Gulf Blue® Awarded SBA SCALE Funding to Strengthen Maritime Unmanned Systems Industrial Base
Mon, 10/12/2026 - 10:32am | By: Gulf Blue staff
New Unmanned Systems Supplier Acceleration Program will help small businesses overcome
barriers to entering and scaling within the defense supply chain
Gulf Blue LLC has been selected by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as one of 18 organizations nationwide to receive funding through the Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program, supporting
a new Gulf Blue initiative designed to strengthen the maritime unmanned systems industrial
base.
The SBA awarded a total of $8.9 million to organizations across 17 states, with individual
SCALE grantees eligible to receive up to $500,000 during a two-year period beginning
September 30, 2026. Gulf Blue was the only Mississippi organization selected and was
among the awardees focused on strengthening the Defense Industrial Base.
The SCALE Program is designed to help small businesses address supply chain constraints,
increase production capacity and expand participation in strategically important domestic
supply chains.
Through the award, Gulf Blue will launch the Unmanned Systems Supplier Acceleration
Program (UxS-SAP), a supplier development initiative designed to strengthen the Department
of War (DoW) maritime unmanned systems industrial base by helping small businesses
overcome operational, technical, workforce, regulatory, capital and market-access
barriers that can limit participation in the defense supply chain.
“Small businesses are developing technologies and capabilities that can play an important
role in strengthening the maritime unmanned systems industrial base, but moving from
an innovative product or capability to becoming a successful defense supplier can
be challenging,” said Joseph Graben, director of strategic partnerships and program
management in The University of Southern Mississippi’s Office of Innovation Management.
“UxS-SAP will help companies identify those gaps, better understand where they fit
within the supply chain, and develop an actionable roadmap to move toward production,
commercialization and technology transition.”
Building Defense-Ready Suppliers
Participating small businesses will receive individualized support designed to evaluate
their current capabilities, identify barriers to growth and establish clear pathways
toward becoming more competitive suppliers.
The UxS-SAP program will provide participating businesses with:
- Supplier Readiness Assessment
- Manufacturing Capability Review
- Production and Commercialization Gap Analysis
- Supply Chain Positioning Assessment
- Technology Transition Assessment
- Individual Supplier Development Roadmap
The program builds upon Gulf Blue’s broader efforts to connect innovative companies
with the resources, expertise, facilities, industry relationships and federal partners
needed to move emerging technologies toward commercialization and real-world application.
Through initiatives such as Gulf Blue Navigator and its growing network of partners
across industry, academia, government and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Gulf Blue
has established the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a destination for companies developing
technologies relevant to maritime operations and the blue economy.
The new UxS-SAP initiative expands that work by focusing specifically on the supplier
base needed to support the growth, production and transition of maritime unmanned
systems and related technologies.
Additional details regarding eligibility, participation and the launch of Gulf Blue's
Unmanned Systems Supplier Acceleration Program will be announced as the program is
implemented.
Learn more about the SCALE Program and the 2026 awardees.
About Gulf Blue®
Gulf Blue® is an initiative focused on positioning the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a
leading center for blue technology innovation by connecting industry, academia, government
and entrepreneurs. Through programs including Gulf Blue Navigator, the initiative
supports the development, demonstration and commercialization of technologies addressing
challenges and opportunities across the blue economy.
About the SBA SCALE Program
The U.S. Small Business Administration's Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement
(SCALE) Program supports organizations that help small businesses increase production,
address supply chain constraints and participate in strategically important domestic
supply chains. In September 2026, SBA awarded $8.9 million in SCALE funding to 18
organizations across 17 states.