Techstars Space Accelerator

• A fit for space, drone, or manufacturing startups at the product stage seeking a global accelerator.

About this scheme

Techstars is a global investment platform that gives founders access to capital, expert mentoring, and a wide international network. Its Space Accelerator, run in close partnership with the United States Space Force and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, sets out to back the next wave of space-technology innovators. Those partnerships let participating startups deal directly with major government agencies, draw on advanced research, and learn first-hand what missions and the wider aerospace market actually need.

The programme deliberately recruits startups from adjacent fields, among them automotive, agriculture, energy, mining, finance, and manufacturing, that want to enter or grow within aerospace as a primary market. The thinking is that real breakthroughs often come from cross-sector work, letting companies retool existing technology and business models for the demanding conditions of space. Alongside those adjacent industries, the accelerator hunts for technologies with clear commercial use across the broader space and aerospace ecosystem, including advances in autonomy and robotics that matter for future missions, satellite operations, and terrestrial spin-offs. It is based in Los Angeles, California, for a hands-on, in-person experience that maximises collaboration and direct guidance.

Techstars accelerators normally include an investment in return for equity, paired with a deep bench of non-cash support, even where exact figures are not made public. Selected companies gain rare access to leading figures and specialists across the global aerospace industry. That support spans strategic market positioning, customer acquisition, efficient product development, and broader growth planning, readying startups to last in a tough and fast-moving sector.

Who can apply

• Built for next-generation space-technology companies ready to make a real mark.
• This takes in startups developing novel work in satellite technology, advanced propulsion, Earth observation, in-space manufacturing, data analytics for space, and sustainable exploration.
• A central focus is startups coming from adjacent fields, including automotive, agriculture, energy, mining, finance, and manufacturing, that are targeting aerospace as a primary go-to-market route.
• That criterion encourages carrying proven technology and business models over from other sectors into the high-growth aerospace space.
• Technologies must also show clear commercial use across the wider space and aerospace ecosystem.
• That covers advanced autonomy and robotics for spacecraft and ground operations, AI-led mission planning, novel sensors, and disruptive materials science for space.

Benefits & funding

• An investment in return for equity, expert mentoring, and a wide global network.
• Rare access to major government agencies (US Space Force and NASA JPL), advanced research, and industry specialists for market positioning, customer acquisition, product development, and growth.
• A hands-on, in-person experience that drives collaboration.

How the application process works

The journey below is informational, compiled from the official program guidelines. Applications are submitted directly with Techstars, in your own name.

1. 1

   Applicants file a detailed online form, which is followed by a thorough screening stage.

2. 2

   Strong candidates then move to interview rounds with programme staff, mentors, and partners before final selection.

Frequently asked questions