Apr 6, 2021
SpaceFund Logo
SpaceFund Logo
SpaceFund announced it has reached and surpassed the planned first close of $5 million for its $20 million BlastOff Fund today. The Houston and Austin-based company says commitments to the fund have reached $9 million as of Monday morning.
"We are thrilled to see how many investors are placing their trust in our team," said SpaceFund founder Rick Tumlinson. "We spent a lot of time slowly and carefully developing our processes and credibility, so we can better serve both investors and the amazing space startup community, and it's paying off."
SpaceFund began life at the end of 2019, announcing its first LaunchPad fund in the fall of that year. The proof-of-concept fund closed in August of 2020 and has already invested in 13 exciting space startup companies. Continuing SpaceFund's strategic plan, the BlastOff Fund will build on those investments and expand the firm's portfolio with larger investments, including some in later-stage companies.
"SpaceFund is about combining a bold approach with a very conservative diligence and investment process," said SpaceFund managing partner Meagan Crawford. "The BlastOff Fund continues our careful growth plan but is designed to accelerate our ability to place investment into those companies that are leading the Space Revolution."
The BlastOff Fund was helped in its ignition by billionaire digital finance innovator Jed McCaleb, creator of the Stellar protocol, who anchored the BlastOff Fund. A well-known visionary leader in the cryptocurrency world, McCaleb is also a believer in the rise of the NewSpace industry and commercial space.
According to McCaleb: "I came to SpaceFund to ask questions because they are seen as credible thought leaders in the space investment industry. By the time we finished talking, it was clear they were an obvious choice to help me invest in this amazing field."
"Jed is a well-informed investor and one who deeply cares about the future of space and humanity," added Crawford. "He is exactly the kind of investor we hope to attract into the SpaceFund family. For us, this isn't just about money. It is about how we can best impact the future. Jed and the other investors in the fund get that."
"There is a reason we call this the BlastOff fund," concluded Tumlinson. "Anyone who follows what is happening in space can see that after almost 60 years, this industry is taking off. Our job is to help investors climb aboard the right companies to carry them to their financial destinations as we open the Frontier."
Only 30% of adult Filipinos disagree with the statement, “A person like me cannot do anything to reduce corruption in the government," according to the Social Weather Survey (SWS) on personal efficacy against corruption conducted in June 2026.
The hypothetical tandem of Vice President Sara Duterte and Senator Robin Padilla would take the lead over Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo and Senator Bam Aquino but with a smaller margin, according to key findings from the Tugon ng Masa (TNM) nationwide survey.
ILIGAN CITY — After living together for 16 years, Danna and Erwin Juntilla finally tied the knot in a free wedding ceremony offered by the local government unit (LGU) of Iligan. The Juntillas were among 71 couples married by Iligan City Mayor Frederick Siao during the Asenso Iliganon Mass Wedding rites held here last week.
CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — Saying it does not intend to “silence” criticisms from the Mangyan-Iraya community, developer Pieceland Corporation insists it has the legal right over a 302,944 square meter property in Barangay Poblacion at Abra de Ilog town in Occidental Mindoro which an indigenous tribal organization claims as part of its ancestral domain.
MORONG, Bataan — Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco blamed the national government for dragging its feet on nuclear energy, saying he was disappointed by the lack of firm resolve to operate the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) in this coastal town. Speaking before a group of reporters who toured the BNPP facilities on Thursday,
Blessed Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once visited Baguio City to direct a retreat for Filipino bishops more than 50 years ago.
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) have lifted the temporary ban on Discord. That is after the messaging platform committed to implementing stronger child safety protocols and counter-extremism measures. The decision followed a meeting between Philippine officials and senior Discord executives, including
MANILA, Philippines — Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro has admitted that the ideal scenario for the prosecution in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte is to get 16 or more conviction votes. She expressed her hope as the Senate Impeachment Court allowed a lower minimum vote requirement to convict the vice president, if some senator-judges
CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela — Workers in Cagayan Valley are seeking a P100 increase in the basic daily wage, while employers are pushing to keep the current P500 minimum wage for private-sector workers. The competing positions were laid out during a Sept. 24 public hearing at the Isabela provincial capitol, where employee representatives said the
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. JV Ejercito has pledged full support for efforts by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to combat cybercrime, cyber fraud and other online scams, including securing adequate funding to strengthen their capabilities. Ejercito, chair of the Senate Committee on Finance and the Committee on Justice,
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is asking Congress for an almost P229-million budget for the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Program (EVIDP) for 2027 as the country further reduces its dependence on imported fossil fuel and transitions to cleaner transportation. The DBM’s request for a P228.92 million proposed funding for EVIDP
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is proposing institutional amendments worth around P20 billion to its proposed P643.95-billion budget for 2027, a House lawmaker said Thursday.
YOUR NEWS, OUR NETWORK.
Do you have Great News you want to tell the world?
Be it updates about your business or your community, you can make sure that it’s heard by submitting your story to our network reaching hundreds of news sites across 6 verticals.