Explore potential ways to acquire Relativity Space stock before the IPO. Get access to select pre-IPO companies at Equitybee.
The first successful launch attempt occured Wednesday, March 22nd, at 10 pm-1 am ET. Watch the launch here. The launch was considered a success, though the second stage suffered an anomaly.
Relativity Space Stock and IPO News
04/12/2023: Relativity Space is moving on from the Terran 1
03/11/2023: Relativity Space March 8th and March 11th Launches Scrubbed
02/22/2023: Relativity Space sets date for first Terran 1 launch (March 8th)
02/14/2023: Relativity Space to Take On SpaceX With 3-D Printed Rockets
02/07/2023: Relativity Space stacks 3D rocket on pad ahead of 1st flight
06/08/2021: Relativity Space launches its valuation to $4.2B with $650M
11/17/2020: Relativity Space raising $500 million at $2 billion valuation
What is Relativity Space?
Relativity Space is a commercial aerospace company refining and scaling 3D printing technologies for building rockets, engines, and space vehicles.
The company believes in a more inspired future with people thriving on Earth and Mars.
To support this mission, the company intends to upgrade humanity’s industrial base on Earth and Mars by developing radically simplified manufacturing techniques.
Relativity Space’s low-cost space launch vehicles will require 100 times few parts than standard rockets, reducing supply chain constraints, tooling needs, manufacturing square footage, and time to manufacture.
The company believes this will enable the early days of a Mars settlement. In the meantime, Relativity Space will service satellite companies and others with low-earth orbit launch capabilities.
Founders Tim Ellis and Jordan Noone, former Blue Origin and SpaceX engineers, sent a cold email to Mark Cuban and received $500,000 of seed funding within days of forming the company.
The duo graduated from the Y Combinator (W 16) incubator program and built the world’s largest 3D metal printers.
They then raised several more rounds of capital to manufacture and test its Terran 1 and R rockets and Aeon 1 and R engines.
The goal is to 3D print 95% of engine parts or more and build rockets within 60 days.
The company plans to send a cruise vehicle and lander to Mars in 2024 in partnership with Impulse Space, Inc. It would be the first commercial mission to Mars.
Relativity Space First Rocket Launch
Relativity Space “went vertical” on February 7th, 2023, with a rocket ahead of its first flight.
The first test launch was scheduled for March 8th but was scrubbed after delays and increased afternoon wind. The next launch attempt window on March 11th aborted the first attempt at 0.5 seconds, and scrubbed at 45 seconds on the second attempt.
Regarding the March 11th launch attempts, Relativity Space tweeted the following:
Based on initial data review, vehicle is healthy. More info to follow on cause of aborts today. Thanks for playing.
The third attempt on Wednesday, March 22nd, around 11pm ET, was a successful launch. The event proving a 3D printed rocket could get to “MaxG”. However, the second stage engine suffered an anomaly and the payload did not reach orbit.
Stream Launch
You can stream the March 22nd launch live Part 3 below:
Is Relativity Space Stock Publicly Traded?
No. Relativity Space is a private company.
Who Owns Relativity Space?
Relativity Space is a venture-backed private company. Equity owners include founders, employees, private investors, and multiple venture capital firms.
The company has raised more than $1.3 billion since 2015.
The latest confirmed funding round was a Series E in June 2021. Relativity Space raised $650 million, led by Fidelity. That round followed a $500 million Series D in November 2020 led by Tiger Global Management.
The author counts at least 33 pre-IPO investors.
Prominent venture capital investors include Fidelity, Allen & Company, General Catalyst, Baillie Gifford, ICONIQ, Blackrock, Coatue, Tiger Global, Stanford University, University of California, Social Capital, and Y Combinator.
Private investors include Mark Cuban, Michael Ovitz, actor Jared Leto, and Zillow co-founder Spencer Rascoff.
Relativity Space Valuation
The June 2021 Series E funding round set the Relativity Space valuation at $4.2 billion.
When is the Relativity Space IPO Date?
The Relativity Space IPO date is currently unknown and unlikely in the next three years.
The company is still testing capabilities and has yet to launch a rocket.
The first launch is anticipated in late 2022 or early 2023.
Relativity Space is many years from being profitable as it establishes work sites and scales into production mode.
