What SpaceBorn United does

SpaceBorn United is a Netherlands-based biotechnology company developing the ARTIS (Assisted Reproductive Technology in Space) platform to enable mammalian and human conception and early embryo development in space. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Eindhoven, the firm re-engineers IVF technology for space applications, including a proprietary space-embryo-incubator, the ARTIS Life Support System that provides adjustable artificial gravity, microfluidic systems (built with Rapid Fluidics), and cryogenic vitrification capabilities. The company executes a staged mission program — ARTIS Missions I through V, with the suborbital test flight completed in 2023, mammalian validation targeted for Q4 2024/2025, and human conception and partial-gravity applications targeted for 2026 through 2028+. The roadmap uses 5-6 day orbital missions in which embryos are conceived at artificial Earth-like gravity, cryogenically frozen, and returned to Earth for examination.

The company targets space agencies (NASA, ESA), commercial space tourism operators, the IVF/reproductive healthcare industry, and academic research institutions. Its target customer mix is a vertical segmentation across these four segments, with NASA and ESA positioned as the primary customers. SpaceBorn United is pre-revenue with no disclosed pricing, no commercial products, and revenue figures not publicly disclosed; the company is currently finalizing preparations for a Series A funding round via a secure investor data room. Go-to-market combines event-based outreach (presentations at SXSW by CEO Dr. Egbert Edelbroek and Dr. Alexander Layendecker of ASRI), earned media coverage in major international outlets, B2B partnerships with research institutions and implementation partners (Cranfield University, Frontier Space Technologies, Rapid Fluidics, and 10+ others), and a direct investor relations portal. Distribution of future commercial missions occurs via mission-based partnerships with space agencies and launch providers.

The business is founder-led (Dr. Egbert Edelbroek as CEO and Founder) with a multidisciplinary team of approximately 11-50 people and a 12+ member advisory board. Operating geographies are global in ambition but the company is Netherlands-domiciled with no disclosed geographic restrictions, and its suborbital test flight and SXSW presentation indicate an active international profile. There are no disclosed certifications, compliance milestones, or intellectual property registrations in the input data.

Name

SpaceBorn United

Legal name

SpaceBorn United

Website

https://spacebornunited.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SpaceBorn United is a Netherlands-based biotechnology company developing the ARTIS platform to enable mammalian and human conception and embryo development in space, serving space agencies, space tourism operators, IVF industry, and research institutions through a staged multi-mission program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Space Biotechnology

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

Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spacecraft Integration, Assembly & Test (IAT) (IMABACAK), Reentry, Descent & Landing Systems (Capsules, Heat Shields, Parachutes) (IMABACAL)

Keywords

• Space biotechnology
• Assisted reproductive technology
• Embryo development research
• IVF space missions
• Bioastronautics research

Headquarters

HQ city

Eindhoven

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Series A Funding: Company is currently finalizing preparations for Series A funding round with a secure data room on the website. Pre-revenue stage company focused on R&D and mission development.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SpaceBorn United develops the ARTIS (Assisted Reproductive Technology in Space) platform — proprietary biomedical hardware including a space-embryo-incubator, ARTIS Life Support System, microfluidic systems, and cryogenic vitrification equipment — that enables mammalian and human conception and early embryo development in orbit. The company executes a phased missions program (ARTIS Missions I–V) where embryos are conceived, cultured for 5–6 days in artificial Earth-like gravity, then cryogenically frozen and returned to Earth for examination.

Product overview

SpaceBorn United offers a modular product architecture centered on ARTIS (Assisted Reproductive Technology in Space), a proprietary technology platform enabling mammalian and human reproduction in space. The core ARTIS system consists of a space-embryo-incubator and the ARTIS Life Support System providing adjustable artificial gravity for partial gravity research. The company executes a phased missions program (ARTIS Missions I through V) progressing from mammalian validation to human conception and embryo development, culminating in partial gravity research. All missions follow a 6-day cycle where embryos are conceived in orbit at artificial Earth-like gravity, cryogenically frozen, and returned to Earth for examination.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARTIS: Assisted Reproductive Technology in Space - the company's proprietary biomedical equipment and IVF-in-space technology for enabling conception and embryo development in space.

