Race 2 Space
Race 2 Space is a UK-based educational initiative that runs the annual International Propulsion Competition, providing fully funded rocket engine hot-fire testing, mentoring, and networking for university student teams and connecting them with space industry sponsors as a talent pipeline.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersSheffield, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Race 2 Space does
Race 2 Space is a UK-based educational initiative founded in 2023 and headquartered at the University of Sheffield's Aerospace Engineering department. The organization operates the annual International Propulsion Competition (originally the National Propulsion Competition), providing fully funded rocket engine hot-fire testing to university student teams alongside expert mentoring, cold-flow testing and training, and direct networking opportunities with the UK space industry. The initiative explicitly targets the documented skills gap in the UK space sector, where university graduates typically lack practical rocket propulsion experience and where the UK produces only around 46,000 of the approximately 87,000 graduate-level engineers required annually.
The core technology consists of rocket engine hot-fire testing infrastructure and test stands accessed at the Westcott Space Cluster through testing partners including Falcon Project Ltd, Airborne Engineering, Protolaunch, and European Astrotech. The 2023 competition demonstrated infrastructure capacity by hot-firing seven rocket engines in a single week, including four hybrids, an aerospike, and ablative, water-cooled, and regeneratively cooled bipropellant engines—a result the team described as a potential world record for the most hybrid and liquid engines tested for the first time on a single site in one week. The 2023 Race 2 Space Symposium drew over 100 guests from across the space sector, and the 2025 competition features participation from approximately 30 universities across the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, Poland, and the USA.
Revenue is generated through a tiered corporate sponsorship model rather than direct participant fees: Bronze at £5K+, Silver at £10K+, Gold at £30K+, and Platinum at £100K+, with the UK Space Agency as the sole Platinum sponsor and Buckinghamshire Council and Nammo as Gold sponsors. Sponsors receive brand visibility, keynote speaking slots, logo placement on communications and test stands, and direct access to student talent as a graduate recruitment pipeline. Student participation is free, with all hot-fire testing fully funded. Supporting activities include the UKROC Mentoring Scheme at Sheffield, which encourages schools to enter the UK Rocketry Competition, and a wider network of competition supporters spanning ADS Group, the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Civil Aviation Authority, Lockheed Martin, Orbex, Skyrora, and the Satellite Applications Catapult.
Race 2 Space firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Race 2 Space
- Legal name
- Race 2 Space
- Website
- https://race2space.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Race 2 Space is a UK-based educational initiative that runs the annual International Propulsion Competition, providing fully funded rocket engine hot-fire testing, mentoring, and networking for university student teams and connecting them with space industry sponsors as a talent pipeline.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Race 2 Space industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Space Sector Education and Talent Development
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Space & Astronomy Programs (EDAMABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Propulsion Test, Integration & Certification Services (IMABADAN)
Keywords
Where Race 2 Space is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sheffield
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Race 2 Space business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Corporate Sponsorship: Tiered sponsorship model (Platinum £100K+, Gold £30K+, Silver £10K+, Bronze £5K+) providing sponsors with brand visibility, keynote talks, symposium attendance, direct student access, and logo placement on communications and test stands
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Platinum sponsorship at £100K+ includes headline sponsor status, keynote talk at R2S symposium, attendance at February meet-up, direct access to students, logos on all communications/media/rocket test stands, and stand at R2S symposium |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Gold sponsorship at £30K+ |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Silver sponsorship at £10K+ |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Bronze sponsorship at £5K+ |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Race 2 Space product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Race 2 Space organizes an annual International Propulsion Competition that provides university student teams with access to fully funded rocket engine hot-fire testing, cold flow testing, expert mentoring, and networking with the UK space industry. The initiative also runs an annual Race 2 Space Symposium and the UKROC Mentoring Scheme to develop a talent pipeline for the UK space sector, funded through tiered corporate sponsorships ranging from £5K Bronze to £100K+ Platinum.
Product overview
Race 2 Space operates as a unified educational initiative focused on building a UK-wide space training infrastructure through its core National Propulsion Competition program. The initiative provides student teams with practical rocket engine testing experience (fully funded hot-fire testing), expert mentoring, cold flow testing and training, and direct connections to the UK space industry via the annual Race 2 Space Symposium. Supporting programs include the UKROC Mentoring Scheme that connects university students with local schools to encourage participation in rocketry activities. The organization links existing student rocketry activities to generate a pipeline of talent for the space sector.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- International Propulsion Competition: The core competition providing student teams with rocket engine hot-fire testing, expert mentoring, cold flow testing, and networking opportunities with the UK space industry.
Products and services
- International Propulsion Competition
- Race 2 Space Symposium
- UKROC Mentoring Scheme
Quantifiable outcome
- 7 rocket engines tested in one week (2023)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Race 2 Space
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Race 2 Space technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Race 2 Space partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered support and core.
- Aconity3DsupportSilver-level sponsor, 3D printing/additive manufacturing company providing potential technology support for rocket manufacturing.
