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.

John Boucard, Tesseract Ventures

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.

Tesseract Venture’s PRISM technology

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.

RELATED: Tesseract taps into KC’s sticky innovation culture with homegrown partnership to build IoT tools

Tagged , , ,
Featured Business
    Featured Founder
      [adinserter block="4"]

      2023 Startups to Watch

        stats here

        Related Posts on Startland News

        Harvesting KCMO’s urban-to-rural development wins means taking down silos, EDCKC leader says

        By Tommy Felts | September 11, 2025

        Editor’s note: The following is part of an ongoing feature series exploring impacts of initiatives within the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City through a paid partnership with EDCKC. [divide] Kansas City’s growth isn’t just shaped by skyline-changing projects, said Heather Brown, describing a simple formula — and delicate balance — that keeps the region building upon its…

        Roo-Up with pulled pork or bite into Big Salvy: Ding Dong Dogs debuts at KC Streetcar’s mouthwatering last stop

        By Tommy Felts | September 10, 2025

        Matt McLain longed for the hot dogs he grew up eating as a young baseball fan in Chicago. His just-off-the-roller, quick-serve hot dog restaurant near UMKC and the extended KC Streetcar line squirts a dinger of nostalgia in an emerging destination known for elevated fare. It’s an opportunity McLain relishes, the Ding Dong Dogs owner…

        Beach volleyball heavyweights, Olympians hitting KC sand for George Brett showdown

        By Tommy Felts | September 9, 2025

        Serial entrepreneur Lance Windholz hopes a high-profile weekend beach volleyball tournament — showcasing 24 professional players, including seven Olympians — will encourage more Kansas City athletes and enthusiasts to dig the sport he loves. The George Brett 4v4 Volleyball Showdown arrives Saturday, Sept. 13, at Shawnee Mission Beach Volleyball. Two amateur teams are set to compete…

        KC-built AI command center helps businesses gain superpowers without losing their tech stack

        By Tommy Felts | September 9, 2025

        First envisioned as an AI-powered agent built to streamline operations at Kansas City-based Plexpod’s coworking spaces, Intuidy has evolved into its own operating system; one that is transforming the way companies operate, co-founder Grayson Smith said. Vantage — Intuidy’s flagship platform launched in early 2024 with the help of Smith’s brother, Gentry — is a…