Blue Origin funding round lifts Jeff Bezos to world’s second-richest

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Defence Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Defence Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Defence Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeNewsWealthBlue Origin funding round lifts Jeff Bezos to world’s second-richestInvestor enthusiasm for space companies has been the main driver of both Bezos’ and Musk’s fortunes this yearAuthor of the article:Jeff Bezos incorporated Blue Origin in 2000, about two years before the current world's richest man Elon Musk’s founding of SpaceX. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty ImagesBlue Origin’s US$140 billion valuation from its latest funding round has boosted Jeff Bezos’ fortune by US$87 billion, making him the second-richest person in the world.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountBezos’ wealth now stands at US$368.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, moving him ahead of Alphabet Inc. co-founder Larry Page and behind only Elon Musk at US$1.02 trillion.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Investor enthusiasm for space companies has been the main driver of both Bezos’ and Musk’s fortunes this year. Musk, 55, became a trillionaire following SpaceX’s initial public offering in June. Even with a pullback in the company’s shares, Musk has added US$405 billion to his fortune this year.Breaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againBezos, 62, incorporated Kent, Washington-based Blue Origin in 2000, about two years before Musk’s founding of SpaceX. And while SpaceX has long relied on outside investors to fuel its growth, the latest funding round marks the first time Blue Origin has raised outside equity capital.Bezos didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.Coatue Management is the only new investor identified in the funding round with a roughly US$4 billion contribution, according to data from Pitchbook. Bezos has invested in Coatue funds.Following the round, Bezos owns 93 per cent of the company, according to the wealth index, while Musk owns about 35 per cent of SpaceX, excluding options and restricted shares.SpaceX remains significantly larger. It generated nearly US$18.7 billion in revenue last year, compared with about US$800 million for Blue Origin, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. SpaceX has a market capitalization of about US$2.23 trillion.The companies compete in several areas, including orbital launch and lunar transportation.Bloomberg had previously valued Bezos’ Blue Origin stake at US$17 billion, based on estimates of the amount he had invested in the company. The Wall Street Journal reported that Bezos invested about US$30 billion since founding Blue Origin, including US$2 billion in the latest funding round.We apologize, but this video has failed to load.This advertisement has not loaded yet.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.