{"id":"549c0ec9-b54e-4838-a043-034592bbeb54","slug":"ryohei-kobayashi","name":"Ryohei Kobayashi","bioBrief":"Japanese aerospace engineer and co-founder/CEO of [ElevationSpace](/companies/elevationspace), developing in-space manufacturing, orbital laboratory, and satellite reentry return platforms. Co-founded ElevationSpace in 2021 with Toshinori Kuwahara in Sendai, Japan. Forbes Asia 30 Under 30. The company raised a $40M Series B (total $63.5M) and is developing the ELS-R reentry platform in collaboration with JAXA and Tohoku University.","priorExits":null,"nationality":"Japanese","verificationPosture":"verified","aliases":[],"sources":[{"url":"https://payloadspace.com/elevationspace-closes-40m-series-b/","title":"ElevationSpace Closes $40M Series B","sourceName":"Payload Space"},{"url":"https://dentsu-ho.com/en/articles/9608","title":"Elevation Space creates the path home from space","sourceName":"Dentsu Ho"},{"url":"https://www.ispace-inc.com/2025/09/25/ispace-and-elevationspace-sign-agreement-to-undertake-japans-first-private-lunar-sample-return-mission/","title":"ispace and ElevationSpace Sign Agreement to Undertake Japan's First Private Lunar Sample Return Mission","sourceName":"ispace"}],"reviewStatus":"reviewed","createdAt":"2026-08-08T20:21:49.012Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-10T07:56:17.967Z","educations":[],"companyRoles":[{"id":"2a5274e3-5442-40bc-9ca8-a7c6c2c128fd","personId":"549c0ec9-b54e-4838-a043-034592bbeb54","companyId":"0e893a02-9c2e-4c78-96d8-62ff7f9a45da","role":"ceo","roleTitle":"CEO & Founder","startDate":null,"endDate":null,"currentRole":true,"roleBasis":"verified_secondary","displayOrder":null,"createdAt":"2026-08-08T20:21:49.840Z","company":{"slug":"elevationspace","name":"ElevationSpace"}}],"boardRoles":[],"investorRoles":[],"foundings":[{"id":"bba4d417-8cc3-4a22-a181-e3d84713c41a","personId":"549c0ec9-b54e-4838-a043-034592bbeb54","companyId":"0e893a02-9c2e-4c78-96d8-62ff7f9a45da","foundingDate":null,"cofounderStatus":null,"stillAtCompany":true,"createdAt":"2026-08-10T07:56:19.101Z","company":{"slug":"elevationspace","name":"ElevationSpace"}}]}