Products and services

• ARTIS (Assisted Reproductive Technology in Space) Core technology platform and mission program enabling mammalian and human conception and early embryo development in space. Encompasses the space-embryo-incubator, ARTIS Life Support System, and complete mission architecture for 6-day space missions where embryos are conceived, develop in artificial Earth-like gravity, and are cryogenically frozen for return to Earth. Targeted at space agencies, research institutions, and the IVF/reproductive healthcare industry.
• ARTIS Life Support System Biomedical hardware module that provides adjustable artificial gravity to enable partial-gravity research, studying what gravity levels are required for healthy mammalian and human embryo development. Developed with implementation partners including Frontier Space Technologies.
• Space-Embryo-Incubator Prototype space-embryo-incubator sent into space containing male and female reproduction cells. Designed to conceive embryos and support early development in artificial Earth-like gravity conditions before cryogenic freezing and return to Earth. Underwent suborbital test flight in 2023.
• ARTIS Missions Program (Missions I–V) Phased research missions progressing from mammalian validation (Mission I, mouse cells), through optimized conception and cryogenic protection with mammalian cells (Mission II), to human stem cell embryo development (Mission III), fully optimized human conception and embryo development (Mission IV), and partial-gravity conception and embryo development (Mission V). Conducted in partnership with space agencies and launch providers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Embryos developed for 5-6 days in space then cryogenically frozen and returned to Earth for examination

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and key.

• Frontier Space TechnologiescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementation partner for the design and manufacturing of the ARTIS life support system that will enable conception and early embryo development in space. Dr. Aqeel Shamsul (CEO) leads the collaboration on different sub-systems of IVF-in-space technology.
• Rapid FluidicscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerImplementation partner for the design and manufacturing of the microfluidic technology that enables conception and early embryo development in space. Paul Marshall (CEO) explains the challenges of realizing this crucial part of the ARTIS technology.
• Cranfield UniversitykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner with Prof. David Cullen as key advisor. Prof. Cullen is Professor of Astrobiology and Space Biotechnology and is involved with payload design and mission architecture. Press release collaboration on 'Sex in space: Consideration of uncontrolled conception in emerging space tourism'.
• ASRI (Association for Space Reproductive Health)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Alexander Layendecker, Director of ASRI, serves on the Advisory Board. Joint press release with Cranfield University and SpaceBorn on uncontrolled conception in space tourism.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SpacePharma: SpacePharma develops miniaturized end-to-end microgravity labs and services for pharmaceutical and biological research in space. It is the closest direct peer to SpaceBorn United in commercial microgravity life-science experimentation.
• Space Tango: Space Tango provides integrated microgravity research platforms and payload services on the ISS and commercial stations, with a focus on biotechnology, tissue engineering, and life sciences directly comparable to ARTIS missions.
• Rhodium Scientific: Rhodium Scientific operates microgravity science and biotechnology payloads on commercial and ISS platforms, with an overlapping customer set of space agencies and biotech researchers — and is already listed as a SpaceBorn United research partner.
• Frontier Space Technologies: Frontier Space Technologies is an implementation partner for the ARTIS life support system but also operates its own commercial microgravity payload and in-orbit manufacturing services. It is both a partner and a direct adjacent commercial microgravity-services peer.

Broad incumbents

• Redwire Corporation: Redwire is an established space infrastructure company that manufactures biotech payloads (including 3D bio-printing and tissue chip systems) for the ISS. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping life-science-in-space capabilities but a much wider portfolio.
• Sierra Space: Sierra Space operates the Dream Chaser spaceplane and LIFE habitat, with explicit interest in commercial space-station biotech research. It is a broad incumbent that could either partner with or compete against niche players like SpaceBorn United for station-based life-science work.
• BioServe Space Technologies: BioServe is a University of Colorado–affiliated, NASA-funded center that designs, builds, and flies life-science and biotech payloads on the ISS. Comparable in mission scope to ARTIS Missions I–II but institutionally anchored and broader in scope.

Others

• Cincinnati Children's Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine: Adjacent terrestrial stem-cell and embryo-development research program that shares the biological science base (mammalian embryo development) with SpaceBorn United's Mission III, though it does not operate in space.

Emerging players

• Kayser Italia: Kayser Italia designs and operates microgravity experiment hardware and payloads for ESA and academic life-science researchers. It overlaps with SpaceBorn United's payload-engineering and ISS-style mission integration work.
• Yuri GmbH: Yuri operates ScienceTaxi and related microgravity research services for biotech and pharmaceutical customers. It is an emerging player with overlapping customer segments (life-science researchers) and similar mission-as-a-service economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SpaceBorn United