Tesseract earns $1.25M contract to help Space Force, military ‘predict the future’
April 19, 2023 | Startland News Staff
Industry-defining tools built by Kansas City’s Tesseract Ventures will help the U.S. Space Force accurately track machines, people and objects on base, and create a clearer understanding of launch conditions through next generation data visualization, said John Boucard.
Tesseract announced Tuesday that the company has been awarded a direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation (SBIR) contract by the Space Force through AFWERX. The $1,250,000 contract is designated for research and development at Space Launch Delta 45 at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, and at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
“At Tesseract Ventures, we are driven by a sense of duty and purpose to make a positive impact on the world through the development and deployment of cutting-edge technology — for exactly the right customer at exactly the right time,” said Boucard. “Our SBIR Phase 2 relationship with the United States Space Force is an incredible opportunity to leverage our innovation studio, For All Kind, to accelerate the development of advanced 21st century wearable robotics, data visualization in all dimensions, and digital twin technology. It is an honor to be part of this contract.”
RELATED: Tesseract deepens military ties with deal to develop smart space hub for US Air Force
Under the newly announced contract, Tesseract will further develop its Tesseract Smart Space, Prism hardware and Mosaic software to create a multi-dimensional common operating picture of the launch environment.
Click here to learn more about Tesseract Ventures’ technology and its portfolio of genre-smashing, industry-crossing studios.
Prism’s real time location tracking hardware works with Mosaic’s data analysis software to collect and parse data from across the spaceport, detailed Boucard. These work to track inventory, equipment status, staff locations, environmental conditions and much more. This information can then be used to visualize a digital twin of objects such as rockets, or the entire space port. Armed with a data-enhanced picture that can be viewed from multiple vantage points in the Tesseract Smart Space, teams will get up-to-the-minute insights into a vast array of conditions that can enhance safety, increase efficiency and produce better outcomes.
Tesseract was founded in 2018 by John Boucard, a veteran inventor, engineer and technologist. It was named one of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2020 — later becoming a go-to tech powerhouse for military and national security applications.
The company — which now splits bases of operations between Overland Park, Kansas, and Tampa, Florida — enables businesses to defy the boundaries of space and time through next-generation technologies. Robots, smart spaces, wearables and radically connected platforms are just some of the tools created by Tesseract in its mission to make industries smarter, better connected and more efficient.

2023 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Brick by brick: How used LEGOs are making innovation more tangible for KC kids in need
Solopreneur Rhonda Jolyean Hale believes that all children deserve access to play — no matter their circumstances. As the Kansas City ambassador for the Pass the Bricks initiative, she’s working to build that reality by giving new life to donated LEGO bricks. “We take gently used LEGO bricks — not the stuff the dog chews…
Novel Capital teams with Crux KC to offer growth-focused marketing to early-stage tech companies
An exclusive partnership between two Kansas City-based innovators is expected to help remove a traditional financial hurdle to business growth, said Ethan Whitehill, president and chief strategy officer for the KC Chamber-lauded marketing firm Crux KC. The collaboration between Crux and Overland Park-headquartered capital provider Novel Capital is expected to offer B2B SaaS and tech…
Neighborhood smart cans help Kansas Citians save the planet from their kitchens
Newly introduced composting technology is already turning new ground in Kansas City, Kristan Chamberlain said, with more solar-powered compost cans arriving later this spring across the metro’s urban landscape. Her social venture, KC Can Compost, installed three of the devices in October — free to use for KCMO residents wanting to deposit their soil-making food…



