VF Space
South Korean startup developing large-scale metal 3D printers (WLAM/DED) and metal 3D-printed sounding rockets and launch vehicles.
- CEO / Founder
- Junyoung Yang
- Team Size
- 11-50
- Stage
- Seed
- Latest Round
- Seed
- Key Investors
- FuturePlay; HL Mando
Technology & Products
Key Products
GAIA I (large-format metal 3D printer, 1.5×1.5×2.1m build volume, 6kW laser, 3-5kg/h deposition rate); GAIA N & G (planned for sale); Medusa Series laser deposition heads (Medusa-W, Medusa-L); Hyperion Junior (sounding rocket with hybrid engine, GOX/VS-O1 fuel); Hyperion (medium-class orbital launch vehicle, in development)
Technological Advantage
Proprietary W-DED (WLAM) technology using gantry robot + laser; fully autonomous operation with real-time monitoring; Medusa Series deposition heads with multi-wire feeding; developed core WLAM technology in-house (claimed first in Korea); certified patents for gantry robotic 3D metal AM, laser irradiation head, melt pool analysis, and combined gantry-laser system.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
VF Space develops large-scale, high-speed metal 3D printers (GAIA series) using wire-based directed energy deposition (W-DED/WLAM) technology, and uses them to manufacture rocket components and launch vehicles (Hyperion series), reducing production cost and lead time for aerospace applications.
How They Differentiate
Unlike pure launch vehicle startups, VF Space owns its metal 3D printing technology in-house, enabling rapid, low-cost production of rocket components. Competitors like Innospace and Perigee focus primarily on launch services without vertically integrated additive manufacturing capabilities.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Aerospace/defense organizations, government research institutes (B2G), industrial manufacturers needing large-format metal parts (B2B)
Industry Verticals
Aerospace; Defense; Industrial Manufacturing; Space Launch Services
Competitors
Innospace (South Korea, hybrid rocket launch vehicles); Perigee Aerospace (South Korea, small satellite launch vehicles); Unastella (South Korea, crewed launch vehicle)
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Team grew from founding to 6 employees (as of Mar 2026); GAIA I MVP completed Oct 2023; Hyperion Junior sounding rocket successfully launched with Mira Space in 2025.
Major Milestones
2023-08: Company founded; 2023: Seed investment from FuturePlay; 2023-10: GAIA I MVP completed; 2023-12: Additional Seed investment from HL Mando via Tech Up+ program; 2024: Selected as KARI Family Company; 2024: Developed world's first WLAM 3D-printed plasma thruster with KIMM; 2025: Hyperion Junior sounding rocket successfully launched with Mira Space; 2025: Selected for EMA-MARINE accelerator (Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries); 2026: Forbes Korea 30 Under 30 (CEO Junyoung Yang)
Notable Customers
Mira Space (sounding rocket launch services); KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute) — family company; KIMM (Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials) — plasma thruster development