Nebex Launches €100M Initiative to Boost French Space Startups

French space startups are set to benefit from a new initiative launched by Nebex, a commercial exchange connecting space companies with sovereign buyers and capital. The €100 million Industrial Return Initiative aims to connect French space startups with global contract opportunities while creating a new model for France to achieve 100 per cent industrial return on cross-border space spending.

## No Country Gets to Space Alone

The space industry is inherently collaborative, with no single country, company, or individual able to achieve space exploration and development on their own. Nebex CEO Tejpaul Bhatia emphasizes that while sovereignty is a crucial theme in European tech, space is by definition collaborative. Governments and companies must work together to access the best technology in the world while supporting their own industrial bases.

The current imbalance in the space economy, with more than 85 per cent of available space supply in the US and Europe, represents a $70 billion export gap annually. Nebex estimates that this gap can be bridged through a new model that allows countries to access global capabilities while maintaining domestic economic value.

## The Problem with Doing Deals in Space

Bilateral trades in the space industry often lead to complex and costly transactions, with multiple countries involved and strict regulatory requirements. Nebex aims to remove these frictions by creating a model that provides 100 per cent industrial return today. The company's model uses policy to allow money to stay in Europe and be spent with startups in Europe, creating value that can be reinvested back into the sector.

## Why Nebex is Starting in France

France has a foundational role in the creation of the European Space Agency (ESA) and a well-established startup ecosystem. The country has led Europe in space investment in the first half of 2026, with major deals including Eutelsat's approximately €1 billion debt financing and UNIVITY's €27 million raise. Nebex has chosen France as the natural place to start its initiative, with the goal of generating an equivalent amount of commercial value for French space companies.

## Turning €1 of Foreign Spending into €1 at Home

Nebex has deliberately imposed several constraints on itself when developing its model. The company aims to achieve a 100 per cent industrial return, with actual money being reinvested back into the sector through customer contracts and revenue. The money generated through the mechanism cannot leave the country, and the model does not require governments to rewrite procurement rules or institutions to change the way they operate.

| Model Constraint | Description | | --- | --- | | 100% Industrial Return | Actual money being reinvested back into the sector through customer contracts and revenue | | No Money Leaving the Country | Money generated through the mechanism cannot leave the country | | No Changes to Procurement Rules | The model does not require governments to rewrite procurement rules or institutions to change the way they operate |