AFWERX & SpaceWERX helping small business innovators transition their technology from prototype to operational use
Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the Department of the Air Force, and Arthur Grijalva, SpaceWERX director, pose with industry partners and select recipients of the Program Year 2025.1 Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) from Phase II eligible applicants at Capital Factory House in Austin, Texas, March 8, 2025. STRATFI helps bridge the gap between innovation and operational use by providing $3 million to $15 million per project to scale emerging technologies. By connecting private-sector innovators, defense stakeholders, and investors, STRATFI strengthens the defense industrial base and accelerates the transition of advanced capabilities to the warfighter. (U.S. Air Force photo by Matthew Clouse)