Yuri
Yuri is a German space biotech company founded in 2019 that develops and operates microgravity research hardware — including the ScienceTaxi incubator, ScienceShell mini-bioreactors, and ground simulators — serving pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and space agencies via a Lab-as-a-Service model.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersMeckenbeuren, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Yuri does
Yuri GmbH is a German space biotech company founded in 2019 and headquartered in Meckenbeuren, with engineering operations in Luxembourg (Yuri LUX GmbH). The company develops and operates hardware platforms that enable biological and pharmaceutical research in microgravity conditions, primarily aboard the International Space Station and next-generation commercial orbital destinations. Its core product stack centers on ScienceTaxi — a space-based life-sciences incubator that can host up to 38 modular ScienceShell mini-bioreactors per launch with automated temperature control, real-time data collection, and an onboard centrifuge for adjustable gravity comparisons — complemented by ground-based simulation equipment including the Random Positioning Machine (acquired from Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands in January 2023) and the Yuri Clinostat.
The company's commercial offering combines hardware sales and rental of ground simulators with a Lab-as-a-Service model covering the full microgravity experiment lifecycle: experiment design, hardware integration, launch logistics via partnerships with SpaceX, Sierra Space, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and others, in-orbit operations, and sample return. Yuri targets pharmaceutical and biotech firms (including GSK), research institutions and universities (MIT, Charité Berlin, Centre for Genomic Regulation), space agencies (NASA, ESA, DLR), and emerging commercial customers in food technology and synthetic biology. The company reports 151 space labs launched, 61 customers across four continents, and 138 space biology publications.
Revenue derives from three streams: managed Lab-as-a-Service contracts (including ESA's mid-seven-figure Biomission2021 award), direct hardware sales and rental of RPM and Clinostat units, and professional services for space mission integration. Yuri supplements direct enterprise sales with event-driven partnership development at venues like Weltraumkongress Berlin, and is positioning for the post-ISS era through its ESA contract for the Vast Haven-1 commercial station (2027) and a partnership with The Exploration Company for Nyx spacecraft integration. The company is privately held with no disclosed equity funding rounds in the available record.
Yuri firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Yuri
- Legal name
- Yuri GmbH
- Website
- https://yurigravity.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Yuri is a German space biotech company founded in 2019 that develops and operates microgravity research hardware — including the ScienceTaxi incubator, ScienceShell mini-bioreactors, and ground simulators — serving pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and space agencies via a Lab-as-a-Service model.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Yuri industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Space Biotechnology Hardware and Microgravity Research Services
- NAICS
- Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI)
Keywords
Where Yuri is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Meckenbeuren
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Yuri business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Lab-as-a-Service: Full-service model providing end-to-end microgravity research solutions including hardware provision, mission integration, launch services, in-orbit operations, and sample return
- Hardware Sales and Rental: Sale and rental of microgravity simulation devices including Random Positioning Machine (RPM) and Clinostat for Earth-based research
- Space Mission Services: Transportation of experiments to ISS and other spacecraft, providing containers and integration services for researchers worldwide
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Yuri product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Yuri is a space biotech company that designs and manufactures proprietary microgravity research hardware (ScienceTaxi incubator, ScienceShell mini-bioreactors, RPM and Clinostat ground simulators) and provides end-to-end Lab-as-a-Service covering experiment design, mission integration, launch logistics, in-orbit operations, and sample return for pharmaceutical, biotech, research, and space agency customers.
Product overview
Yuri is a space biotech company offering a modular platform-plus-services architecture centered on three core pillars: (1) ScienceTaxi — a space-based life science incubator facility that hosts up to 38 modular ScienceShell mini-bioreactor containers aboard the ISS and other orbital platforms, with adjustable gravity via a built-in centrifuge; (2) Ground simulators — the Random Positioning Machine (RPM, acquired from Airbus) and Yuri Clinostat — which simulate microgravity on Earth for experiment preparation and preliminary research; and (3) Yuri Lab-as-a-Service — a managed end-to-end offering covering experiment design, hardware integration, launch logistics, orbital operations, and sample return. The company also participates in the EVA joint service (with RFA and ATMOS Space Cargo) providing complete launch-to-return microgravity services, and is developing proprietary biotech products triggered by or manufactured in microgravity.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- ScienceTaxi Space-based life science incubator facility designed to host biological and medical experiments aboard the International Space Station and other orbital platforms. Features automated systems, controlled temperatures, real-time data collection, and a built-in centrifuge for adjustable gravity levels. Accommodates up to 38 experiment units (ScienceShells) per launch.
