AFWERX, SpaceWERX to Help Deliver Tech From New List of Small Businesses

The Department of the Air Force’s AFWERX and the U.S. Space Force’s SpaceWERX have selected eligible applicants for their Strategic Funding Increase program for 2024.

STRATFI is designed to help small businesses overcome challenges between development and full production.

A small business benefits from the program as it receives support from a partner government organization, allowing it to accelerate technology delivery.

For 2024, the Space Force listed several projects for STRATFI, including Starfish Space’s geostationary satellite servicing vehicle, Defense Unicorns’ integrated digital platform and Lunar Outpost’ mobile autonomous robotic swarms, the Air Force Research Lab said.

Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the Air Force, said that STRATFI is essential to the mission of producing innovative solutions that deliver disruptive air and space capabilities.

AFWERX has been working with several small businesses to advance new technologies. In February, it tapped flight safety and solutions provider Beacon AI to develop and improve AI-powered copilot assistant systems, helping automate critical flight phases and introduce new features for tanker and mobility aircraft.