The space industry is no longer a preserve of state agencies. Tens of private space companies are emerging and are involved in the different aspects of the space ecosystem. Individuals and investment ventures are dedicating their resources and time in exploring the space. Max Polyakov is one of the most successful people in the space sector. But, his investment portfolio spreads beyond the “space”.
Polyakov is a native Ukrainian IT and space technology entrepreneur, as well as a philanthropist. He is a firm believer in noosphere theory fronted by Volodymyr Vernadsky. According to this theory, the human mind and knowledge are the most valuable resources for the preservation of the planet and the primary catalyst for development. The theory forms the basis of operation of Noosphere Ventures for which Max Polyakov is a managing partner.
Max’s investments as an entrepreneur comprise of many companies in the space and online industries. He founded the first company, IT Ukraine, in 2001. The outsourcing company, which developed software for European and the US market, was among the first IT companies in Southeast Ukraine. The firm experienced exponential growth within four years, from 6 employees to 93. The success at the IT Ukraine and the online world motivated Max to found several other startups.
Polyakov co-founded companies such as Cupid PLCA, Hit Dynamics, and Maxymiser, within two years of founding IT Ukraine. However, he sold Hit Dynamics to Hitwise, a US company dealing in online consumer behavior and search intelligence. Max joined Hitwise as the vice-president. He co-founded Maxymiser in 2016 and became its CEO and later a non-executive director. During his tenure, the company attracted external investments amounting to $15 million and brands such as Teleflora, Hertz, and Time Warner Cable. Oracle purchased Maximiser in 2015.
Another successful investment by Max is Cupid Plc. Cupid is one of the leaders and key players in the online dating industries, with over 54 million subscribers. The online social platform generated $83 million in 2011. In 2012, Max founded Renatus Media, a social and mobile gaming company that became a leading publishing company for Google Play, Apple App Store, Facebook, and Amazon App Store.
In 2014, Max Polyakov became a partner at Noosphere Ventures, a company whose investment focus is on space companies. Noosphere founded Earth Observation System Data Analytics (EOSDA) and also purchased Firefly System Inc. which was renamed Firefly Aerospace. Firefly is one of the leading developers of small satellite launch vehicles. In 2018, NASA selected Firefly for its lunar mission. Max has his footprints on GDM Group Holding Limited, SETS, and Association Noosphere, which he uses to encourage youths to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) careers.