Oakland, CA – EZ Aerospace announces it has been selected by AFWERX for a SBIR Direct-to-Phase II contract in the amount of $1,250,000 focused on developing tools to enable on-demand air taxis to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF). The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution. The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018, which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and as of 20 July 2023, EZ Aerospace continues its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.
“This contract marks a big milestone for the concept of advanced on-demand airlift,” said Matt Zacharias, Founder of EZ Aerospace. “We’ve dedicated two years to understanding the unique needs of the Air Force and tailoring our solution accordingly. Now, we are poised to make significant strides towards the future of air mobility for everyone.”
DISCLAIMER: “The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.”
About EZ Aerospace
Established in 2020, EZ Aerospace is committed to enhancing air mobility for both government and commercial customers by offering access to dual-use air taxis. They aim to reinvent the current on-demand air mobility market, reducing costs and creating a superior air travel experience for everyone. For more information about EZ Aerospace, visit www.ez-aero.com.
About Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
Sole organization leading the planning and execution of U.S. Air Force & U.S. Space Force science & technology programs. Orchestrates a world-wide government, industry & academia coalition in the discovery, development & delivery of a wide range of revolutionary technology. Provides leading-edge warfighting capabilities keeping air, space and cyberspace forces the world's best. Employs 10,800 military, civilian and contractor personnel at 17 research sites executing an annual $4B budget. For more information, visit: www.afresearchlab.com.
About AFWERX
The innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within AFRL brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. Employs approximately 215 military, civilian, and contractor personnel at five hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4B budget. Since 2019, has executed 4,671 contracts worth more than $2B to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: www.afwerx.com.
