IBX

Name

IBX

Legal name

IBX, LLC

Website

https://i-b-x.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns and Portfolio Company Value Creation: IBX generates returns through equity stakes in portfolio companies (X-energy, Intuitive Machines, Axiom Space, Quantum Space, PTX) that have achieved unicorn status with valuations exceeding $1 billion each
2. Engineering Services Revenue: PTX delivers aerospace engineering services to federal government customers, providing mission-critical support for national space programs

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IBX is an innovation and investment firm that incubates, funds, and provides strategic leadership to a portfolio of deep-technology companies operating in the space, energy, and aerospace engineering sectors. The firm holds and operates companies developing advanced small modular nuclear reactors (Xe-100), commercial lunar landers (Nova-C), a commercial space station (Axiom Station), cislunar infrastructure, aerospace engineering services, quantum-field power systems, and engineered graphite materials. IBX supplies capital, executive oversight, and a shared NASA-experienced leadership bench to scale these ventures for government and commercial customers.

Product overview

IBX is an innovation and investment firm focused on deep technology, space, and energy sectors. The firm does not offer a single unified product but rather operates as a portfolio company holding stakes in multiple distinct ventures. The portfolio spans: (1) Space companies including Intuitive Machines (lunar landers, Nova-C; IM-1/IM-2 missions), Axiom Space (human spaceflight services, Axiom Station, orbital data centers), and Quantum Space (space infrastructure, cislunar services); (2) Energy companies including X-energy (advanced small modular nuclear reactors like Xe-100, TRISO fuel), Casimir (quantum field energy nanotechnology), and Terrion (engineered graphite for critical materials); (3) Engineering Services via PTX (aerospace engineering for government space programs); and (4) Philanthropy through the Emerging Light Foundation (education, STEM) and Limitless Space Institute (interstellar exploration research). IBX also provides strategic guidance, capital, and leadership across its portfolio companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intuitive Machines Diversified space company supplying space products and services for sustained robotic and human exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond; developer of the Nova-C lunar lander and IM-1/IM-2 missions, the Micro-Nova hopper lander, lunar communications payloads, and deep-space navigation (post-KinetX acquisition in 2025).
• Axiom Space Provider of human spaceflight services to the International Space Station and developer of Axiom Station, the world's first commercial space station featuring modular pressurized elements (Payload, Power, and Thermal Module — PPTM); launched the AxDCU-1 orbital data center prototype to the ISS in 2025 for AI/ML and space cybersecurity workloads.
• Quantum Space Architect of the cislunar "space superhighway," providing situational awareness, computing, communication, and navigation services for deep-space operations; acquired Phase Four's multi-mode propulsion assets in 2025 to deliver highly maneuverable platforms.
• X-energy Developer of advanced small modular nuclear reactors (Xe-100, 80 MW) and proprietary TRISO-X fuel for clean, zero-carbon baseload power; selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to demonstrate a commercial-scale reactor and TRISO-X fuel facility.
• Casimir Energy company commercializing compact, fuel-free, persistent power solutions that harness the quantum field through proprietary nanotechnology for aerospace, defense, AI, and industrial applications.
• Terrion Materials company producing engineered graphite domestically to rebuild America's supply of critical materials for energy, defense, and industrial customers.
• PTX Aerospace engineering services firm providing mission-critical engineering, mission operations, IT, and science solutions to U.S. federal government and national space programs.
• Emerging Light Foundation Non-profit organization founded by Dr. Kam Ghaffarian that champions science, education, and youth advancement, supporting diverse education programs globally including educational work in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Limitless Space Institute (LSI) Research and educational non-profit founded to inspire the next generation of interstellar explorers, supporting R&D of enabling technologies for interstellar human spaceflight.

