SpaceWERX selects 11 firms to scale technologies for military space
SpaceWERX, the Space Force's innovation arm, selected 11 companies for a new round of public-private funding agreements aimed at moving space technologies from prototypes toward operational use.
The 11 agreements are expected to draw a combined $562.5 million from government organizations and private investors. SpaceWERX said about $245 million is government funding; the balance includes anticipated private investment and other matching funds.
SpaceWERX announced the Strategic Funding Increase, or STRATFI, selections Aug. 20 at the Fed Supernova conference in Austin, Texas. The companies are Agile Space Industries, Antares Nuclear, EO Solutions, Hydrosat, Kall Morris, Method Security, Muon Space, Scout Space, Sedaro, Star Catcher Industries and ThinkOrbital.
SpaceWERX did not provide details of the individual projects. STRATFI agreements can be worth up to $60 million per company, typically split between government and private funding. SpaceWERX can provide up to $15 million in SBIR funds, supplemented by money from military customers and matching private investment.
The selections are not yet finalized contract awards. The companies will now work with SpaceWERX and Space Force organizations to negotiate agreements, establish milestones and demonstrate that their technologies can meet military requirements.
"STRATFI is a critical tool for the Space Force to signal demand to industry and private investors," SpaceWERX Director Arthur Grijalva said in a statement.
The program is available to companies performing under, or recently completing, a Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer project.
Unlike a conventional early-stage SBIR award, STRATFI requires other organizations to put money behind the project, in addition to third-party investors. The structure is intended to force closer alignment among the startup, an operational customer and outside capital before the government commits to buying a capability at larger scale.
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