Behind the Ticker: NASA, SpaceX, & Tema ETFs

Why It Matters

TEMA’s approach signals a maturing thematic-ETF market where institutional-grade active management aims to offer advisors differentiated, durable exposures instead of short-lived trend plays — potentially improving long-term portfolio outcomes. This trend could drive more advisers to allocate to specialized ETFs backed by experienced investment teams.

Summary

On Behind the Ticker, Yuri — an early-team portfolio manager at TEMA ETFs — outlines his path from running UK income strategies at Majetti to earning a bioscience master’s and joining TEMA’s push into actively managed, thematic ETFs. TEMA has grown to about $2 billion in AUM with roughly 10 ETFs, spanning biotech, reshoring, health themes and a recently discussed NASA-themed fund. The firm prioritizes ‘purity’ of exposure, high-quality long-duration businesses, and products that solve real adviser needs rather than chase marketing fads. Themes are selected only when there is a clear long-term structural tailwind and a role for active management to add value.

Original Description

How do you build a space ETF without including the company responsible for over 50% of global launches? You don’t.

In this episode of Behind the Ticker, Brad Roth of Thor Funds sits down with Yuri Khodjamirian, Chief Investment Officer of Tema ETFs. Yuri shares his fascinating journey from managing a $2 billion global equity fund in London, to getting a master's degree in bioscience at Cambridge, to launching some of the most innovative actively managed ETFs on the market today.

The conversation dives deep into Tema's Space Innovators ETF (NASA), exploring the complex legal and structural engineering required to hold private SpaceX shares inside a liquid, SEC-registered ETF. Yuri also breaks down why traditional thematic indexing is broken, how SpaceX collapsed launch costs by 90%, and where the hidden, under-the-radar opportunities lie within the global space supply chain.

If you are an advisor or investor looking to understand the true commercial potential of the $2 trillion space economy, this episode is a must-watch.

Follow along with the conversation at https://www.etf.com/sections/podcasts/behind-ticker-nasa-spacex-and-tema-etfs

You can also learn more about Tema ETFs over on their website, https://temaetfs.com

And as always, this episode is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any of your preferred platforms.

Disclaimer: The market insights, projections, and investment strategies expressed in this article are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of ETF.com. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice.