AFWERX STRATFI / TACFI

AFWERX SpaceWERX STRATFI Space

Supports Space Force technology graduates with matching investment for private sector scale-up.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

SpaceWERX STRATFI Program Year 26.1 (PY26.1) is a Strategic Funding Increase cycle operated by SpaceWERX — the U.S. Space Force innovation arm within AFWERX — that provides $3,000,000 to $15,000,000 in matching investment to small businesses holding active or recently completed Space Force SBIR/STTR Phase II contracts. The cycle opened July 28, 2025, and closed May 29, 2026, using a continuous, rolling submission and evaluation model under which proposals were reviewed and selection decisions made on an ongoing basis as submissions were received. In 2023, the SpaceWERX STRATFI/TACFI matching program invested $72 million, which was stretched to over $125 million in total program benefit across 14 funded technology efforts.

To be eligible for PY26.1 STRATFI, the applying Small Business Concern must: (1) be on an active SBIR/STTR Phase II contract or have completed Phase II within the past two years from the date of Capability Package submission; (2) be at least 90 days into Phase II execution; (3) not currently be executing a prior STRATFI effort; and (4) commit to performing all anticipated work in the United States. Awards at the STRATFI level ($3M–$15M) require matching funds sourced from a government program office, private investors, or a combination of both. Submissions must be completed exclusively by a government Point of Contact — companies cannot submit directly and must coordinate with a government partner to access the submission application and proposal templates.

Recent PY25.1 STRATFI awardees include Beast Code, CesiumAstro, LeoLabs, and Rise8. Phase II graduates seeking a smaller follow-on should target the TACFI program ($375K–$2M), for which PY26.2 Notice of Opportunity was forthcoming as of the research date. STRATFI selection is highly competitive and favors technologies with demonstrated Phase II performance, a clear Space Force transition pathway, and credible private co-investment to match government funding.