Alpine Space Ventures

Alpine Space Ventures, headquartered in Munich, Germany, is a European venture capital firm exclusively focused on early-stage space technology companies, founded in 2022 by Bulent Altan — formerly SpaceX's Vice President of Avionics who helped engineer Falcon 9's flight computer systems — and co-founder Stefan Quandt family office connections. The firm closed its debut Fund I at $184M (€170M), reportedly the largest first-time VC fund dedicated exclusively to space globally at its close.

Alpine's investment mandate covers the full space technology stack at pre-seed through Series A: launch vehicles, satellite platforms, ground segment infrastructure, downstream data analytics, in-orbit servicing, space resources, and dual-use applications. The fund's Munich base positions it to source deals across the German-speaking space cluster (OHB, DLR spinouts, Technical University Munich programs) and broader European space ecosystem, while Altan's Silicon Valley and SpaceX network provides access to US deals and portfolio introductions.

Key limited partners include the NATO Innovation Fund — a €1 billion multi-sovereign VC fund backing dual-use deep tech across NATO member states — and the European Investment Fund (EIF), which provides institutional anchor LP capital to technology venture funds across Europe. These backers provide strategic advantages beyond capital: NATO IF LPs bring government customer access, and EIF imprimatur facilitates co-investment from European institutional LPs.

Alpine competes with Seraphim Space (UK), OTB Ventures (Amsterdam/Warsaw), Lakestar (with space allocations), and Airbus Ventures in the European space VC market, differentiating through its operator-founder leadership, exclusive space focus, and sovereign-LP network that enables portfolio companies to navigate government procurement and dual-use certification processes faster than generalist investors could facilitate.