PLD Space, a Spanish scale-up from the EIC Scaling Club's New Space group, has signed a €30 million venture debt loan with the European Investment Bank (EIB). This funding will support the final development stage of its MIURA 5 rocket, designed to deploy small satellites into orbit.

The operation, backed by InvestEU, marks the EIB’s first direct investment in small space launchers. The financing will also support the scaling of PLD Space’s industrial and launch capabilities as it transitions towards commercial operations.

“I am proud to announce today the signing of a €30 million European Investment Bank loan for the European company based in Spain PLD Space, to succeed in the launch of MIURA 5 rocket and to deploy small satellites into orbit, which will be key for communications, research and our security,” said EIB Group President Nadia Calviño.

The project supports the EIB’s objectives to strengthen EU technological innovation and enhance Europe’s security and defence capabilities by reinforcing autonomous access to space.

MIURA 5 is positioned in the small-lift launch segment as a two-stage rocket intended to reduce the complexity and scheduling risks of deploying small satellites on medium- or heavy-lift vehicles. The rocket is planned to evolve towards full reusability and is on track for its first test flight in 2026. PLD Space expects the launcher to enable up to 30 missions per year from multiple spaceports, including the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.

“Securing this unique €30 million financing from the European Investment Bank marks a decisive milestone for PLD Space and for Europe’s space industry. It strengthens our ability to expand the industrial and launch infrastructure required to provide dependable access to space for our global pipeline of commercial and institutional customers. We are grateful to the EIB for its trust and support; this backing reinforces our long-term vision and further consolidates Europe’s access to space,” stated PLD Space’s Executive President, Ezequiel Sánchez.

With this new funding, PLD Space has now secured €210 million so far in 2026, following the €180 million Series C closed in March. 

The financing adds to the EIB’s New Space portfolio of investments across the space value chain and contributes to the EIB Group’s 2024-2027 Strategic Roadmap priorities, including climate action and strengthening Europe’s security and defence industry. It also aligns with the TechEU initiative, which aims to mobilise €250 billion in investments by 2027 for startups, scale-ups and innovative companies across Europe.

About the EIC Scaling Club

The EIC Scaling Club is a curated community where 120 European deep tech scale-ups with the potential to build world-class businesses and solve major global challenges come together with investors, corporate innovators and other industry stakeholders to spur growth.

The top 120 European deep tech companies have been carefully selected from a pool of high-growth scale-ups that have benefitted from EIC financial schemes, other European and national innovation programmes, and beyond.

The EIC Scaling Club is an EIC-funded initiative run in partnership by Tech Tour, Bpifrance (EuroQuity), Hello Tomorrow, Tech.eu (Webrazzi), EurA and IESE Business School.

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