The Center for Space Commerce and Finance
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance is a Houston-based 501(c) nonprofit that supports space industry entrepreneurs through the NewSpace Business Plan Competition, the annual Space Investment Summit, the Space Micro Fund, and related educational and content programming.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Center for Space Commerce and Finance does
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance (CSCF) is a Houston, Texas-based 501(c) nonprofit founded in 2015 to catalyze space commerce through education and financial tools. Its core programmatic products are the NewSpace Business Plan Competition (positioned as the longest-running space industry business plan competition), the annual Space Investment Summit (which matches space ventures with investors such as LPs, family offices, and angels), and the Space Micro Fund, a financial vehicle supporting capital formation. CSCF organizes its work under three stated pillars: Inspiration, Deal Velocity, and Capital Formation, and supplements live programming with educational courses, mentorship, whitepapers, a blog, a newsletter, and the "The Long View with CSSF" podcast.
The organization's underlying platform is event- and curriculum-based rather than technology-based: it operates competition administration, investor matching at a single annual gathering, and content publishing across web and audio. Reported cumulative program throughput over the life of the organization includes more than 200 participating companies, over $350,000 in competition prize money awarded, and 60+ companies publicly showcased.
CSCF's business model is contribution-based rather than transactional: it is funded through donations, sponsorships, and a "Friends of CSCF" supporter program, with the organization actively soliciting renewed support on an annual basis (e.g., a 2026 appeal). No commercial pricing tiers, subscription products, or fee-for-service offerings are disclosed. The entity is structurally small — no headcount, leadership roster, or financial statements are publicly referenced in the input — and its economic logic is nonprofit sector intermediation within the NewSpace ecosystem rather than scalable recurring revenue.
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Center for Space Commerce and Finance
- Legal name
- The Center for Space Commerce and Finance
- Website
- https://cscf.space
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- The Center for Space Commerce and Finance is a Houston-based 501(c) nonprofit that supports space industry entrepreneurs through the NewSpace Business Plan Competition, the annual Space Investment Summit, the Space Micro Fund, and related educational and content programming.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Space Industry Education and Events
- NAICS
- Publishing Industries (513)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Finance & Investment Conferences (MPAGAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists) (FSANAAAD)
Keywords
Where The Center for Space Commerce and Finance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance is a nonprofit organization that operates the NewSpace Business Plan Competition—the world's longest-running space business plan competition—and the Space Investment Summit, a one-day educational event for accredited investors. It also runs the Space Micro Fund initiative and produces supporting educational content (podcasts, whitepapers, blog, newsletter) to connect space entrepreneurs with capital, mentorship, and investor visibility.
Product overview
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance (CSCF) operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of educational programs, investment-focused events, and funding mechanisms designed to catalyze space commerce. The core offerings include the NewSpace BPC (Business Plan Competition), which is the world's longest-running space business plan competition; the Space Investment Summit, a one-day educational event for accredited investors; and the Space Micro Fund for early-stage space startups. Supplementary offerings include podcasts and whitepapers providing research and insights into the NewSpace economy. These programs work together to connect space entrepreneurs with investors and provide education across the space commerce ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- NewSpace BPC: NewSpace Business Plan Competition - the world's longest-running space business plan competition where over 200 companies have participated in the last decade.
- Space Investment Summit
- Space Micro Fund
Products and services
- NewSpace Business Plan Competition (BPC) The world's longest-running space business plan competition where space startups pitch to investors and receive feedback, with cash prizes awarded to promising ventures. Over 200 companies have participated in the last decade, with more than 60 publicly showcased to investors and customers, catalyzing millions in deal flow. Targeted at space entrepreneurs and early-stage startups.
- Space Investment Summit A one-day educational event designed to provide accredited investors with practical and actionable information about investing in the space industry. Features speakers and panel discussions from leading space investors and top space entrepreneurs, covering market dynamics, investment climate, exit strategies, unique concerns and opportunities.
- Space Micro Fund A micro fund initiative designed to support early-stage space entrepreneurs and startups with financial tools and funding.
- Podcasts Audio content covering space commerce, space industry trends, and interviews with space entrepreneurs and investors. Includes The Unknown Quantity podcast and other audio programming distributed via the website.
- Whitepapers Research reports and whitepapers on space commerce, space investment, and the NewSpace economy, available for download from the website.
- Newsletter Email newsletter providing updates on NewSpace Business Plan Competitions, Space Investment Summits, and other CSCF activities and events.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 200 companies participated in the competition and associated educational programs over the last decade
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Center for Space Commerce and Finance
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Starburst Aerospace: Aerospace and space accelerator, consulting, and venture platform that runs startup competitions and connects founders with corporate investors and government agencies. Directly comparable to CSCF's NewSpace BPC and Space Investment Summit.
- Space Capital: Sector-focused VC investing in space startups while producing thought-leadership research on space investment themes. Comparable to CSCF's investor-education mission and vertical-specialist positioning in space VC.
- Space Frontier Foundation: Nonprofit space-advocacy and education organization that convenes entrepreneurs, investors, and policy makers around NewSpace commercialization. Most direct functional analog to CSCF's mission of catalyzing space commerce through education and community-building.
- Seraphim Space: Sector-specialist venture capital firm dedicated to space, operating an accelerator program (Seraphim Space Camp) that mirrors CSCF's combination of startup education, pitch competition, and investor convening. Comparable model with more capital scale.
- Space Angels: Angel-investing network and platform focused exclusively on early-stage space startups. Directly comparable to CSCF's Space Micro Fund and Space Investment Summit because it operates at the same entrepreneur-investor intersection in the NewSpace ecosystem.
Others
- Bryce Space and Technology: Consulting and analytics firm focused on the space economy, producing research and forecasts on commercial space investment. Comparable in producing thought leadership for the space-investment community, but operates as a paid-services firm rather than a nonprofit convener.
- Commercial Spaceflight Federation: Industry association representing commercial space companies to policymakers. Adjacent to CSCF's mission because it convenes space-industry stakeholders, but its focus is policy advocacy rather than entrepreneur-investor deal flow.
Emerging players
- SpaceFund: Space-focused venture capital firm offering a public token-based investment vehicle for space startups. Comparable to CSCF's Space Micro Fund in targeting retail and angel capital into space ventures, with a more formalized fund structure.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance social profiles
Digital presenceThe Center for Space Commerce and Finance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Center for Space Commerce and Finance
What does The Center for Space Commerce and Finance do?
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance is a nonprofit organization that operates the NewSpace Business Plan Competition—the world's longest-running space business plan competition—and the Space Investment Summit, a one-day educational event for accredited investors. It also runs the Space Micro Fund initiative and produces supporting educational content (podcasts, whitepapers, blog, newsletter) to connect space entrepreneurs with capital, mentorship, and investor visibility.
Is The Center for Space Commerce and Finance a public or private company?
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Center for Space Commerce and Finance founded?
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance was founded in 2015.
Where is The Center for Space Commerce and Finance based?
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
Who are The Center for Space Commerce and Finance's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Starburst Aerospace, Space Capital, Space Frontier Foundation, Seraphim Space and Space Angels. Others are Bryce Space and Technology and Commercial Spaceflight Federation. SpaceFund is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Center for Space Commerce and Finance have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Center for Space Commerce and Finance.
What industry is The Center for Space Commerce and Finance in?
The Center for Space Commerce and Finance's product category is Space Industry Education and Events. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAGAG, Finance & Investment Conferences, with a secondary code of FSANAAAD, Sector-Focused Venture Capital (Vertical Specialists). Its NAICS code is 513 and its SIC code is 6282.