Originally published in Omni Ekonomi on 4 February 2026, this guest column by Joanna Redebrant (Nyfikna Investerare) and Johan Hägglund (CEO, Tioex) argues that space technology — or space tech — is no longer the stuff of science fiction, but a real and rapidly advancing technological frontier.
To understand space tech, one must strip away its science-fiction aesthetics. At its core, it’s about infrastructure and data.
Satellites are already used for navigation, communication, logistics, agriculture, defense, energy systems, and financial flows. They are an integrated part of the global economy — not a future scenario. At the same time, technological progress has fundamentally changed the economics of space. Reusable rockets, standardized satellites, and private actors have enabled a commercial ecosystem where governments once were the sole customers.
From an investor perspective, this means space tech should increasingly be viewed as an infrastructure-driven growth sector, rather than a niche or speculative technology segment.
The timing isn’t a coincidence
First, geopolitics has turned space into strategic infrastructure. Satellite capacity is critical for security, communication, and intelligence, driving both public investment and private capital.
Second, the sector is reinforced by the rapid development of AI. Satellites generate enormous amounts of real-time data that can now be analyzed effectively. The combination of space and AI is not a buzzword — it is functionally necessary.
Third, business models have matured. Many companies have moved from experimentation to recurring revenues, long-term contracts, and commercial customers. This shifts the risk profile and makes the sector increasingly investable.
Much of this value creation still happens outside the public markets. Many companies building critical space infrastructure reach significant scale, revenues, and strategic importance long before a potential IPO.
So how should investors think about space tech?
Not everyone will gain exposure to the next SpaceX — and that’s not required. For investors, space tech is about understanding the value chain.
Exposure can come through:
- Publicly listed companies in satellite communications, components, and data
- Thematic funds and ETFs
- Private equity, venture capital, and secondary markets for shares in private companies for those with higher risk tolerance
The key is to view space tech as thematic infrastructure, not a speculative side bet. Just as semiconductors, energy systems, and digital infrastructure have become core building blocks in portfolios, space is moving in the same direction.
Space tech is no longer futuristic science fiction. It’s existing technology used for data, security, and infrastructure — and it already underpins significant parts of the global economy.
When major space companies eventually list on public markets, it may be described as a starting signal. In reality, it will be a confirmation of a development already underway, far beyond the headlines.
For investors, the relevant question is therefore not if space becomes investable — but how to gain exposure, and where in the value chain, before the sector becomes a natural part of the global economy.
Note: Over the past two years, Johan Hägglund has invested approximately SEK 60 million of Tioex’s capital in SpaceX.
