NASA, SBA Launch Initiative to Boost Small Business Investment in Space Technologies
New Program Channels Private Capital Into Critical Supply Chains for Moon and Mars Missions
A new federal initiative aimed at expanding private investment in the small businesses and manufacturers that underpin America’s space program was launched Monday when NASA and the U.S. Small Business Administration signed a Memorandum of Agreement at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
“Through the NASA Office of Strategic Capital, this partnership with the SBA will help small businesses access the capital they need.”
Jared Isaacman, NASA
The SBIC-NASA Initiative pairs NASA’s newly created Office of Strategic Capital with the SBA’s Small Business Investment Company Program, which provides leverage matching private capital raised by licensed investment funds. The goal is to strengthen the industrial base supporting U.S. plans for a sustained human presence on the Moon and Mars.
Under the agreement, NASA will define strategic technology focus areas and identify supply chain gaps. The SBA will then use those priorities to attract and license private investment funds that commit to investing at least 60% of their capital in NASA-identified sectors, including energy production and storage, nuclear power and propulsion, advanced avionics and communications, specialized materials and components, scaled launch infrastructure, and biomedical and life support technology.
“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 initiative is designed to align private sector resources with national strategic goals. “Through this partnership with NASA, the SBA is mobilizing private sector investment to fuel the small businesses, manufacturers, and innovators that are driving American space dominance,” Loeffler said. “By aligning capital with strategic national priorities, this exciting effort will help launch the next great era of space exploration.”
By augmenting the investable capital available to SBA-licensed investment funds, the initiative is intended to expand access to growth financing for small businesses across the space industry — particularly those operating further up the supply chain where capital has historically been harder to secure.
The initiative falls under President Trump’s National Space Policy, which directs federal agencies to support U.S. leadership in space exploration and commercial space development.