Bezos says Blue Origin likely to pursue IPO in coming years

Billionaire founder Jeff Bezos has indicated that Blue Origin is likely to pursue an initial public offering (IPO) in the coming years, according to a statement made on Wednesday. This comes after the space company raised $10 billion from outside investors in a funding round. Bezos made these remarks on FOX News Channel’s "Special Report with Bret Baier," suggesting that it would likely take several years for Blue Origin to become a public company.

Bezos' comments represent the clearest indication yet that Blue Origin might seek a stock market listing. An eventual IPO could provide investors with exposure to a major player in the space sector, as interest in the industry has recently increased. However, SpaceX, which listed on the stock market in June, remains the dominant force in the market.

Bezos, who co-founded Amazon.com, has personally invested $28 billion in Blue Origin since its establishment in 2000. According to a September report by The Wall Street Journal, the valuation of Blue Origin following its recent funding round was $140 billion. Blue Origin, founded around 18 months before SpaceX, has primarily relied on Bezos' funding while securing substantial contracts from NASA and the US Space Force, including work on the Artemis lunar program.

The company aims to resume New Glenn launches this year, following a launch-pad explosion during a static-fire test in May, which delayed its efforts to compete with SpaceX in the commercial launch market. Bezos stated, "December of this year, we’re going to fly that vehicle again."