- R2T2 (Racing to the Future)supportSilver-level sponsor, appears to be a related rocketry or space initiative.
- Falcon Project Ltd (Westcott)coreTesting partner providing access to Westcott Space Cluster facilities for hot-fire testing of student rocket engines.
- Airborne Engineering LtdcoreTesting partner providing rocket engineering expertise and support for the competition.
- ProtolaunchcoreTesting partner providing rocket propulsion testing support.
- European AstrotechcoreTesting partner providing astrotechnology expertise and support.
- Satellite Applications CatapultcoreCompetition supporter providing industry expertise and facilities access through the Catapult network.
- University of SheffieldcoreHost institution for Race 2 Space core team, providing Aerospace Engineering department support and facilities.
- ADS GroupsupportCompetition supporter, aerospace and defense trade organization.
- Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS)supportCompetition supporter, professional aerospace institution.
- Civil Aviation AuthoritysupportCompetition supporter providing regulatory and aviation authority oversight for rocket testing activities.
- SkyrorasupportUK rocket company listed as supporter, potential industry mentor and knowledge exchange partner.
- Raven DynamicssupportUK rocket propulsion company supporting competition with engineering expertise.
- Sent Into SpacesupportSpace media/production company supporting competition.
- Buck-EZsupportBuckinghamshire Enterprise Zone supporting competition and space sector development.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Race 2 Space competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- UKSEDS (UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space): UK's national student space organization connecting university students across space-related disciplines, running events and outreach. Directly comparable as a UK-focused student space community-builder, though broader than propulsion-specific.
- STEMettes: UK-based social enterprise focused on inspiring and supporting women and non-binary people into STEM careers, addressing overlapping diversity and talent-pipeline goals. Comparable as a UK STEM diversity initiative targeting the same widening-participation agenda.
- UK Rocketry Association (UKRA / UKROC): UK body that organizes the UK Rocketry Competition (UKROC), a student rocketry event R2S actively feeds into via its UKROC Mentoring Scheme. Direct comparable as the existing UK student rocketry competition infrastructure.
- European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC): Portugal-based European student rocketry competition organized by the Portuguese Space Agency, featuring university teams competing in rocket categories with flight and propulsion elements. Directly comparable as a regional student propulsion/rocketry competition attracting university teams and corporate sponsors.
- Spaceport America Cup: Annual international intercollegiate rocket engineering competition held at Spaceport America, New Mexico, organized by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Association. Most established student rocketry competition globally, with similar mission of providing university teams with hands-on launch experience and industry exposure.
- NASA Student Launch: NASA-led annual student rocket design, build, and launch competition for middle/high school and university teams in the US. Directly comparable as a flagship government-backed student rocketry competition with similar industry-academia partnership model.
Others
- Reaction Engines: UK aerospace propulsion company developing SABRE engine technology for hypersonic and space applications. Comparable as a UK advanced propulsion player in the broader ecosystem where R2S graduates may eventually work.
Emerging players
- Orbex: UK-based micro-launch vehicle developer building the Prime rocket, displayed as a Race 2 Space sponsor. Comparable as a UK launch-propulsion company operating in the same talent ecosystem.
- Skyrora: UK-based orbital launch vehicle company developing the Skyrora XL rocket, listed as a Race 2 Space supporter/mentor. Comparable as a UK space propulsion company in the same talent ecosystem that R2S feeds.
Broad incumbents
- ESERO UK: ESA's education resource office in the UK, run by the STEM Learning charity, providing space-themed STEM teaching resources and teacher training across UK schools. Comparable as a broader UK space-education initiative with overlapping talent-pipeline mission.
Market position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Race 2 Space social profiles
Digital presenceRace 2 Space financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Race 2 Space leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Race 2 Space funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Race 2 Space 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 Race 2 Space
What does Race 2 Space do?
Race 2 Space organizes an annual International Propulsion Competition that provides university student teams with access to fully funded rocket engine hot-fire testing, cold flow testing, expert mentoring, and networking with the UK space industry. The initiative also runs an annual Race 2 Space Symposium and the UKROC Mentoring Scheme to develop a talent pipeline for the UK space sector, funded through tiered corporate sponsorships ranging from £5K Bronze to £100K+ Platinum.
Is Race 2 Space a public or private company?
Race 2 Space is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Race 2 Space founded?
Race 2 Space was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Race 2 Space based?
Race 2 Space is headquartered in Sheffield, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Race 2 Space make money?
One revenue line is on record: corporate Sponsorship.
Who are Race 2 Space's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are UKSEDS (UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space), STEMettes, UK Rocketry Association (UKRA / UKROC), European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC), Spaceport America Cup and NASA Student Launch. Reaction Engines is listed as an others. Emerging players are Orbex and Skyrora. ESERO UK is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Race 2 Space have an API?
No public API is recorded for Race 2 Space.
What industry is Race 2 Space in?
Race 2 Space's product category is Space Sector Education and Talent Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMABAE, Space & Astronomy Programs, with a secondary code of IMABADAN, Propulsion Test, Integration & Certification Services. Its SIC code is 8734.