Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company providing small-satellite launch services, spacecraft, satellite components, and on-orbit services. Founded by Peter Beck in New Zealand in 2006 and now headquartered in Long Beach, California, the company operates the Electron small-lift rocket and is developing the medium-lift reusable Neutron rocket. Its space systems business builds satellite buses (Photon), solar cells, reaction wheels, star trackers, separation systems, flight software, and laser optical communications terminals for commercial, civil, and national-security customers.
Rocket Lab is publicly traded
This company is no longer available on our private secondary market. Shares can be traded publicly under its listed ticker.
Company data and valuation marks are estimates and may be incomplete, stale, erroneous, or revised.
Founded
2006
Employees
2,600+
Total Funding
$376.71M
7 rounds
Last Private Valuation
$1.2B
Nov 15, 2018
Agreed to acquire Iridium Communications for ~$8.0B cash-and-stock, forming a vertically integrated space company
Large cash-plus-equity outlay and share issuance to fund the deal; dilution watch for RKLB
Funding data and valuation marks are estimates and may be incomplete, stale, erroneous, or revised.
Total raised $376.71M across 7 rounds
Last updated 09-11-2026
| Date | Round | Amount Raised | Valuation | Lead Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 10, 2021 | Debt Financing | $100M | — | Hercules Capital |
| May 18, 2020 | Series E-1 | $20.5M | $1.3B *estimated | Not disclosed |
| Nov 15, 2018 | Series E CNBC | $137.7M | $1.2B | Future Fund |
Funding data and valuation marks are estimates and may be incomplete, stale, erroneous, or revised.
Entry · Series D
$1B
Mar 2017
Rocket Lab today
$1.3B
May 2020 · latest mark
Rocket Lab multiple
1.3x
valuation uplift since first round
Y-axis is logarithmic. Hollow dots = estimated valuations. Does not represent realized investor returns.
Peter Beck
Founder, President, CEO & Chair
Adam Spice
Chief Financial Officer
Frank Klein
Chief Operations Officer
Competitor list is illustrative and may be incomplete, stale, or erroneous.
SpaceX
Dominant launch provider operating reusable Falcon 9 / Falcon Heavy and Starship; primary heavy-lift and rideshare competitor.
Firefly Aerospace
Texas-based small/medium launch and lunar lander company; competes with Rocket Lab on small-sat launch and DoD contracts. Public (Nasdaq: FLY).
Relativity Space
3D-printed rocket developer building Terran R, a reusable medium-to-heavy-lift vehicle targeting late-2026 first flight.
Blue Origin
Jeff Bezos-backed space company operating New Shepard suborbital and the New Glenn heavy-lift orbital launch vehicle.
Astra Space
Small-launch competitor that went public in 2021 and was taken private in 2024 after operational setbacks.
Rocket Lab became publicly traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market on August 25, 2021 under the ticker RKLB, following a SPAC merger with Vector Acquisition Corporation (Nasdaq: VACQ). The combined company received approximately $777M in gross proceeds from the trust account and concurrent PIPE financing, at an implied pro-forma equity value of roughly $4.8B.
Rocket Lab shares can be purchased through any standard brokerage account — including Fidelity, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, and online platforms like Robinhood or E*TRADE. Search for the ticker to place an order.
Rocket Lab had a valuation of approximately $1.2B at the time of its public offering. Current market capitalization fluctuates with the share price.
Rocket Lab raised $376.71M across 7 disclosed funding rounds prior to its public listing.
Rocket Lab was founded by Peter Beck in 2006.
Rocket Lab is headquartered in Long Beach, California, United States.
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