After 25 years of self-funding, Bezos opens Blue Origin at a $130bn valuation

Jeff Bezos is opening Blue Origin to outside money at last, in a round that values the rocket firm at $130 billion, CNBC reports. It follows Elon Musk’s record SpaceX IPO and pits the two space fortunes against each other again.

Blue Origin is raising outside capital for the first time. Jeff Bezos’s rocket company is closing a round of about $10 billion, CNBC reports, citing people familiar with the matter. The deal values Blue Origin at $130 billion. Bezos has bankrolled the firm himself for 25 years.

The money comes from a familiar mix. Bezos will put in $2 billion of his own. The hedge fund Coatue Management is set to add about $4 billion, the people said. Demand for the final $4 billion runs high, with several major investors expected to join.

The end of a 25-year cheque

For a quarter of a century, Bezos wrote every cheque himself, mostly by selling Amazon stock. That era is now closing. Outside investors will own a slice of the company for the first time.

The timing is not subtle. The round lands weeks after Elon Musk’s SpaceX pulled off the largest IPO on record and minted Musk a trillionaire. The two space fortunes now sit side by side once more.

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Behind on the pad

Blue Origin still trails its rival where it counts. Its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket reached orbit, yet lost its first stage on descent. Its launch cadence sits far below the firm’s own targets. Fresh capital would help it close that gap.

Why it matters

A $130 billion valuation would place Blue Origin among the most valuable private space firms, even as it lags SpaceX on flights. The round also deepens a rivalry that now runs from launch pads to orbit. The details remain private, and the round is not yet closed. For now, the message is simpler. After 25 years, Bezos wants company.