- ScienceTaxi BioSpin Next-generation state-of-the-art life sciences incubator developed by Yuri's Luxembourg engineering team, capable of hosting up to 38 individual experiments per launch with automated systems, controlled temperatures, real-time data collection, and a built-in centrifuge providing adjustable gravity levels for comparative studies across Earth, lunar, and Martian gravity references.
- ScienceShell Automated modular mini-bioreactor containers that fit inside the ScienceTaxi platform, enabling a wide range of high-precision biological and medical experiments in microgravity including organoids, plants, and crystals.
- Random Positioning Machine (RPM) Ground-based microgravity simulation device acquired from Airbus Defence and Space Netherlands, capable of simulating gravity levels between 10^-3 g and 0.9 g. Used for research into low or reduced gravity effects on biological organisms, preparation and post-flight analysis of ISS experiments. Includes PC and software, unique path algorithms with protection against pole bias, and integrated power and communication interfaces. Over 60 research groups use it globally, including NASA and ESA.
- Yuri Clinostat Ground-based microgravity simulation device providing an affordable entry ticket to microgravity research on Earth, available for rent or purchase, used to simulate microgravity conditions 24/7 within a standard laboratory environment.
- Yuri Lab-as-a-Service Managed service model providing customers with full operational support for biotech research in microgravity, covering the entire lifecycle from experiment design and hardware preparation through launch, in-orbit operations, and re-entry, offered as a fully managed solution that lowers operational barriers and accelerates time to orbit for pharma, biotech, and research customers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 151 space labs launched successfully
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Yuri
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Yuri technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Yuri partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- VastcoreContract to launch ESA life-science mission on Haven-1, world's first commercial space station launching in 2027. Yuri will deploy ScienceTaxi as Lab-as-a-Service solution for ESA on Haven-1. Positions Yuri as first European company to deliver institutional research services on a commercial orbital destination.
- USIL TherapeuticsminorCollaboration to test USIL's whole-body drug treatment for acute radiation syndrome on the ISS. USIL is developing countermeasures for radiation exposure with potential space applications for protecting astronauts and pilots.
- The Exploration Company (TEC)coreCollaboration to advance biotechnology in space by combining Yuri's biotech platforms with TEC's Nyx spacecraft. Focus on synthetic biology and drug discovery. Building on successful Mission Possible launch in June 2025. Memorandum of Understanding signed to unlock new research opportunities.
- Sierra SpacecoreExpanded partnership for ScienceTaxi BioSpin missions. Sierra Space provides payload integration, logistics, and operational support for ScienceTaxi throughout all mission phases - launch, in-orbit operations, and re-entry. Partnership builds on 2022 agreement to deliver ScienceTaxi to ISS.
- Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA)coreJoint EVA project partnership for end-to-end microgravity service. RFA provides flexible and low-cost launch services via RFA ONE launch system from SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland. RFA delivers ATMOS Space Cargo's Phoenix capsule with Yuri's ScienceTaxi to target orbit.
- ATMOS Space CargocoreJoint EVA project partnership. ATMOS develops reusable Phoenix return capsules for safe return from LEO to Azores. Responsible for re-entry logistics, early retrieval, and recovery mission execution.
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG)coreFirst partnership worldwide between a commercial space biotechnology company and a biomedical research institute. Collaboration to study impact of microgravity on human health, cells, and plant biology. Initial research explores bacteria survival in space environments and creation of 'space bacteria' strains with industrial applications.
- ESAcoreMultiple partnerships including Biomission2021 contract for developing biological payloads for ISS. ESA Rising Star 2024 recognition. Contract for ESA life-science mission on Haven-1 in 2027.
