FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1 September 2026 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
UAE's First Licensed Private Human Spaceflight Training Company Welcomes the Charles F. Bolden Group as Co-founder
As the Space Economy Grows, So Must Its People. Charles F. Bolden Group and Borderless Labs finalized an equity partnership during Make it in the Emirates 2026 to accelerate BLINC Space’s growth and support the UAE’s ambition to become a global leader in the business of space.
Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Charles F. Bolden Group (“Bolden Group”) and Borderless Labs, Inc. today announced an equity partnership to accelerate the growth of BLINC Space, an Emirati company and subsidiary of Borderless Labs. The partnership reflects a shared long-term commitment to advancing human spaceflight capability, workforce development, and commercial space innovation from the United Arab Emirates.
Developed through prior strategic collaboration and formalized during Make it in the Emirates 2026, the partnership brings together the Bolden Group’s global leadership in the business of space with Borderless Labs’ vision for building an Emirati platform dedicated to preparing people to live and work in space.
As the UAE’s first licensed private human spaceflight training platform, BLINC Space is building a regulated foundation for astronaut-grade training, mission readiness, education, research, and long-term capability development. Together as co-founders, the organizations will work together to expand BLINC Space’s programs, strengthen partnerships, and support the continued growth of the UAE’s commercial space ecosystem.
“This equity partnership reflects our total commitment to BLINC Space, to the UAE, and to the future of the business of space across MENA,” said A. Ché Bolden, Chair and CEO of the Bolden Group. “The UAE has already proven itself as a serious space nation. As co-founders, we will help align strategy, leadership,
partnerships, and execution so BLINC Space can scale as an Emirati-led platform for training people how to live and work in space.”
Finalizing the agreement during Make it in the Emirates 2026 was a fitting milestone. The event’s focus on UAE-based industry, advanced technology, investment, and innovation reflects the purpose of the
partnership: building practical capability in the UAE that can serve national priorities and regional demand.
“BLINC Space was created to build real capability from the UAE outward,” said Mac Malkawi, Founder and
CEO of Borderless Labs, Inc. “Having the Charles F. Bolden Group join us as an equity co-founder gives us
the strategic depth and long-term alignment needed to scale that vision across the region.” strategy, leadership, partnerships, and execution so BLINC Space can scale as an Emirati-led platform for training people how
to live and work in space.”
The announcement aligns with the UAE’s national ambitions under the UAE National Space Strategy 2031,
supporting efforts to strengthen the country’s position as a global hub for innovation, advanced technology, and the New Space Economy.
Together, the Bolden Group and Borderless Labs will build BLINC Space as an Emirati-led platform rooted in Abu Dhabi, built to serve the next generation of space professionals, institutions, and regional partners.
Additional training programs, strategic partnerships, and partner cohorts will be announced in the coming
months. For updates and partnership inquiries, visit www.blincspace.com
About the Charles F. Bolden Group
The Charles F. Bolden Group is a decision integration firm focused on the business of space. Founded by Charles F. Bolden Jr., Major General, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), retired NASA astronaut, and 12th Administrator of NASA, the firm helps leaders, institutions, companies, and governments align strategy, people, partnerships, and execution before high-stakes space-related decisions become hard to reverse. Led by A. Ché Bolden, CEO, and Dr. Jeanette Epps, Executive Vice President, the firm draws on seasoned Astronauts and senior advisors with deep experience across space, national security, government, industry, science, health, and innovation.
About Borderless Labs, Inc.
Borderless Labs, Inc. builds and scales ventures designed to connect people, ideas, institutions, and opportunities across borders. Founded and led by Mac Malkawi, Borderless Labs is scaling its subsidiary, BLINC Space, as an Emirati company focused on advancing space capability, readiness, education, and regional opportunity from the UAE across MENA.
About BLINC Space
BLINC Space is an Emirati company co-founded by Borderless Labs, Inc. and Bolden Group, being scaled as a regional platform for training people how to live and work in space. Based in the UAE, BLINC Space is the UAE’s first licensed private human spaceflight training platform, focused on training, readiness, research, education, and capability development across MENA.
Media Contact
Ché Bolden
Co-founder and Operating Partner
chebolden@blincspace.com
BLINC SPACE IN THE NEWS
BLINC Space’s work at the intersection of human spaceflight training, education, commercial space readiness and experiential tourism has attracted attention from regional and international media. The coverage below follows the development of our UAE-based initiatives, including private astronaut training, neutral-buoyancy EVA simulations, high-G and aviation-readiness experiences, strategic partnerships and efforts to build the skilled workforce required by the emerging space economy. These independent articles, interviews and official announcements provide an external record of BLINC Space’s milestones, collaborations and growing role within the UAE’s commercial space ecosystem. Readers can visit each original source to explore how different publications have reported on our programmes and wider mission. This collection will continue to expand as new initiatives are launched, partnerships are announced and further coverage is published.
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