Apex, a Los Angeles-based satellite manufacturing startup, has shut down $200 million in Series C funding, expanding production and ahead of the surge in demand for pre-built spacecraft platforms.
The $200 million round was led by Point72 Ventures and co-led by 8VC. Andreessen Horowitz was featured again, with Washington Harbor Partners and Stepstone Group also taking part. Since its launch in 2022, Apex has raised over $300 million.
The new capital injection will help Apex accelerate manufacturing at its 50,000-square-foot facility. The company currently targets the maximum power output of 12 satellite buses per month.
Some of the new funds will also be directed to stocking satellite components and building dozens of spacecraft prior to actual orders. It’s a calculated risk, but one apex is considered necessary, especially in defense funds, which are in the spotlight.
Founded in 2022 by Ian Cinnamon (CEO) and Max Benassi, Apex is building a scalable spacecraft platform for commercial and government use. The company made headlines on its debut satellite bus and set a world record for the fastest clean seat design on its production spacecraft to reach orbit. Based in Los Angeles, Apex is backed by top investors and focuses on making space hardware more accessible through the production of reliable, immediate, immediate satellite systems. In 2025, Fast Company named it one of the most innovative space companies to watch Apex.
“Apex’s approach to building spacecraft is key to America’s commercial and national security strategies in space. This successful salary increase will accelerate our production, enable Apex to move ahead of demand, and better enable the mission of innovative customers, such as Defense Prime, the US government and the most exciting companies in the country,” says Cinnamon.
CEO Ian Cinnamon says demand has jumped five times over the last nine to 10 months. The strategy is simple.
“We’re building satellites faster than demand,” Cinnamon told Reuters. “So, if you need it, it doesn’t take years, it takes days or weeks.”
This is a bold move in the industry where customization is being built, and often means long lead times. Apex bets that its ready-made approach (producing standardized satellite buses ready to go) will become magnets for defense contractors, government agencies, and commercial satellite operators who don’t want to wait.
The company has positioned itself to be a key player for Golden Dome, a massive missile defense program reportedly prioritized by the Pentagon. “We try to be the backbone platform provider of Golden Dome’s backbone platform provider and associated capabilities,” Cinnamon said.
So far, Apex has no contracts related to the Golden Dome. However, the signal from Washington is strong. Last week, Reuters reported that Congress is preparing to allocate $27 billion to the first wave of the initiative, including satellites and missile interceptors.
The pinnacles are entered early and are constructed as if the contract is coming.
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