- NASAcoreNASA partnerships for ISS research missions and payload integration. Multiple CRS mission collaborations including SpaceX CRS-26, CRS-27, and Northrop Grumman missions.
- DLR (German Aerospace Center)corePartnership for NEMUCO experiment (nerve-muscle co-culture in microgravity). Ueberflieger2 student mission collaboration with DLR and Luxembourg Space Agency.
- Luxembourg Space AgencycoreJoint Ueberflieger2 initiative for student experiments to ISS. Yuri Luxembourg subsidiary location.
- GSKcorePharmaceutical research partnerships for leveraging microgravity in drug discovery and development.
- Charité BerlincoreUniversity medicine hospital partnership for cell culture experiments on ISS including Cellbox-3 mission and similar experiments.
- MITcoreAcademic research partnership with Professor Christopher Mason (Scientific Advisory Board member) and Weill Cornell Medicine.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Yuri competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SpacePharma: Israel-based space biotech offering end-to-end microgravity research services including proprietary mini-lab hardware. Direct competitor in pharma and academic microgravity research with similar Lab-as-a-Service GTM.
- Space Tango: US-based space biotech company providing end-to-end Lab-as-a-Service for microgravity research on the ISS. Closest direct competitor to Yuri with overlapping customer segments (pharma, biotech, academic) and similar platform-plus-services business model.
- BioServe Space Technologies: University of Colorado-based payload developer and operator with decades of ISS flight heritage in biological research. Direct peer in space life sciences hardware and mission integration; long-standing NASA and pharma research customer relationships.
- ICE Cubes Service: Operated by Space Applications Services, providing commercial access to ISS for experiments including biotech research. Direct peer in the European commercial ISS-access market alongside Yuri.
Regional players
- The Exploration Company: European developer of the Nyx spacecraft with which Yuri has an active MoU. Functions as a complementary partner for access to orbit rather than a direct competitor, but overlaps in European space biotech ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Axiom Space: Commercial space station developer with broader portfolio including crewed missions and in-orbit services. Larger incumbent that may bundle or compete with Yuri's Lab-as-a-Service on its own commercial station.
- Sierra Space: Dream Chaser developer and broad space-industry player (life sciences, propulsion, space stations). Both partner and potential competitor—Sierra's LIFE habitat and broader infrastructure overlap with Yuri's microgravity services.
- NanoRacks (Voyager Space): Pioneer in commercial ISS utilization now part of Voyager Space's Starlab station effort. Established incumbent in commercial space services with deep flight heritage overlapping with Yuri's offerings.
Emerging players
- Rhodium Scientific: Microgravity research services company focused on biological experiments aboard ISS. Emerging player with overlapping customer base in academic and biotech research but smaller scale than Yuri.
- LambdaVision: Startup using microgravity-based protein crystallization for retinal implants. Consumer of microgravity biotech infrastructure like Yuri offers, representing an emerging application vertical within the same ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Yuri social profiles
Digital presenceYuri financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Yuri leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Yuri subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Yuri funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors7 records
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Yuri M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Yuri
What does Yuri do?
Yuri is a space biotech company that designs and manufactures proprietary microgravity research hardware (ScienceTaxi incubator, ScienceShell mini-bioreactors, RPM and Clinostat ground simulators) and provides end-to-end Lab-as-a-Service covering experiment design, mission integration, launch logistics, in-orbit operations, and sample return for pharmaceutical, biotech, research, and space agency customers.
Is Yuri a public or private company?
Yuri is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Yuri founded?
Yuri was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Yuri based?
Yuri is headquartered in Meckenbeuren, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Yuri make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Lab-as-a-Service is the primary driver. The others are hardware Sales and Rental and space Mission Services.
Who are Yuri's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SpacePharma, Space Tango, BioServe Space Technologies and ICE Cubes Service. The Exploration Company is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Axiom Space, Sierra Space and NanoRacks (Voyager Space). Emerging players are Rhodium Scientific and LambdaVision.
Does Yuri have an API?
No public API is recorded for Yuri.
What industry is Yuri in?
Yuri's product category is Space Biotechnology Hardware and Microgravity Research Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABACAI, Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software. Its NAICS code is 336414 and its SIC code is 3760.