ATMOS EXPANDS
EUROPEAN
FOUNDATION
ATMOS EXPANDS EUROPEAN FOUNDATION
WITH EXPANSION VENTURES INVESTMENT
AND NEW FRENCH SUBSIDIARY IN
STRASBOURG.
Press Release
↗ Expansion Ventures invests in ATMOS to accelerate strategic ties of Europe’s deeptech industry.
↗ ATMOS deepens its European network with the opening of a new subsidiary in France.
↗ ATMOS relocates Operations Team, incl. Payload Management and Mission Control to the new subsidiary in Strasbourg to expand its international networks with the active support of Expansion Ventures.
↗ ATMOS conducted the first test flight of its PHOENIX 1 re-entry capsule on SpaceX’ Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission in April 2025.
Paris, France – April 30, 2025 – ATMOS Space Cargo (ATMOS), a leading European space logistics startup, has secured a new strategic investment from Expansion Ventures, a French venture capital firm focused on supporting European deeptech and advanced aerospace and defence technologies.
The investment marks a key milestone in ATMOS’s development, reinforcing its commitment to building a sovereign European infrastructure for orbital re-entry logistics. The announcement follows ATMOS’s first test flight of its PHOENIX 1 re-entry capsule on SpaceX’s Bandwagon-3 rideshare mission on 21 April 2025.
Strasbourg Becomes a New
Base for ATMOS in Europe
In preparation of upcoming missions to and from the European continent, ATMOS has established a new French subsidiary in Strasbourg. The city was selected for its strategic location at the intersection of European innovation, with close ties to institutions such as the International Space University and several French-German aerospace hubs.
Led by Chief Operating Officer Marta Oliveira, the Strasbourg office will serve as the new home for ATMOS’s Operations and future R&D topics, including Payload Management and Mission Control. From here, the teams will coordinate all mission phases from prelaunch to post-flight, manage launch and recovery communications, operate real-time ground segment software and data systems, and lead the development of future re-entry systems.
“Our presence in France strengthens our connection to Europe’s space and innovation eco-system. Strasbourg offers us the ideal environment to scale operations, foster cross-border collaboration, and drive forward our next generation of re-entry technologies towards a unified European infrastructure of orbital re-entry logistics.”
Marta Oliveira, Co-Founder and COO of ATMOS
Expansion Ventures:
A Strategic Investment in European Space Infrastructure
The investment from Expansion Ventures supports ATMOS’s on-going growth of its PHOENIX program and the development of reusable systems that return scientific and industrial payloads from orbit back to Earth.
“We’re building the backbone of a new space logistics architecture for Europe – one that is reliable, sustainable, and rooted in shared values and collaboration. Expansion Ventures’ support enables us to accelerate that vision and deepen our partnerships across the continent.”
Sebastian Klaus, CEO and Co-Founder of ATMOS
“Our investment in ATMOS is critical to complement our construction and support of the value chain of the European Aerospace industry. ATMOS’ ambition to reliably return payloads from orbit through its PHOENIX capsule is not just a technical achievement – it’s a strategic enabler for in-orbit manufacturing, life sciences, and sovereign access to space logistics. As evidenced by the establishment of the new French subsidiary, we are convinced that Europe needs cooperation, and we aim at actively being part of it, in order to support the next global leaders.”
David Dana, General Partner of Expansion Ventures
About ATMOS Space Cargo
ATMOS Space Cargo is a European space company building a sustainable return logistics platform to transport cargo from Low Earth Orbit back to Earth. The company’s core technology, the PHOENIX capsule, enables the safe and efficient return of scientific, commercial, and dual-use payloads from space. PHOENIX features an innovative Inflatable Heat Shield developed by ATMOS, allowing the controlled return of cargo of various sizes – from small payloads up to 100 kg to multi-tonne rocket stages.
ATMOS is building the infrastructure to establish sovereign access to and from space as an accessible, reliable, and strategic pillar of modern European infrastructure.
About Expansion Ventures
Expansion Ventures is a pan-European independent venture capital firm with presence in Paris, Stockholm and Luxembourg, investing in Sustainable Aerospace and Defence strategic technologies with a focus on Europe’s industrial and defense sovereignty.
Backed by both public and private stakeholders, Expansion Ventures supports earlystage deeptech ventures building the foundations of resilient European infrastructure.