Quantifiable outcome

• Three portfolio companies achieved unicorn status (>$1 billion valuation)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Steve JurczykcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 August 2021Former NASA Acting Administrator joined IBX as Executive Vice President of Space Programs. Brings technical and leadership expertise to advise space initiatives across all IBX affiliated companies, supporting efforts from space hardware to space nuclear.
• Bettina IncláncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2021Former NASA's Associate Administrator for Communications joined IBX as Chief Communications Officer. Brings 20 years of experience in strategic communications, branding, and external relations.
• Bob CabanacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2021Former NASA Associate Administrator and distinguished astronaut joined IBX as Senior Advisor. Leverages wealth of experience in leadership, aerospace, and innovation to advise IBX portfolio companies.
• NASAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple portfolio companies work with NASA on space exploration missions. Intuitive Machines delivers lunar landers under CLPS program, Axiom Space flies private astronaut missions to ISS, and portfolio companies provide engineering services.
• SpaceXcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAxiom Space partnered with SpaceX for Crew Dragon flights to ISS. Axiom has expanded its SpaceX launch deal to include four total missions through 2023.
• Thales Alenia SpacecoreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloping the first two pressurized modules for Axiom Station, scheduled for launch in 2024 and 2025 respectively, which will be docked to the International Space Station.
• Energy NorthwestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop, build and operate the Xe-100 reactor on land leased at Hanford nuclear reservation in Eastern Washington.
• CentricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerX-energy and Centrica signed 6 GW agreement to deploy U.K.'s first fleet of advanced modular reactors, beginning with a 12-unit plant in Hartlepool. Largest international deployment of SMRs announced to date.
• AmazoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerX-energy working with Amazon to power data centers with advanced nuclear energy solutions.
• DowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerX-energy partnering with Dow to provide nuclear power solutions for manufacturing operations.
• XPRIZEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Ghaffarian serves on the XPRIZE Innovation Board, a non-profit organization designing public competitions to encourage technological development for humanity.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• L3Harris Technologies: L3Harris acquired Aerojet Rocketdyne in 2023 and is a major space hardware, propulsion, and defense systems prime. Broadly comparable as a large incumbent space hardware provider serving overlapping NASA and DOD customers as Intuitive Machines and Axiom Space.
• KBR: KBR acquired SGT (Dr. Ghaffarian's previous company) in 2018 for $375M and is now a major NASA engineering services provider. Broadly comparable to IBX's PTX engineering services portfolio and to the predecessor company that seeded IBX's DNA.
• TerraPower: TerraPower is a leading advanced nuclear developer backed by Bill Gates pursuing next-generation reactor technology. Broadly comparable to X-energy as a deep-tech nuclear venture pursuing commercial advanced reactor deployments.
• Redwire Corporation: Redwire is a publicly traded space infrastructure company with a multi-product portfolio across space technology. Broadly comparable as a multi-segment space operator addressing overlapping NASA and DOD customer needs with several IBX portfolio companies combined.
• Leidos: Leidos is a large government engineering services prime serving NASA, DOD, and DOE. Broadly comparable to PTX's engineering services business and to the broader IBX portfolio's customer relationships across federal aerospace and energy programs.

Direct peers

• Prime Movers Lab: Prime Movers Lab is a deep-tech venture firm investing in space, energy, and advanced manufacturing. Directly comparable in investment thesis and stage; IBX's CIO Anton Brevde previously led the firm's aerospace practice.
• C5 Capital: C5 Capital led Axiom Space's $130M Series B and is a deep-tech investor focused on space, defense, and cybersecurity. Directly comparable as a thematic investor in IBX's portfolio with similar thesis, stage, and customer ecosystem.
• Voyager Technologies (formerly Voyager Space Holdings): Voyager Technologies operates a multi-company space holding (Nanoracks, Voyager Space Station, and other space ventures) under a similar incubation-and-control model. Directly comparable to IBX in structure and category focus across space and adjacent deep-tech verticals.
• Terran Orbital: Terran Orbital is a publicly traded space holding that develops and operates satellite platforms for government and commercial customers. Comparable as a multi-asset space company serving similar defense and NASA customers to Intuitive Machines and Quantum Space.

Emerging players

• NuScale Power: NuScale is a publicly traded SMR developer with a competing light-water reactor design. Comparable as an emerging competitor pursuing the same DOE, data center, and international SMR opportunities as X-energy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i-b-x

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments6 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IBX