xFoundry, NASA, and the University System of Maryland Just Made History.
A five-year Space Act Agreement between NASA and the University System of Maryland (USM) is now official, and xFoundry is at the center of it. This is among the first agreements of its kind between NASA and an entire state university system built specifically around student entrepreneurship and venture creation.
The partnership formalizes what started with xFoundry's collaboration with NASA in 2025 and expands it across all 12 USM institutions, three regional higher education centers, and the system office. That means more than 175,000 students statewide now have structured access to work directly with NASA on technologies supporting future lunar and Mars missions and the industries required for sustainable space habitation.
What This Unlocks
This agreement creates a direct pipeline between student innovators and NASA's biggest challenges. Through annual NEXPLORE Summits, nationwide Horizons Challenge competitions, hands-on space technology experiences, and venture acceleration programs, students won't just study space exploration — they'll build the solutions that make it possible.
And you don't have to be at a Maryland institution to be part of it. The Horizons Challenge is open to university student innovators across the country. If you have an idea that addresses a NASA-identified technology gap, this is your way in.
Why This Matters
This isn't a research grant or a one-off event. It's a five-year framework that connects federal technology priorities with student founders, research universities, regional campuses, and Maryland's broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. The goal is to turn space-driven challenges into scalable ventures and economic growth.
"This agreement represents a transformative moment for student innovation in aerospace. When we launched the first NEXPLORE Summit in 2025 with UMD and NASA, we envisioned creating a sustainable pipeline connecting student entrepreneurs with the grand challenges of space exploration. This five-year agreement with the entire University System of Maryland exceeds those ambitions and establishes a model that can inspire similar partnerships nationwide." - Amir Ansari, Executive Director, xFoundry
Chancellor Jay A. Perman emphasized what this means at the system level: “the agreement democratizes access to NASA across every USM campus and region, bringing "the economic benefits of pathbreaking innovation into every region of our state.”
What's Next
The first major activities under the agreement are already in motion. The Horizons Challenge II pitch competition launches in September 2026, with student innovator teams from universities across the region developing solutions to NASA-identified technology challenges. The competition culminates at the NEXPLORE Summit in April 2027, where finalist teams will present their solutions to panels of NASA experts, industry leaders, and investors.
Follow xFoundry Alliance on [Instagram/LinkedIn] for updates as this partnership takes shape.
A five-year Space Act Agreement between NASA and the University System of Maryland (USM) is now official, and xFoundry is at the center of it. This is among the first agreements of its kind between NASA and an entire state university system built specifically around student entrepreneurship and venture creation.
The partnership formalizes what started with xFoundry's collaboration with NASA in 2025 and expands it across all 12 USM institutions, three regional higher education centers, and the system office. That means more than 175,000 students statewide now have structured access to work directly with NASA on technologies supporting future lunar and Mars missions and the industries required for sustainable space habitation.
What This Unlocks
This agreement creates a direct pipeline between student innovators and NASA's biggest challenges. Through annual NEXPLORE Summits, nationwide Horizons Challenge competitions, hands-on space technology experiences, and venture acceleration programs, students won't just study space exploration — they'll build the solutions that make it possible.
And you don't have to be at a Maryland institution to be part of it. The Horizons Challenge is open to university student innovators across the country. If you have an idea that addresses a NASA-identified technology gap, this is your way in.
Why This Matters
This isn't a research grant or a one-off event. It's a five-year framework that connects federal technology priorities with student founders, research universities, regional campuses, and Maryland's broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. The goal is to turn space-driven challenges into scalable ventures and economic growth.
"This agreement represents a transformative moment for student innovation in aerospace. When we launched the first NEXPLORE Summit in 2025 with UMD and NASA, we envisioned creating a sustainable pipeline connecting student entrepreneurs with the grand challenges of space exploration. This five-year agreement with the entire University System of Maryland exceeds those ambitions and establishes a model that can inspire similar partnerships nationwide." - Amir Ansari, Executive Director, xFoundry
Chancellor Jay A. Perman emphasized what this means at the system level: “the agreement democratizes access to NASA across every USM campus and region, bringing "the economic benefits of pathbreaking innovation into every region of our state.”
What's Next
The first major activities under the agreement are already in motion. The Horizons Challenge II pitch competition launches in September 2026, with student innovator teams from universities across the region developing solutions to NASA-identified technology challenges. The competition culminates at the NEXPLORE Summit in April 2027, where finalist teams will present their solutions to panels of NASA experts, industry leaders, and investors.
Follow xFoundry Alliance on [Instagram/LinkedIn] for updates as this partnership takes shape.