A surge of wealth from AI startups and SpaceX has driven a wave of tech investors to purchase private jets, according to aviation lawyer Amanda Applegate, who attributed the rush to major "liquidity events" in the tech industry. The IPO of Elon Musk's SpaceX raised a record $85.7 billion for the company, generating unprecedented employee and founder wealth. Venture capitalists, board directors, early employees, and bankers are channeling fresh wealth into private aviation. So far this year, business at Applegate's company, Soar Aviation Law, has jumped 25%. Data from Jetnet shows flights through shared-ownership programs rose 11.8% globally in the first five months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, while flights by private jet owners climbed 13.4%. Business jet deliveries rose 24% during the dotcom boom, according to Jetnet. SpaceX's market valuation is about $2 trillion. Flexjet executive vice president D.J. Hanlon noted that self-made first-generation wealth is resulting in a younger customer base.