Fundraising Fox
Firefly Aerospace
NASDAQ: FLYUnicorn · $6.5BLeander, US · Founded 2017 · Delaware corporation · 7 known investors
Find your way into Firefly Aerospace
Sign up to see every warm intro you have to Firefly Aerospace
- Paths you didn't know you had: your email and LinkedIn already hold routes to the Firefly Aerospace team. We find them for you
- 2nd- and 3rd-degree connections: the friend-of-a-friend routes that take hours to manually find through your inbox or LinkedIn
- Answers now, not in days: momentum is everything in a raise. Skip asking around whether someone knows someone
Days of research, done the moment you sign in, with every route ranked by how warm it is.
Firefly Aerospace launches, lands, and operates space systems spanning Earth orbit to the Moon and cislunar space, serving customers such as commercial companies, NASA, and the U.S. Space Force. It develops the Alpha and Eclipse launch vehicles, Blue Ghost lunar landers, and Elytra orbital vehicles for payload delivery and in-space services.
Founders & leadership
Firefly Aerospace was founded in 2017 by Thomas Markusic and Eric Salwan.
TM
Thomas MarkusicCo-founder · Chief Technical AdvisorThomas Markusic is a rocket scientist and aerospace engineer who founded Firefly Aerospace and previously held senior propulsion and engineering roles at SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic, as well as positions in propulsion research at the U.S. Air Force and NASA. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University.
ES
Eric SalwanCo-FounderEric began his career in 1999 in software development roles at KPN Research TNO and Tandberg (later acquired by Cisco), then served as a technical project leader, development manager, and ultimately CTO at the digital agency Sping. He currently works as CTO across several portfolio companies at Brooklyn Ventures, an investor in startups and scale-ups.
JK
Jason KimChief Executive OfficerHe previously held leadership roles at Northrop Grumman Corporation, Millennium Space Systems (a Boeing subsidiary), and Raytheon Technologies in space and defense systems, and holds degrees in Electrical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, the Air Force Institute of Technology, and UCLA Anderson School of Management.
RS
Russell Shea FerringSenior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer
DF
Daniel FermonSenior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
DM
Darren MaChief Financial Officer
DW
David WheelerSenior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary2022–2026David Wheeler is a General Counsel and CPA with more than 20 years of experience in aerospace, defense, space, and aviation sectors, including leadership roles in public companies and oversight of major transactions and government-regulated programs. He holds a BBA in Aviation.
NO
Nathan O'KonekGeneral CounselNathan O'Konek is General Counsel at Firefly Aerospace, where he oversees legal and strategic matters for the space systems company. He brings more than 20 years of aerospace and defense experience, including prior roles as Chief Operating Officer at Star Catcher Industries, founding General Counsel at Neo Space Group, and EVP and General Counsel at NYSE-listed Redwire Corporation, along with earlier work supporting NASA and DARPA programs and capital markets legal practice in London and New York. He holds degrees from Carleton College and the University of Minnesota Law School.
BS
Brad SchneiderChief Revenue Officer2019–2021Brad Schneider has held senior leadership roles including President, CFO, COO, and CRO at aerospace and defense companies, as well as in healthcare, with experience in advanced technology development, manufacturing, and operations across government and commercial markets.
RF
Russel FerringVice President of Spacecraft
RK
Robb KulinChief Operating OfficerRobb Kulin is Chief Operating Officer at Firefly Aerospace, where he leads operations for the company's launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital systems. His background includes aerospace vehicle and ground system design, mission planning, field operations in remote environments, and academic training in mechanical engineering and materials science.
Investors · 7
AE Industrial Partners✓ confirmed by Firefly AerospaceBoca Raton
How we know: the company's own site · the S-1 prospectus · Not right? Tell us
Capital Factorylisted by Capital FactoryAustin
How we know: Capital Factory's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us
Noosphere Ventureslisted by Noosphere VenturesMountain Viewvia Max Polyakov · inferred
How we know: Noosphere Ventures's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us
Real Tech Capitallisted by Real Tech CapitalChicago
How we know: Real Tech Capital's portfolio page · Not right? Tell us
Republic Capital (ex Republic Labs)listed by Republic Capital (ex Republic Labs)New York
How we know: Republic Capital (ex Republic Labs)'s portfolio page · Not right? Tell us
Reported raises · per SEC filings
Form D private placements$514M disclosed across 6 rounds · 2021–2026
▶$22MraisedJul 2026 · 18 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
▶$22MraisedJul 2026 · 18 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
- Jason KimExecutive Officer, Director
- Darren MaExecutive Officer
- Ramon SanchezExecutive Officer
- Shea FerringExecutive Officer
- Nathan O'KonekExecutive Officer
- Kirk KonertDirector
- Ryan BolandDirector
- Pamela BradenDirector
- Christopher EmersonDirector
- Jon LusczakoskiDirector
- Kevin McAllisterDirector
- Thomas ZurbuchenDirector
- Offering amount
- $22M
- Amount sold
- $22M
- First sale
- Jun 2026
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$175.5MraisedNov 2024 · 10 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
▶$175.5MraisedNov 2024 · 10 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
- Jason KimExecutive Officer, Director
- Chris EmersonDirector
- Russell Shea FerringExecutive Officer
- Kirk KonertDirector
- Jed McCalebDirector
- Daniel FermonExecutive Officer
- Marc WeiserDirector
- Thomas MarkusicDirector
- Darren MaExecutive Officer
- David WheelerExecutive Officer
- Amount sold
- $175.5M
- First sale
- Oct 2024
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$12.3MraisedMar 2024 · 2 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
▶$12.3MraisedMar 2024 · 2 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
- Russell FerringExecutive Officer
- Chris EmersonDirector
- Peter SchumacherDirector
- William WeberExecutive Officer, Director
- Thomas MarkusicDirector
- Pete CannitoDirector
- Pamela BradenDirector
- Dan FermonExecutive Officer
- Kirk KonertDirector
- Darren MaExecutive Officer
- Jed McCalebDirector
- Offering amount
- $12.3M
- Amount sold
- $12.3M
- First sale
- Jul 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$179.3MraisedMar 2024 · 9 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
▶$179.3MraisedMar 2024 · 9 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
- Thomas MarkusicDirector
- Pete CannitoDirector
- Pamela BradenDirector
- Chris EmersonDirector
- Russell FerringExecutive Officer
- William WeberExecutive Officer, Director
- Peter SchumacherDirector
- Dan FermonExecutive Officer
- Darren MaExecutive Officer
- Kirk KonertDirector
- Jed McCalebDirector
- Offering amount
- $179.3M
- Amount sold
- $179.3M
- Finders' fees
- $500K
- First sale
- Feb 2023
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$50MraisedMar 2022 · 1 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
▶$50MraisedMar 2022 · 1 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
- Kirk KonertDirector
- Jed McCalebDirector
- Peter SchumacherDirector
- Pete StarnesExecutive Officer
- Darren MaExecutive Officer
- Russel Shea FerringExecutive Officer
- Pamela BradenDirector
- Thomas MarkusicExecutive Officer, Director
- Eric SalwanExecutive Officer, Director
- Offering amount
- $75M
- Amount sold
- $50M
- Sales commissions
- $3M
- First sale
- Mar 2022
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2017
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
▶$75MraisedMay 2021 · 8 investors · Other TechnologyRule 506(b)
▶$75MraisedMay 2021 · 8 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
- Brad SchneiderExecutive Officer
- Deborah JamesDirector
- Darren MaExecutive Officer
- Russel FerringExecutive Officer
- Robb KulinExecutive Officer
- Paul StarnesExecutive Officer
- Jed McCalebDirector
- Thomas E. MarkusicExecutive Officer, Director
- Robert CardilloDirector
- Offering amount
- $75M
- Amount sold
- $75M
- Minimum investment
- $250K
- First sale
- Apr 2021
- Incorporated
- Corporation, Delaware, 2017
- Federal exemptions
- 06b
Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.
Valuation · disclosed
Disclosed events$6.5Bvaluation at IPOAug 2025 · $45.00/share · 424B4
filing ↗Source: SEC prospectus filings, and round valuations the company or its investors disclosed — follow each entry's link for the claim.
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Firefly Aerospace went on to found or lead other companies.
Related companies · 5
SpaceXRevolutionizing space technology to make life multi-planetary
Capella SpaceCapella Space designs, builds, and operates synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellations that provide all-weather, day-and-night Earth observation imagery at sub-0.25m resolution. It offers an automated end-to-end tasking and data delivery platform serving defense and intelligence, maritime, disaster response, and infrastructure monitoring customers.
Blue OriginReusable launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital infrastructure for space-based communications networks and low-cost access to space.
Lockheed Martin AustraliaLockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that develops military aircraft, missile defense systems, helicopters, radar and sensor systems, spacecraft, and cybersecurity capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense, federal government agencies, and international customers.
Relativity SpaceRelativity Space develops Terran R, a reusable medium-to-heavy-lift rocket designed for efficiency and scalability, serving government entities, telecommunications companies, and commercial customers for space access missions. The company focuses on making space exploration more accessible, reliable, and sustainable.
Companies working in the same space as Firefly Aerospace.
In the news
Frequently asked questions
- What does Firefly Aerospace do?
- Firefly Aerospace launches, lands, and operates space systems spanning Earth orbit to the Moon and cislunar space, serving customers such as commercial companies, NASA, and the U.S. Space Force. It develops the Alpha and Eclipse launch vehicles, Blue Ghost lunar landers, and Elytra orbital vehicles for payload delivery and in-space services.
- Who founded Firefly Aerospace?
- Firefly Aerospace was founded by Thomas Markusic, Eric Salwan in 2017.
- Who are Firefly Aerospace's investors?
- Firefly Aerospace's investors include AE Industrial Partners, Capital Factory, Noosphere Ventures, Real Tech Capital, Republic Capital (ex Republic Labs), Rpm Ventures Iii Management, L.L.C., Tribeca Early Stage Partners.
- How much funding has Firefly Aerospace raised?
- Firefly Aerospace has disclosed $514M raised across 6 rounds.
- Where is Firefly Aerospace headquartered?
- Firefly Aerospace is headquartered in Leander, US.