Links 🖇️

Pitch Deck / Website 

Story ⛰️

Blue Abyss, a UK-based startup led by CEO John Vickers, is redefining astronaut and extreme environment training with a $250M+ facility in Brook Park, Ohio. Featuring the world’s deepest R&D pool (164 feet), human centrifuges, and parabolic flight capabilities, the 256,000-square-foot campus aims to slash training costs from $18M to $1-1.5M per person. Backed by a NASA Space Act Agreement and $20M in state grants, Blue Abyss is targeting space, marine, and defense sectors, with a 2030 opening poised to cement Ohio as a global aerospace hub.

Location 🗺️ 

HQ: Spaceport Cornwall, Aerohub 1, St Mawgan, Cornwall, TR8 4HP, United Kingdom

US Presence: Cleveland, Ohio (12-acre site secured adjacent to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and near NASA Glenn Research Center)

Leadership 🤼

Contact email: John.Vickers@blueabyss.global

• John Vickers (CEO & Founder): Former British Army veteran with expertise in commercial diving infrastructure.
• Marc Drew (COO): Operations specialist driving execution.
• Jean-Francois Lucas (Business Development Director): Leads global growth initiatives.
• Simon Evetts (R&D Director): Co-founder with deep experience in extreme environment research.

Traction 💫

• Market Position: Leader in commercial human spaceflight training and extreme environment R&D.
• Ohio Impact: $654M economic boost and 3,900 jobs projected over 5 years (Kent State University).
• Funding: $3.3M raised, including $2.25M in grants, $90M loan in progress, and ~$26M in additional grants under discussion.
• Partnerships: NASA Space Act Agreement, Jacobs Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, and International Space University.
• Innovation: Reduces astronaut training costs from $6-18M to $1-1.5M per person with flexible pricing models.

Round Details 💰

Ask Pauly for access to their latest Deal Memo or reach out to the leadership team above for more information.

Asks 🙋

• Finalize land clearance and facility design.
• Expand US and international teams.
• Develop pre-development revenue streams (education, consultancy, training).
• Introductions to space, marine defense, and subsea technology leaders.
• Support for educational and consultancy service growth.

Weather Reports ☂️

January

• Secured over $50M in Letters of Intent for parabolic flight services, won $700k Crown Estate Accelerator Fund with indication of >£20M follow-on equity investment and established multiple revenue streams including sovereign nation astronaut training bid and LEO manufacturer testing contracts for 2025.
• Signed NASA Space Act Agreement establishing formal collaboration launched education program with Case Western Reserve University, initiated partnerships with Cleveland Clinic and International Space University and gained recognition through Great South-West Defence Prospectus and Ohio Aerospace Council.
• Leading UK-US bilateral spaceflight health initiatives, developing international education service (xEd), participating in NASA’s Commercial Human Spaceflight Training Program Working Group and advancing multiple commercial research projects in microgravity environments and parabolic flight services scheduled for Q2/Q3.

February

• Sponsored and spoke at CSU global space law symposium.
• Attended and presented at SubSea Expo and conference in Aberdeen UK.
• Team delivered lectures at Kings College London as part of part of the Extreme Physiology Intercalated Physiology BSc.
• Beta testing a new platform to promote subject matter expertise/consultancy/education early revenues
• Developing a new family of brands covering some of the specializations and early revenue business units, for example ‘Blue Abyss – xG’ Parabolic Flights
• Seeking strategic leads and partners to help them build their Ohio Center and deliver Zero Gravity training.
• John, with Josh Freeh and Mayor Orcutt of Brook Park speak on Ideastream about Space Act Agreement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l50WJyZ1x9U