Candlewood Partners (“Candlewood”), a middle market investment bank with a proven track record of advising clients in the aerospace, defense, and space sectors, is pleased to announce its role as financial advisor to Mynaric AG (“Mynaric”) in connection with the company’s sale to Rocket Lab Corporation (Nasdaq: RKLB) (“Rocket Lab”), a global leader in launch services and space systems.
Mynaric is a leading provider of mission-critical laser optical communications terminals for space, airborne, and terrestrial operations, supporting some of the U.S. government’s highest-profile programs including the Space Development Agency’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) — the next-generation proliferated satellite constellation program.
On March 11, 2025, Rocket Lab announced that it had entered into a non-binding term sheet to acquire, subject to receipt of certain governmental approvals, a controlling equity position in Mynaric. The transaction, which received regulatory approval from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy on March 30, 2026, was completed in April 2026, with Rocket Lab acquiring 100% of the business for $150 million.
Mynaric will remain headquartered in Munich, establishing Rocket Lab’s first European operational footprint. The acquisition provides Mynaric with the scale, resources, and platform of a leading end-to-end space systems company to accelerate production of its laser communications terminals, deepen its position as a critical supplier to the U.S. government’s flagship satellite constellation program and expand its reach across Rocket Lab’s growing commercial and government customer base.
Glenn Pollack, Managing Director and CEO of Candlewood Partners, commented:
“We are proud to have supported Mynaric through one of the most complex and high-profile restructuring and sale processes in the space sector. Being entrusted to guide Mynaric from its initial debt financing through a transformative restructuring and ultimately to an acquisition by Rocket Lab reflects the depth of our relationships and the continuity of our advisory capabilities. This is exactly the kind of multi-phase, cross-border, mission-critical engagement that defines Candlewood’s value to clients.”
This transaction further demonstrates Candlewood’s depth of experience across the aerospace, defense, and space sectors, and its ability to support companies through every stage of their financial and strategic evolution.
ABOUT MYNARIC AG
Mynaric develops and produces laser communications terminals for air, space and mobile applications. Laser communication networks enable ultra-high data rates and secure, long-distance data transmission between moving platforms across airborne and space-based networks. The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany, with an additional location in Los Angeles, California. For more information, visit www.mynaric.com.
ABOUT ROCKET LAB
Rocket Lab is a leading space company that provides launch services, spacecraft, payloads, and satellite components serving commercial, government, and national security markets. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is the world’s most frequently launched orbital small rocket; its HASTE rocket provides hypersonic test launch capability for the U.S. government and allied nations; and its Neutron launch vehicle in development will unlock medium launch for constellation deployment, national security and exploration missions. Rocket Lab’s spacecraft and satellite components have enabled more than 1,700 missions spanning commercial, defense and national security missions including GPS, constellations, and exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and Venus. Rocket Lab is a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq stock exchange (RKLB).
ABOUT CANDLEWOOD PARTNERS
Candlewood Partners is a Cleveland, New York, and South Florida-based boutique investment bank and advisory firm. Our focus is middle market capital raising, restructuring advisory, lender services, and M&A execution. Since 2001, Candlewood has supported the needs of private businesses, small cap public companies, private equity and independent sponsors, and private credit lenders. We leverage decades of experience to maximize value for our clients, successfully navigating complex engagements across diverse industries and markets worldwide.
Candlewood Partners, LLC
Established 2001
