The founder of Pragmatic Semiconductor has been appointed chair of Space Forge as it eyes a Series B fundraise.
Scott White (pictured, second from left), who has raised £300m+ in funding previously and led Pragmatic Semiconductor for over a decade, will chair the board of the in-space manufacturing firm based in Cardiff.
Space Forge, which has a subsidiary in Delaware in the United States, says its next phase of growth is to transition from technology demonstration to large-scale materials production.
White championed applications of Pragmatic’s flexible electronics technology across sustainability, healthcare, and national security.
He has been directly involved in nine other startups spanning telecommunications, photonics, machine learning and advanced manufacturing, and currently chairs boards in robotics, quantum computing and space technology.
White is also an advisor to two venture capital funds and a member of the UK Government’s Semiconductor Advisory Panel.
In June 2025, Space Forge successfully launched its ForgeStar-1 satellite, receiving the UK’s first licence for in-space manufacturing. Still currently active, the mission will demonstrate the company’s capability to manufacture advanced materials in microgravity, validating Space Forge’s model as the world’s first dedicated materials production business in space.
Space Forge is now preparing for its next missions, moving from proof-of-concept to sustained, scalable materials manufacturing in orbit. By harnessing the unique conditions of microgravity, the company aims to deliver breakthroughs in semiconductor material production, addressing the global demand for ultra-high quality substrates that underpin next-generation technologies in quantum computing, telecommunications and advanced electronics.
“Space Forge is unlocking a new era of materials production in orbit,” said White. “By creating advanced semiconductors and substrates impossible to make on Earth, the company has the potential to transform industries worldwide. I’m excited to support the team in realising this vision, building on their strong foundations to make Space Forge a true global leader.”
Joshua Western (second from right), CEO & co-founder of Space Forge, added: “Scott brings incredible experience in scaling deep tech businesses and shaping global markets to Space Forge. His insight into semiconductors and growth capital will be pivotal as we move from proving our technology in orbit to delivering materials at industrial scale.
“With Scott as chair, we’re accelerating towards our goal of making Space Forge the world leader in on-orbit manufacturing.”
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