NASA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) have launched the SBIC-NASA Initiative, a new program intended to increase investment in US manufacturers of industrial components and technologies used in space exploration.
Announced on Monday under a Memorandum of Agreement, the initiative is designed to connect eligible small businesses with capital through SBA’s Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) Program, which provides leverage to match private capital raised by investment funds. NASA said it will identify technology priorities and link businesses to funding opportunities through its NASA Office of Strategic Capital.
“To achieve President Trump’s National Space Policy, NASA needs a stronger industrial base capable of moving at the speed this new space race demands,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. “Through the NASA Office of Strategic Capital, this partnership with the SBA will help small businesses access the capital they need to scale, strengthen critical supply chains, rebuild America’s industrial might, and deliver the outcomes necessary to ensure the United States leads the next era of space exploration.”
SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler said the partnership aims to mobilise private investment aligned to “strategic national priorities” tied to US space objectives.
Under the agreement, NASA will define strategic aerospace technology focus areas and identify supply chain needs, while the SBA will use those priorities to attract and license investment funds that commit to investing at least 60% of their capital into NASA-identified areas. NASA listed focus areas including energy production and storage, nuclear power and propulsion, advanced software and communications systems, specialised materials and components, infrastructure for inhospitable environments, scaled launch infrastructure, and biomedical and life support technology.
NASA said the initiative is intended to direct capital into “upstream supply chain components” it considers critical to the National Space Policy and to national and economic security.
Further details are available at https://www.nasa.gov/strategiccapital/.
