead of Google
Several startups, led by Starcloud which recently raised $170 million and reached a $1.1 billion valuation, are racing to establish AI data centers in space to overcome terrestrial power and land constraints. Google and other major players are also developing satellite-based computing projects, highlighting a growing trend toward orbit-based AI infrastructure.
K2 Space Opens Seattle Engineering Office to Support Production of Mega-Class Satellites with $1 Billion in Contracts
K2 Space, a California-based company specializing in large, high-power satellites for government and commercial clients, is opening an engineering office in the Seattle area to support its growth. The company has raised over $500 million, secured $1 billion in contracts, and plans to produce hundreds of satellites annually by 2030.
VivaTech 2026 Sets Attendance Record with 200,000 Visitors and Top Speakers for 10th Anniversary
VivaTech 2026 celebrated its 10th anniversary from June 17-20 with a record-breaking attendance of over 200,000 visitors in Paris, featuring 15,000 startups and more than 1,155 speakers including Jeff Bezos and Yann LeCun. The event focused on five strategic tech themes and included participation from French and Indian leaders, marking it as a major global innovation and startup showcase.
Rocket Lab to Acquire Satellite Communications Provider Iridium to Expand Into Space Applications and Services
Rocket Lab plans to acquire satellite communications provider Iridium to achieve vertical integration and expand into space-based applications and recurring satellite services revenue. The acquisition supports Rocket Lab's strategic vision to combine launch, manufacturing, and satellite services for new markets including internet access and secure navigation.
Jeff Bezos' Amazon Zoox Hits 500,000 Driverless Rides as Blue Origin Proposes 2028 Mars Communications Orbiter
Jeff Bezos intensifies his rivalry with Elon Musk by Amazon's Zoox reaching 500,000 driverless taxi rides and Blue Origin proposing a Mars Communications Orbiter for NASA's 2028 mission.
Relativity Space Partners with NASA for Mars 2028 Mission Amid Reorganization, Plans Terran R Rocket Debut
Relativity Space has partnered with NASA to build a spacecraft carrying atmospheric-science instruments for a Mars 2028 mission, potentially competing with SpaceX’s Mars plans. The company, founded by former Blue Origin and SpaceX engineers, recently restructured with new leadership under CEO Eric Schmidt and aims to debut its heavy-lift Terran R rocket this year.
Book Reveals Trump Mocked Zuckerberg's Kids and Boasted of Bezos and Zuckerberg Groveling Post-2024 Election
According to a new book, after the 2024 election, Donald Trump privately mocked Mark Zuckerberg's children while boasting about tech billionaires Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos groveling to him. Both billionaires, once critical of Trump, donated to his inauguration and sought favors, including Bezos pitching Pentagon contracts for Blue Origin, which Trump never acted on.
Starcloud Raises $170M, Pioneers AI GPU Satellite in Race for Space-Based Data Centers
Starcloud, a startup valued at $1.1 billion, has launched a GPU-powered satellite into orbit and raised $170 million in Series A funding, aiming to build an 88,000-satellite constellation for AI data centers in space. The company leads a competitive race against giants like Google, SpaceX, and Blue Origin to establish orbital AI infrastructure before launch costs decrease.
Jeff Bezos' AI Startup Prometheus Hits $41 Billion Valuation Within a Year, Backed by JPMorgan and BlackRock
Jeff Bezos returned as CEO of his AI startup Prometheus, which achieved a $41 billion valuation less than a year after its launch, backed by major investors including JPMorgan Chase and BlackRock. Despite stepping down as Amazon's CEO in 2021, Bezos is now focusing on this rapidly growing venture, which inevitably still faces competition involving Elon Musk.
Astrobotic Reveals Griffin-1 Lunar Lander for Q4 2024 Launch on SpaceX Falcon Heavy to Deliver 10 Payloads Including 500-kg FLIP Rover
Astrobotic unveiled its Griffin-1 lunar lander, slated for launch in Q4 2024 on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, aiming to deliver 10 payloads including the 500-kg FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform rover to the moon as part of NASA's lunar base plans. Griffin-1 follows the company's first mission, Peregrine, which experienced a propulsion failure preventing lunar landing.
NASA Details Revised Artemis Lander Plans: SpaceX to Use Starship for Lunar Landing and TLI, Blue Origin Developing Blue Moon Mark 2
NASA announced updated plans for the Artemis lunar landers, revealing that SpaceX will use Starship for both lunar landing and translunar injection while Blue Origin is developing a Blue Moon Mark 2 prototype. The Artemis 3 mission will test these landers by docking them with the Orion spacecraft in low Earth orbit, with Artemis 4 planned as the first crewed lunar landing in 2028.
Prometheus, co-led by Jeff Bezos, raises $12B at $41B valuation to build an ‘artificial general engineer’
Jeff Bezos’s AI startup Prometheus raised $12 billion at a $41 billion valuation from investors including JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock to build an “artificial general engineer” that accelerates design-to-manufacturing for physical products; the company has about 150 employees and total funding exceeds $18 billion.
Bezos-Backed AI Startup Prometheus Raises $12B at $41B Valuation to Revolutionize Design and Manufacturing
Prometheus, the AI startup co-led by Jeff Bezos and Vik Bajaj, raised $12 billion in Series B funding at a $41 billion valuation, aiming to build AI tools that accelerate design and manufacturing processes for complex physical objects. The CEOs discussed the company's capital-intensive operations and strategic goals in their first joint public interview.
NASA Awards Nearly $1 Billion to Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, and Firefly for 2028 Moon Base Missions
NASA announced a $1 billion contract award to Astrolab, Lunar Outpost, and Firefly Aerospace for lunar rover development and scouting missions using Blue Moon landers and MoonFall spacecraft, as part of its $30 billion, decade-long plan to build a moon base by 2028. These developments marked a crucial step toward establishing a sustainable presence on the moon’s south pole with commercial partners.
FCC Allows Amazon to Delay Deployment of Half Its 3,232 Satellite Constellation with Temporary Spectrum Priority Loss
The FCC has granted Amazon a waiver to delay the July 30 deadline for deploying half of its 3,232 satellite broadband constellation, while imposing a temporary loss of spectrum priority that could benefit competitors like SpaceX. Amazon attributes delays primarily to limited rocket availability but remains on track to meet the full deployment deadline by July 30, 2029.
