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Orbital Edge Accelerator 2026 Partners

Orbital Edge Accelerator Builds on Successful First Year, Expanding Capital and Startup Resources

Published on

March 24, 2026

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), March 24, 2026 – The ISSInternational Space Station National Laboratory® is preparing to launch the 2026 Orbital Edge Accelerator program in partnership with returning global investors Cook Inlet Region, Inc., E2MC, and Stellar Ventures, as well as leading industry participants. Now entering its second year, the one-of-a-kind program expands access to orbital flight opportunities, venture capital, and business mentorship for early-stage startups developing market-changing products through the use of space.

The Orbital Edge Accelerator:

  • Provides unrivaled resources for ambitious startups through significant venture capital investment and an opportunity to test and develop technologies on the ISS and other 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. platforms.

  • Advances promising space-related ventures by equipping startups with strategic guidance, technical expertise, mentorship, and resources needed to accelerate product development and commercialization.

  • Responds to growing interest in space-driven business models across industries ranging from AI and data centers to robotics, therapeutics, and materials.

By combining private capital with ISS National Lab-enabled access to space, Orbital Edge accelerates time to market for transformational technologies. As investment flows into deep tech and defense sectors, the accelerator attracts investors and industry partners focused on space, dual-use technologies, and other high-growth areas, including biotechnology, advanced materials, and manufacturing.

To learn more about how the Orbital Edge Accelerator program provides investment and industry partnership opportunities, email orbitaledge@ISSNationalLab.org.