Lunar Entrepreneurship and Innovation Academy (LEIA)

"Nobody Is Qualified to Run a Moon Business, Until They Do."

What qualifies you to run a business that operates on the lunar surface?

Doing it. Every company headed to the Moon today was started by people who had never run a lunar business before.

At LEIA, you'll step into the commercial space industry that is taking humanity back to the Moon. Hosted at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, in the heart of Rocket City, LEIA puts you inside a lunar startup and hands you the controls.

You'll join one of two competing companies. Each has just won a free ride to the lunar surface and has one week to turn it into a business someone will pay for. Cadets fill every seat in the company: CEO, COO, engineering, mission operations, and business development. Together you'll design a lunar mission, find a customer, and defend your work at design reviews modeled on NASA's.

The week ends at Demo Day, where both companies pitch to a panel of space industry judges who decide which company they would back.

What You'll Do at LEIA

• Build and run a startup from day one, with real roles, real deadlines and a board to answer to

• Design a lunar mission and defend it at NASA-style design reviews

• Learn the lunar environment and what make operating on the surface so hard

• Find a customer and make the case for why they should pay you

• Pitch your company to space industry judges at Demo Day

• Meet founders and engineers building the lunar economy

• Tour US Space & Rocket Center with visits to ULA and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, pending availability

Why You Should Apply

• Learn how startups work, and that starting one is within your reach

• Build leadership, negotiation and communication skills that carry into any career

• Be among the first cadets to complete LEIA and help shape it for the classes that follow

• Gain mentorship from the people building commercial space in Rocket City

No engineering or business background is required. Cadets interested in space, engineering, business or leadership will all find a seat at the table.

Ready to build something?

Apply for LEIA and help write the first chapter of the lunar economy

Note: Cadets enrolled in Cadet Wings are not eligible for national activities until they complete the program or are disenrolled.

Registration Prerequisites:

The following are required at the time of application:

• Must have Encampment credit

• Must be at least age 15 by the first day of the activity

• Must be under 21 years of age at end of activity

• CAP Health updated within last 30 days

Staff Application Information

Cadets: There are cadet staff positions at this activity. Please contact the Activity Director for more information before submitting an application. 

Senior Members: 

• Must be current in Cadet Protection Training

• CAP Health updated within last 30 days

• Typical positions filled at this activity include, but are not limited to:

  • Safety

  • Health Services

  • Public Affairs

  • Transportation

  • Finance

Please contact the Activity Director to learn more about current staff needs or openings.

Apply in Registration Zone

Applications will be accepted from 15 December through 15 January at 12pm Central.  

Parent, Unit and Wing Approval deadlines must be met in order for an application to be considered. 

All participant and staff applications must be submitted via Registration Zone in eServices. 

Lift/Top is a needs-based financial assistance program. If selected as a Lift/Top recipient, your activity tuition will be paid by NHQ and you may have the option to receive a partial travel reimbursement towards round trip transportation to and from the activity. Lift/Top recipients must accept their slot in writing in order to receive this financial support.

CAP Cadet Scholarships: Through the generosity of our supporting donors, some CAP scholarships focus on supporting cadet attendance at NCSAs through a merit-based application process. Please see the Scholarship page to see the full list of available Activity Scholarships.

How to apply:

• Applications for both Lift/Top and CAP Scholarships are located in Registration Zone.

• You must apply for each program for which you wish to be considered.

• Lift/Top and each CAP Cadet Scholarship have their own individual Registration Zone events, separate from activity applications.

Important:

• Applying for these financial support programs does not guarantee financial assistance will be offered.

• Being offered financial assistance is not a guarantee of acceptance into an activity.

• You must compete for and receive a slot at an activity.

• You will be notified if you are a recipient of financial aid/scholarship before you are required to accept or decline a slot at an activity.

The deadline to apply for these financial support programs is 15 January at 12pm Central. No late applications will be accepted. 

• Actively participate in 80% of the contact hours and not dismissed early for behavior

• 80% of curriculum verified by completed assignments

• Activity Director determines course objectives met

• Activity Staff will provide transportation between TBD Airport only and the activity location.

• Required Staff Training on TBD at TBD