NGA Accelerator seeks second cohort of promising geospatial companies

The NGA Accelerator based in St. Louis is accepting applications from early-stage geospatial companies for its second cohort until June 23.

The NGA Accelerator is accepting applications for its second cohort. The St. Louis, Missouri-based NGA Accelerator is managed through a Partnership Intermediary Agreement between the Missouri Technology Corporation (MTC), the U.S. National Geospatial-intelligence Agency (NGA) and Capital Innovators.

The accelerator collaboration, the first of its kind sponsored by a U.S. intelligence agency, aims to engage the geospatial ecosystem in the greater St. Louis region and beyond to develop innovations in geospatial technology through collaboration and a transfer of technology and subject matter expertise.

The program is seeking novel geospatial based technology from early-stage companies that serve four core areas:

• data management
• advanced analytics and modeling
• data integrity and security
• artificial intelligence

The value proposition is two-fold, said Josh White, NGA futures consultant.

1. NGA has the opportunity to convey its needs directly to industry, which helps commercial vendors develop technology solutions tailored for the agency.
2. NGA galvanizes its workforce toward transparency, innovation and modernization.

Great innovation ecosystems are equipped to grow and attract talent, said Dedric Carter, Ph.D., chairman of Missouri Technology Corporation. “The collaboration is helping to fuel such an ecosystem by providing opportunities in the state for around eight promising early-stage geospatial sector companies from across the country,” he said. “Bringing the best potential from near and far is the attractive force that we need to super-charge innovation.”

Companies selected to participate in the program will have access to incentives including a $100,000 non-dilutive grant, mentoring and coaching from subject matter experts from the NGA and Capital Innovators, investor connections and access to the greater Capital Innovators network, participation in a demo day in St. Louis, and more.

“The NGA Accelerator powered by Capital Innovators has been an amazing experience!” said Tyler Carter, COO and founder of InfraLytiks. “We jumped right in to discussing problem/solution fits with NGA during the first week of the accelerator. We have also been working with the Capital Innovators team to improve and develop other areas in our business including our internal operations and sales and marketing.”

Early-stage geospatial technology companies from across the U.S. are invited to participate in the program. Applications will close June 23 at 11:59 p.m. CT.