AFWERX, an innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force and powered by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), serves as a facilitator, connecting the Air Force, Space Force with cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups. AFWERX operates several programs like Ventures, Spark, Prime and Spacewerx to expand the defense industrial base for advanced technologies and accelerate the transition of technology. It partners with organizations like Keystone Space Collaborative and Astrobotic to create innovation hubs and drive collaboration with industry, academia, and government.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to change the pool of potential SBIR/STTR applicants by expanding opportunities to small businesses.
Since 2019, AFWERX has executed over 6,100 new contracts worth more than $4,000,000,000.
AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian, and contractor personnel at five hubs and sites and executes an annual $1,400,000,000 budget.
The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX partnered to streamline the SBIR and STTR process by accelerating proposal-to-award timelines, expanding the pool of potential applicants, and implementing process improvements to reduce bureaucratic overhead in contract execution.
HawkEye 360 has been selected by AFWERX for an SBIR Phase II contract to deliver RFGeo and RFIQ data to address challenges for the Department of the Air Force.
The AFWERX SBIR contract supports LeoLabs’ development of the Direct Radiating Array toward technology readiness level (TRL) 9 and engagement with Space Force end users.
LeoLabs invested its own funds in Direct Radiating Arrays prior to winning the AFWERX contract.
LeoLabs announced plans on 2024-06-13 to build a new radar under a $1,245,000 AFWERX contract.
RapidFlight was awarded a contract valued up to $10,000,000 by the United States Department of the Air Force AFWERX Autonomy Prime program to develop and produce the SPX customizable autonomous fixed-wing aircraft system.
RapidFlight positions its collaboration with AFWERX Autonomy Prime as enabling delivery of mission-customized autonomous aircraft with up to 80% reduced design-to-manufacture time and platform costs compared to existing solutions.
Scout Space Inc. was selected by AFWERX for an SBIR Phase I contract to advance space safety and operational effectiveness.
Solstar Space has been selected by AFWERX for an SBIR Phase I contract worth $74,752 to address challenges for the Department of the Air Force to connect spacecraft in LEO and beyond.
Scout Space Inc. was selected by AFWERX for an SBIR Phase I contract to advance space safety and operational effectiveness.
Under the AFWERX SBIR Phase I contract, Scout Space will develop a Collision Analysis Framework to bolster real-time spacecraft self-protection capabilities for identifying, tracking, and avoiding collisions with debris.
AFWERX selected Solstar Space for a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract worth $1,248,735 to address challenges for the Department of the Air Force.
Assured Space Access, Inc. was selected by AFWERX for an SBIR Phase II contract valued at $1,250,000.
The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to expand the pool of potential applicants to small businesses for SBIR and STTR opportunities.
Colonel Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and Chief Commercialization Officer for the Department of the Air Force, delivered the keynote address at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas on 2024-03-08.
Since 2019, AFWERX has executed 6,028 new contracts worth more than $4,000,000,000 to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and accelerate technology transition to operational capability.
AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian, and contractor personnel across five hubs and sites and executes an annual $1,400,000,000 budget.