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VF Space

HardwareGoyang, South KoreaFounded 2023· One of 1733 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse

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
1-10
Stage
Early Stage
Total Funding
Undisclosed
Latest Round
Pre-Series A
Key Investors
FuturePlay; HL Mando; MYSC (엠와이소셜컴퍼니); Harang Technology Investment (하랑기술투자)

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

https://vfspace.com

Recent coverage of VF Space

AM patents

AM-relevant patents linked to this company.

Patents
4
Granted
3
Families
4

Leading domains: process (4), equipment (3), material (3)

Filings by year: 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1

  1. 3D 메탈 적층 제조를 위한 갠트리 로봇 시스템1028512270000 · KR
  2. 3D 메탈 적층을 위한 보호가스 공급 기능이 구비된 레이저 조사 헤드 시스템1028512280000 · KR
  3. 갠트리 로봇과 레이저 조사 기능을 융합한 3D 금속 적층 제조 시스템1028512290000 · KR
  4. 3D 금속 적층 제조를 위한 용융풀 분석 방법1027537950000 · KR

Funding rounds

  • Pre-Series AUndisclosed2026-06Source
  • SeedUndisclosed2023-12Lead: HL Mando · Source
  • SeedUndisclosed2023-08Lead: FuturePlay · Source