However, the company is actively selling its launch capabilities to future clients such as Lockheed Martin, Telesat, mu Space, Momentus Space, Iridium, and OneWeb.
Though it has demonstrated demand for launch services, Relativity Space must prove it can deliver to become a viable long-term company.
Once the company completes multiple successful launches and clears the client backlog, it may consider an IPO.
Favorable market conditions may accelerate IPO plans.
The Relativity Space and Impulse mission to Mars could also catalyze public ownership demand, fueling a successful IPO if broader market conditions are suitable.
But SpaceX, a primary competitor, is way ahead of Relativity Space. Yet SpaceX has proved that a private space company can reach a nearly $100 billion valuation without going public.
As the broad private investor base becomes impatient for liquidity, a public offering will be more likely.
Bookmark this page for the latest developments.
What is the Relativity Space Stock Price?
There is no Relativity Space stock price yet. The company is private.
What is the Relativity Space Stock Symbol? Relativity Space Ticker?
Relativity Space is still a private company, so there is no Relativity Space stock symbol yet.
Here are a few Relativity Space ticker suggestions that appear to be available in the U.S.:
- RLSP
- RELA
- RVTY
- RTVY
- RSPC
Will Relativity Space be a Motley Fool Stock Advisor Recommendation?
We won’t know until after the Relativity Space IPO if the company will be a Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendation.
However, Relativity Space fits the mold of high-growth, disruptive business models that the Fool typically recommends.
Space, indeed, is the next frontier. If there are companies capable of profiting in outer space, the Motley Fool will be on top of it.
Read this Motley Fool Stock Advisor review to learn about the stock selection methodology and about how you can participate in excellent returns.
Stock Advisor is currently half-off for new members at just $99 for an annual subscription.
How to Invest in Relativity Space Stock (Now and Later)
Since Relativity Space is a private company, it is challenging to become an equity owner today.
However, you can take action to improve your chances of early equity ownership or acquire shares later during the IPO.
Here are three possible ways to acquire shares before and after an IPO.
1. Access Shares on Pre-IPO investing platforms
The author has yet to see evidence of Relativity Space stock availability on pre-IPO investing platforms based in the U.S.
Shares may become available if early investors or employees want to cash out before the IPO. This may become more likely if the company raises another round of private equity capital.
The SEC requires pre-IPO investors to be accredited, meaning a net worth above $1 million (not including primary residence) or an income above $200,000 (or $300,000 with a spouse).
Check out our list of top pre-IPO investing platforms for current share availability.
Investors can monitor pre-IPO investing platforms such as Equitybee, Forge Global, Linqto, and EquityZen for share availability.
If shares become available, expect to pay at least a $10,000 investment minimum. It’s free to sign up for online access to pre-IPO data and deal alerts.
Pre-IPO investing platforms empower users to indicate interest in companies they wish to invest in.
If enough investors indicate interest in a particular company, the pre-IPO platforms may actively reach out to equity holders to try to acquire shares for accredited investors.
Retail investors can bypass the accreditation requirement to own pre-IPO companies by owning the ARK Venture Fund via Titan Invest.
However, you cannot select individual pre-IPO companies, and Relativity Space is not in the portfolio at this time.
As companies mature, gain more shareholders, and delay their IPO due to macro conditions, more equity holders may seek liquidation before the IPO.
2. Buy stock during Relativity Space IPO through a participating broker
IPO investors may seek opportunities to invest during the IPO if and when it arrives. That means acquiring shares at the IPO price the night before the company begins trading.
But it takes some upfront homework.
IPO access has become more attainable to retail investors in the past few years.
The following online brokers give customers free access to IPOs, even with low account balances:
Brokers often negotiate exclusive IPO share allocations available to retail investors.
Access to specific high-demand IPOs may be limited by which brokerage accounts you have and what broker gets exclusive access.
TradeStation has a longer track record of accessing more than 200 IPOs and secondary offerings via its partnership with ClickIPO.
But Robinhood and SoFi Invest have the advantage of Silicon Valley networks and a history of getting allocations for high-profile IPOs.
Check out this list of best brokers for IPO investing to learn more about IPO access for retail investors.
3. Buy Relativity Space stock after the Relativity Space IPO
Waiting for the IPO requires patience. There are advantages to waiting until after the IPO before owning stocks.
IPOs allow investors to review financials via the S-1 filing. Pre-IPO investing has limited financials available.
IPO stock prices typically rise with high-demand companies. You can benefit if you’re in early and sell when the price overheats.
Many IPOs start with an immediate price increase (“the pop”). Then the stock falls once quarterly earnings reports become available.
In 2021, for example, both Rivian and Robinhood became high-flying IPO stocks. But six months after the IPO, both stocks were more than 80% below their price peak.
Stock price declines after IPOs can be excellent entry points.
Avoid buying overvalued shares immediately after the IPO. Shares often fall after the IPO due to lockup expirations and quarterly earnings disappointments.
However, the most disruptive companies will be higher in a decade. Patience pays.
Buy post-IPO stocks with any online broker. My favorite is M1 Finance, which is the best for long-term buy-and-hold investors.
M1 Finance does not provide IPO access.
Will SpaceX or Blue Origin Acquire Relativity Space?
At a nearly $100 billion valuation, SpaceX can afford to acquire Relativity Space.
Jeff Bezos can also afford it, and founder Tim Ellis was an intern at Blue Origin. He even convinced Bezos to purchase a metal 3D printer while there.
However, in a conversation with CNBC, Ellis said he did not seek seed funding from Bezos because he had just left Blue Origin on good terms and felt uncomfortable asking.
He pitched Cuban instead in what he probably thought was a hail Mary.
SpaceX and Relativity have some overlapping investment partners and share similar long-term goals.
However, the manufacturing techniques of SpaceX and Blue Origin are vastly different. Each makes rockets using more traditional methods, but keeps launch costs low by prioritizing reusability.
Relativity Space uses less conventional manufacturing methods with 3D printing.
The significant differences in manufacturing techniques make an acquisition unlikely.
But don’t rule out partnerships.
Establishing a colony on Mars will be a high-risk endeavor. Spreading the risk across multiple companies and investors will be crucial.
Partnering encourages utilizing the strengths of each party to optimize chances of success.
For example, SpaceX will have the largest rocket in terms of payload. Relativity Space aims to automate rocket manufacturing.
Therefore, a partnership could have SpaceX deliver Relativity Space’s equipment to Mars, where it can build the launch capability infrastructure.
Companies tend to innovate better when they are smaller. Elon Musk and Bezos know this and will likely celebrate as Relativity Space grows independently.
Where can I find the Relativity Space IPO S-1 Filing?
Relativity Space is not likely to start the IPO process by filing S-1 paperwork while it is focused on business execution.
Successful launches and revenue growth will indicate progress toward a public offering.
When the company submits the S-1 filing and releases it to the public, we’ll post it here.
In the meantime, you can check out the most recent S-1 filings in our S-1 filings feed.
Relativity Space Careers and Jobs
Relativity Space seeks “multihyphenate humans” to become employees. Multihyphenate means having several professions and skills.
The company seeks engineers, artists, and pathfinders to mix technology and creativity to solve complex problems never seen before.
Relativity Space boasts that new employees will tackle enormous challenges on the first day on the job.
Check out the Relativity Space Careers page to see openings.
Here’s a video describing what kind of candidates would thrive at Relativity Space.
Conclusion
Retail investors get excited about extraordinary macroeconomic trends (space exploration, 3D printing).
However, buying the stock early on can often prove difficult for retail investors. Companies may need to be more mature before becoming available to non-accredited investors.
Though pre-IPO investing platforms have opened more opportunities, private equity investing is still primarily reserved for accredited investors because of the added risk.
It’s usually challenging to acquire shares before the IPO.
If you pursue IPO shares and early equity, maintain reasonable expectations.
If Relativity Space stock is on your radar, good luck. Invest in pre-IPO and IPO companies with caution.
The Wall Street Journal produced this detailed Relativity Space video in February 2023:
* Disclosure: The web page contains affiliate links from our partners. If a reader opens an account or buys a service from a link in this article, we may be compensated at no additional cost to the reader. Opening an account with a broker that provides access to IPOs does not guarantee the customer allocations of specific IPOs. The author is long RIVN, and HOOD.
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