Hélène Huby, founder and CEO of The Exploration Company, is taking bold risks in the space industry with her reusable and refillable vehicles designed to transport cargo to and from space stations. The spacetech startup, just five years old, has already achieved semi-successful missions at a fraction of the cost and time of competitors.

In a recent Sifted podcast episode, Huby outlined the company's ambitious roadmap for 2026, including plans to raise a significant amount of money to develop a high-thrust rocket engine. The discussion covered why the space industry is projected to more than double in value over the next decade, the challenges of collaborating in space during geopolitical tensions, and the ideal funding strategy for deep tech companies.

The conversation also addressed how Huby handles public failure as a CEO and her vision for Europe's space future. Her approach reflects a willingness to embrace risk and failure as part of innovation, positioning The Exploration Company as a potential disruptor in the rapidly growing space economy.