History
European Space Ventures AG (ESV) is continuing the growth started by Space Ventures Investors Limited (SVI).
SVI was formed by the Founders (Simon Drake and Kevin Mac Gowan) in the United Kingdom in 2014 and grew from 2019 onwards to invest in multiple European space start-ups, including earth observation for agriculture, naval surveillance and insurance, plus launch and space resources. The investors in SVI are mainly Generalist Investors and High Net Worth Individuals.
In 2024 the Founders of SVI decided to scale-up space investing in Europe by forming European Space Ventures Aktiengesellschaft in Frankfurt am Main, the financial capital of Germany.
European Space Ventures AG (ESV) was formally formed in the 18th June 2025, to provide a European-based, de-risked space investment, for all types of shareholders; starting with financial companies in Europe who are relatively new to space investing.
The Founders saw the need for an independent space investing company to leverage its capital to build new space companies for concepts often overlooked by institutional funds, venture capital, and public funding (e.g. space agencies).
European Space Ventures AG – A company structure designed for European shareholders
The formation process of a German AG (Plc equivalent in the UK) and the accompanying German Stock Corporation laws are precise, logical and adaptable to changing situations – exactly what a new space economy requires to prosper in the decades ahead.
The path of growth is that investors feel secure knowing their investment is in a space company that has a long-term perspective, and a chance to exit their investment, via a listing on a European stock exchange.
Simon Drake, CEO of ESV explains: “I have seen multiple economic cycles, like the Dot-Com Boom and countless recessions, now the latest wave of blockchain backed digital assets and the implications of novel intergenerational monetary policy. We decided to build a space company that would outlive economic cycles, and even outlive ourselves, because history is based on companies and societies that have a firm structure and mature expectations.”
How to Become a Shareholder
Shareholders are voters, and the issues of new shares are restricted to avoid unnecessary dilution.
The first step is to get in contact or visit our European Space Ventures Investor Survey.
Established Space Networks
ESV Management of maintains a network of space professionals, engineers and entrepreneurs, focussed on:
European space entrepreneurs and companies who are developing innovative technology. About ninety percent of new concepts are revamped versions of existing concepts, so the real new and innovative concepts are rare, and often overlooked as too complicated. ESV takes the time to find the innovators.
Space Resources: From mining engineers to entrepreneurs, rocket scientists and planetary academics, thousands of individuals are solving the greatest industrial feat of this century: Harvesting the resources of space for commercial gain. This extends from sifting platinum group metals from Lunar regolith to developing space based solar power constellations. ESV is in contact with international start-ups and organizations pursuing this goal.
Space Law: Pertinent to space resources, is how the law is applied to commercial ventures to, for example, legally extract resources from the Moon. ESV actively researches and follow how space law will evolve.