From Idea to Orbit: A Networking Night for Space Founders

CAMBRIDGE (MA), April 21, 2026 – The Orbital Edge Accelerator will host a networking reception for founders and investors building space‑enabled businesses on April 23 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The event will bring together ambitious startups, venture investors, and industry leaders to explore emerging commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit(Abbreviation: LEO) The orbit around the Earth that extends up to an altitude of 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from Earth’s surface. The International Space Station’s orbit is in LEO, at an altitude of approximately 250 miles..

The reception will offer founders an inside look at the 2026 Orbital Edge Accelerator, an industry-leading program that connects $500,000+ in private capital, expert mentorship, and access to space‑based testing. This program is in partnership with returning global investment partners Cook Inlet Region, Inc., E2MC, and Stellar Ventures and welcomes new partners Context Ventures, Draper Associates, and Draper University, alongside leading industry participants and sponsors.

Designed for early‑stage and growth‑stage startups across sectors such as space technology, AI, robotics, advanced materials, and life sciences, the event will foster meaningful conversations around commercialization, investment, and scaling technologies in orbit.

Complimentary drinks and light hors d’oeuvres will be provided. Attendance is by approval, and space is limited. Registration is open now.

Founders unable to attend the Cambridge reception may register for an Orbital Edge informational webinar on May 5 to learn more about the accelerator and upcoming cohort.

For more information and to register, visit the Orbital Edge Accelerator website.

Download a high-resolution image for this release: Accelerator Cambridge Event

Media Contact: Amy Elkavich
Email: aelkavich@ISSNationalLab.org

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About the International Space Station (ISSInternational Space Station) National Laboratory:

The International Space Station (ISS) is a one-of-a-kind laboratory that enables research and technology development not possible on Earth. As a public service enterprise, the ISS National Laboratory® allows researchers to leverage this multiuser facility to improve quality of life on Earth, mature space-based business models, advance science literacy in the future workforce, and expand a sustainable and scalable market in low Earth orbit. Through this orbiting national laboratory, research resources on the ISS are available to support non-NASA science, technology, and education initiatives from U.S. government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space® (CASIS®) manages the ISS National Lab, under a Cooperative AgreementA cooperative agreement is Federal assistance that establishes a relationship between the U.S. Government and a recipient in which the principal purpose of the relationship is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation.  Since 2011, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space™ (CASIS™) has managed the National Laboratory® through a Cooperative Agreement with NASA. with NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration, facilitating access to its permanent microgravityThe condition of perceived weightlessness created when an object is in free fall, for example when an object is in orbital motion. Microgravity alters many observable phenomena within the physical and life sciences, allowing scientists to study things in ways not possible on Earth. The International Space Station provides access to a persistent microgravity environment. research environment, a powerful vantage point in low Earth orbit, and the extreme and varied conditions of space. To learn more about the ISS National Lab, visit our website.