TAMPA, Fla. — The British government and Florida’s space-focused economic development agency have each committed $200,000 to support joint research, innovation and commercialization projects.
The UK Space Agency and Space Florida signed a memorandum of understanding July 20 during the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom, outlining plans to start accepting applications this fall for funding in 2027.
It marks the first funding partnership under the Florida International Aerospace Innovation Fund (IAIF), established last year to connect Florida-based companies and organizations with international partners on collaborative projects.
To be eligible, projects must involve at least one Florida-based aerospace company or organization, include an international partner and demonstrate clear commercialization potential.
Proposals will be reviewed by a panel created by Space Florida and the UK Space Agency, which is part of the country’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
“There’s so much dual-use technology right now in the space arena that it wouldn’t surprise me if there was … some sort of government connection to the product that was being worked on,” Space Florida CEO Rob Long told SpaceNews in an interview.
There is no maximum award size for a joint project, which Long said would depend on the level of interest.
“The U.K.’s space sector has enormous ambition, and partnerships like this one show exactly why international collaboration is central to our plans,” UK Space Agency director Rebecca Evernden said in a statement.
“By joining forces with Space Florida we’re opening new doors for British companies, researchers and innovators to work on the cutting-edge projects that will define the next generation of space capabilities, services and commercial opportunities.”
BAE Systems and, more recently, Space Forge are among the British space-related companies that already have an operational presence in Florida.
The funding commitment follows a broader trade and economic cooperation agreement signed by the U.K. and Florida in 2023.
Space Florida has also signed general cooperation agreements with groups in Switzerland, Japan and France.
Those agreements could lead to more specific commitments under IAIF, according to Long, who said Space Florida is in the middle of negotiating another international partnership.
There is “a lot of interest out there to partner,” he added, “and that’s the great thing — it gives us some flexibility to find mutually beneficial partnerships on industry side that can benefit from such a program.”
Space Florida also has a separate funding partnership with the Israel Innovation Authority that was established in 2013.
Over 13 funding rounds, that partnership has provided more than $23 million for joint projects involving companies from Florida and Israel.
Related
Read the original article here