SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a special division within AFWERX, recently announced the Program Year 2024.2 Strategic Funding Increase, or STRATFI, contract award selections from its Phase II-eligible applicants at the Fed Supernova conference in Austin, Texas.
SpaceWERX Director Arthur Grijalva made the announcement at the conclusion of the panel titled SpaceWERX STRATFI Successes and Selections, at Capital Factory, the home of AFWERX’s Austin hub. The panel invited current SpaceWERX STRATFI contracted companies at various stages in their period of performance to share their experiences with the STRATFI program. The panel concluded with a special announcement highlighting the nine PY24.2 SpaceWERX STRATFI selected companies.
“Our growth stage investment programs, STRATFI and Tactical Funding Increase, are central to the AFWERX and SpaceWERX mission of advancing space technologies,” Grijalva said. “By actively collaborating with Space Force representatives, we are leveraging both government and private investment to rapidly accelerate the development of cutting-edge space capabilities.”
STRATFI is both an AFWERX and SpaceWERX effort to help Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, and Small Business Technology Transfer, or STTR, projects overcome the difficult transition between development and full production. This multi-year infusion of funds gives small businesses an opportunity to find the investors they need and the ability to continue research and development as they march toward full-rate capability.
Funding amounts within the STRATFI program range from $3 million to $15 million for each defense project. The PY24.2 SpaceWERX STRATFI cohort accounts for a total of $146 million in SBIR/STTR funds, $155 million in government matching funds, and $217 million in private matching funds. Small businesses that have received a SBIR/STTR Phase II award within the prior 24 months may be eligible to apply for the STRATFI program.
“Accelerating these technologies is crucial for maintaining our advantage in space exploration and defense,” said Daniel Carroll, AFVentures division chief. “The STRATFI program is propelling these U.S. small company-based innovations from prototypes to operational capabilities.”
This year’s SpaceWERX 24.2 STRATFI selections supporting the U.S. Space Force are:
- American Lithium Energy, Advanced Nano Si/C Prismatic Cell
- Apex Technology, Satellites for Low Earth Orbit and Geostationary Equatorial Orbit Dynamic Space Operations
- Impulse Space, Inc., Tactically Responsive High Energy Kick Stage
- Inversion Space Company, Arc: In-Space and Re-Entry Vehicle
- K2 Space, Mega Class Satellite Bus
- Outpost Technologies, Joint Precision Orbital Carryall
- Portal Space Systems, Scaled Supernova Spacecraft
- Turion Space, Multi-Payload SDA Satellites and Real Time C2
- Wildstar, LLC, Next Generation Narrowband Antennas
In addition to the announcement of PY24.2 selected STRATFI companies, the SpaceWERX team also announced a supplemental PY24.1 selection in support of the U.S. Space Force: Nooks, Nooks Shield and Speed.
Several selected companies in the PY24.2 cohort started their SBIR journey as part of the SpaceWERX Tactically Responsive Space Challenge in summer 2023. As a part of this challenge, small businesses were able to submit for a SpaceWERX Open Topic SBIR contract award, with each awarded firm automatically enrolled into the Innovate to Accelerate, or I2A, program as a cohort under the SpaceWERX The Bridge initiative. Through engagement in the lifecycle of innovation product lines, these cohort companies were provided access to resources, strategic guidance and networking opportunities tailored to their needs that culminated in a capstone event dubbed Expo Day. These innovation achievements highlight the effectiveness of utilizing the full AFWERX and SpaceWERX toolkit in accelerating the transition from innovation to operational needs within the space sector.
Once STRATFI contracts are awarded, the partnering government organization works with the awarded small businesses to execute each contract. The goal is to transition the technology to a Phase III contract that will allow the effort to be fully deployed and leveraged within the supporting customer’s organization. Throughout the life of the contract, the STRATFI team works with the technical point of contact to track contract progress, milestones and performance.
The Air Force Research Laboratory, with a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force.
As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian and contractor personnel at five hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed over 6,200 new contracts worth more than $4.7 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability.
As the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force and a unique division within AFWERX, SpaceWERX, headquartered in Los Angeles, SpaceWERX employs 40 military, civilian and contractor personnel executing an annual $457 million budget. Additionally, SpaceWERX partners with Space Systems Command’s Commercial Space Office (COMSO) as a collaborative program. Since it was aligned under AFRL in Aug. 2021, SpaceWERX has executed 1106 contracts worth more than $897 million to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability.