Monaco-based aerospace company Venturi Space has revealed plans to invest €250 million in a major new technology centre in Toulouse, reinforcing its position as one of Europe’s most ambitious players in the rapidly evolving space exploration sector.
The announcement was made during the prestigious Choose France summit at the Palace of Versailles, where international companies present major investment projects in France. Led by entrepreneur Gildo Pastor, Chairman of Venturi Space, the initiative marks a significant step in the company’s long-term strategy to develop advanced mobility solutions for lunar and Martian missions.
The new 16,000-square-metre facility will focus on the design, manufacturing and assembly of next-generation space rovers. Once operational, the centre is expected to employ nearly 200 highly skilled engineers and technicians, making it one of the most important European hubs dedicated to extraterrestrial mobility technologies.
The investment comes as Venturi Space plays an increasingly important role in international space programmes. Technologies developed by the company—including high-performance batteries, energy management systems and its innovative hyper-deformable wheels—have already been integrated into the CLV-1 rover selected by NASA for future Artemis missions. The vehicle is expected to transport astronauts across the lunar surface from 2028, highlighting the growing contribution of Monaco-developed technology to space exploration.
Venturi Space is also actively involved in European lunar initiatives. The company has been working with the European Space Agency on future rover development and previously unveiled MONA LUNA, a fully European lunar rover concept designed to support upcoming missions to the Moon.
The Toulouse facility will serve as the company’s European flagship, bringing together expertise from Venturi’s operations in Monaco and Switzerland. Components including wheels, thermal systems, advanced batteries and cryogenic technologies will be developed across the group before final integration takes place in France.
Construction and preparation of the site are already underway, with rover assembly expected to begin in 2027.
For Monaco, the announcement represents another milestone in the Principality’s growing presence in cutting-edge technology sectors, demonstrating how a company born on the Riviera is helping shape the future of space exploration.