Orbital Edge Accelerator 2026 Launches to Unlock Space and Capital for Ambitious Founders

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), April 7, 2026 – The ISSInternational Space Station National Laboratory® is launching the 2026 Orbital Edge Accelerator, now in its second year. 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.

Orbital Edge is a one-of-a-kind accelerator that provides early-stage startups with access to 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. and $500,000 to $750,000 in private capital funding per startup. In addition to venture investment and access to orbital flight platforms, the program delivers targeted mentorship and programming focused on spaceflight technology development, business building, and product commercialization.

The 2026 Orbital Edge Accelerator program includes two tracks:

• The Sentinel Track, focused on space technologies and dual-use applications
• The Disrupt Track, focused on in-space manufacturing and space bio opportunities

Selected participants will also be eligible to compete for the Boeing-sponsored Technology in Space PrizeA prize that provides grant funding for business startups participating in the MassChallenge startup accelerator program to conduct innovative research and technology development utilizing the ISS National Lab. The prize is funded by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, which manages the ISS National Lab, and Boeing., which includes up to $100,000 in non-dilutive funding.

“Orbital Edge is about access—access to capital, access to orbit, and access to the right partners,” said Ray Lugo, Chief Executive Officer of the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space, which manages the ISS National Lab. “When you bring those three together, you dramatically increase the probability that great ideas turn into real, scalable businesses.”

As investment momentum builds across deep tech and dual-use sectors—including AI, robotics, therapeutics, materials, and advanced manufacturing—the Orbital Edge Accelerator connects founders, investors, and industry partners focused on using space-enabled research and development to bring high-growth technologies to market faster.

Registration is now open for upcoming networking events in Cambridge, MA, and Palo Alto, CA, as well as an informational webinar to be held in the coming weeks. To register for Orbital Edge Accelerator events, learn about the benefits of participating, or to apply, visit the Orbital Edge Accelerator website.

Orbital Edge Accelerator representatives will be attending the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, April 13-16. Email orbitaledge@ISSNationalLab.org to connect with us at this event.

Download a high-resolution image for this release: Orbital Edge Accelerator

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

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About the International Space Station (ISS) 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.