Plain-English guides for people at the idea, stealth, and early-startup stage. Everything links to the official source so you can verify it yourself. Updated July 29, 2026.
The new Phase II ceiling from the 2026 reauthorization.
Read the guide →What reviewers actually reward in a proposal.
Read the guide →The in-space servicing on-ramp for space startups.
Read the guide →Most winning proposals in this ecosystem lean on engineering simulation for feasibility evidence. Paths exist to access Ansys tools at no cost while you're pre-funding — evaluation licenses and the Ansys Startup Program.
See if you qualify for an Ansys eval The MVP playbook →Chasing one program often means you qualify for others you haven't heard of. These sister guides cover more of the U.S. non-dilutive landscape — same honest, no-nonsense approach. Not sure which fits what you're building? Ask us — we'll point you at the right doors, even the ones that aren't ours.
America's ~$4B/yr non-dilutive seed fund across 11 agencies.
Visit →Commercial tech to DoD via fast OTA prototype contracts.
Visit →Tipping Point, TechFlights, NIAC and the space startup ladder.
Visit →Army prize competitions with a fast lane into Army SBIR.
Visit →