Investors have spent almost $ 1bn on aerospace start - ups in 2018 , according to financial data from Forbes . Advances in technology have made it cheaper for smaller companies to produce aerospace projects in a market normally dominated by firms including Boeing and Airbus . Start - up companies receiving investment include Elon Musk ’s SpaceX , earth imaging company Planet , asteroid - mining firm Planetary , and Swarm Technologies . A Chinese satellite-maker garnered $22 million. The Preqin survey did not include private investments in Blue Origin , founded by Jeff Bezos .
Investors have spent almost $ 1bn on aerospace start - ups in 2018 , according to financial data from Forbes . Advances in technology have made it cheaper for smaller companies to produce aerospace projects in a market normally dominated by firms including Boeing and Airbus . Start - up companies receiving investment include Elon Musk ’s SpaceX , earth imaging company Planet , asteroid - mining firm Planetary , and Swarm Technologies . The Preqin survey did not include private investments in Blue Origin , founded by Jeff Bezos .