Venturi Space, the Monaco-based company developing critical technologies for space exploration, has announced a €250 million investment in France to build a 16,000 square metre technology centre in Toulouse, where it will design, manufacture and assemble rovers intended for lunar and Martian missions.
The announcement was made at Choose France, the annual summit held at the Palace of Versailles dedicated to French economic attractiveness, and was led by Gildo Pastor, the company’s Chairman and the driving force behind the Venturi Group’s push into space mobility.
NASA, Artemis and the CLV-1 connection
The investment comes at a pivotal moment for the company. NASA has selected the CLV-1 rover developed by Venturi Astrolab — Venturi Space’s American strategic partner — to transport astronauts across the surface of the Moon from 2028 as part of the Artemis programme. That vehicle draws directly on critical technologies developed by Venturi Space, including its high-performance batteries, hyper-deformable wheels and energy management systems, making the Toulouse facility central to meeting NASA’s requirements ahead of the crewed lunar landings.
In Europe, the company is contributing to preparatory work for future lunar rovers through a risk-reduction study conducted under contract with the European Space Agency since January 2026, and unveiled its 100% European lunar rover MONA LUNA in June 2025.
Toulouse as the European flagship
Already present in Toulouse for two and a half years, Venturi Space will expand its footprint significantly with the new site, which will serve as the hub for rover assembly and system integration. The facility will work in close collaboration with the company’s existing entities in Monaco and Switzerland, which will supply wheels, thermal systems, cryogenic materials, high-performance batteries and other critical components for final assembly and qualification in Toulouse. The centre will employ nearly 200 highly qualified engineers and technicians.
“I have always believed that mobility would be one of the keys to space exploration. Today, the momentum is there. With this €250 million investment and the creation of nearly 200 jobs, Venturi Space is taking a decisive step forward. We have the technologies, the experience, the partners and, soon, the industrial tool to go further. I want this project to succeed, to bring an entire sector with it, and to inspire Toulouse,” said Gildo Pastor.
Dr Antonio Delfino, Director of Space Affairs at Venturi Space, described the site as the company’s European centrepiece. “This site will be Venturi Space’s European flagship. Our teams will work there on critical technologies, on the integration of complex systems and on the assembly of rovers designed to operate in the most extreme environments. It will play a central role in our ability to meet the requirements of American and European lunar programmes,” he said.
Rover assembly at the Toulouse facility is expected to begin in 2027.
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Photo source: Venturi Space