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

        ICYMI: MTC says it’s moving forward with select entrepreneur programs despite steep state funding cuts

        By Tommy Felts | October 14, 2025

        Editor’s note: This story was originally published by Missouri Business Alert, a member of the Kansas City Media Collective, which also includes Startland News, KCUR 89.3, American Public Square, Kansas City PBS/Flatland, and The Kansas City Beacon. Click here to read the original story. [divide] The Missouri Technology Corp. has released its annual implementation plan, announcing which programs…

        KCultivator Q&A: Jessica Powell gets candid about ‘KC Nice’ (and how she’d spend $1M)

        By Tommy Felts | October 13, 2025

        Editor’s note: KCultivators is a lighthearted profile series to highlight people who are meaningfully enriching Kansas City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. [divide] Let’s get real, Jessica Powell said with a wry smirk, explaining her vision for a Kansas City that works together — and stops cannibalizing its own.   “I’m a startup junkie,” the community champion and founder of…

        Pure Pitch Rally reveals competitors for its 10th crowd-funded, spot-cash pitch contest

        By Tommy Felts | October 13, 2025

        Eight emerging startups set to take the Pure Pitch Rally stage next month will become part of the Kansas City tech community’s evolving story, said Karen Fenaroli, touting a decade of impact that has seen millions in follow-on capital raised and thousands of jobs created across the region. “It is no longer just an event,”…

        Sisters brew backyard-style beers from a historic firehouse in Budweiser territory

        By Tommy Felts | October 11, 2025

        Editor’s note: The following story was produced through a paid partnership with MOSourceLink, which boasts a mission to help entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state of Missouri grow and succeed by providing free, easy access to the help they need — when they need it. [divide] SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A midlife career crisis took…