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The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency operates with a $3.5 billion budget and a mandate to create breakthrough technologies for national security. Unlike traditional grant-making agencies, DARPA funds research primarily through Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) and Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements rather than standard grants. This gives DARPA program managers unusual flexibility in structuring awards.
DARPA's six technical offices each maintain rolling BAAs: the Information Innovation Office (I2O) focuses on AI, cybersecurity, and data analytics; the Defense Sciences Office (DSO) covers fundamental science including materials, mathematics, and social science; the Biological Technologies Office (BTO) addresses biosecurity and bio-inspired systems; and the Strategic Technology Office (STO) handles military systems-level integration.
The Artificial Intelligence Exploration (AIE) program provides expedited contracting for AI concepts, with proposals evaluated and awards issued in as little as 90 days. The Young Faculty Award ($500K over 2 years with a possible $500K extension) targets early-career researchers at U.S. universities. Standard BAA awards range from $500K to $20M depending on program scope.
DARPA proposals follow a two-phase process: first an abstract or quad chart reviewed by the program manager, then a full proposal by invitation. Granted tracks all open DARPA BAAs and special notices across all six technical offices.
I2O BAA (AI, Cyber, Data)
Information Innovation Office rolling BAA for artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics, and human-machine teaming. Multiple programs within a single BAA.
Young Faculty Award ($500K-$1M)
Two-year $500K grants for tenure-track faculty within six years of appointment, with possible $500K Director's Fellowship extension for top performers.
AIE Opportunities
Artificial Intelligence Exploration — expedited BAAs for AI concepts with 90-day contracting. Lower barrier to entry for AI researchers new to defense funding.
DSO BAA (Materials, Bio, Math)
Defense Sciences Office rolling BAA for disruptive research in materials science, biological science, mathematics, and social/behavioral science.
Fusion of Abstract Learning and Context-Optimized Neural-methods (FALCON) - Topic is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This program aims to integrate the contextualization power of Large Language Models (LLMs) with the statistical power of Machine Learning (ML) to provide domain-specific statistical contextualization of structured data for enterprise or battlefield applications.
FALCON (Fusion of Abstract Learning and Context-Optimized Neural-methods) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This DARPA SBIR topic aims to combine advanced machine learning (ML) methods computationally efficient in structured data with large language models (LLM) that are general and can extract context from data. The goal is to derive powerful and efficient technology for interactive statistical analysis of large-scale data, such as in enterprise or battlefield settings, and to develop methods to mitigate hallucination and demonstrate verifiable and reproducible analytic traces. This topic is soliciting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only.
Fusion of Abstract Learning and Context-Optimized Neural-methods (FALCON) is sponsored by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). This DARPA SBIR topic aims to combine advanced machine learning (ML) methods that are computationally efficient in structured data with large language models (LLM) that are general and can extract context from data. The goal is to derive powerful and efficient technology for interactive statistical analysis of large-scale data seen in enterprise or battlefield environments. While not explicitly mentioning computer vision or ISR tracking, the AI/ML focus for battlefield applications makes it relevant.
116 matching grants · showing 100
Defense Sciences Office (DSO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (HR001125S0013) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - Defense Sciences Office (DSO). This BAA solicits proposals for innovative approaches enabling revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems for national security applications, which can include areas related to AI safety and trustworthiness.
Defense Sciences Office (DSO) Office-wide BAA (HR001125S0013) is sponsored by DARPA - Defense Sciences Office. The DARPA Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is soliciting innovative proposals that investigate revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems for national security applications. The BAA is interested in high-risk, high-reward ideas that go beyond incremental advancements.
Grants for Innovative Approaches that Enable Revolutionary Advances in Science, Devices, or Systems for National Security Applications (DARPA – Broad Agency Announcement) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This Broad Agency Announcement from DARPA's Defense Sciences Office seeks proposals for innovative approaches to enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems for national security applications. This can include data science research with defense relevance.
DARPA Defense Sciences Office (DSO) Office-Wide BAA is a broad agency announcement from DARPA's Defense Sciences Office that funds innovative research enabling revolutionary advances in science, devices, and systems for national security applications. The program seeks proposals investigating fundamentally new approaches across a wide range of scientific and engineering disciplines — the only exclusion is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to existing systems. Eligible applicants include U.S.-based universities, research organizations, and small businesses. This is an open-topic, standing solicitation under DARPA Assistance Listing 12.910, with proposals accepted on a rolling basis through June 2, 2026.
DARPA Defense Sciences Office Office‑Wide BAA (HR001125S0013) is sponsored by DARPA Defense Sciences Office (DSO). DARPA Defense Sciences Office Office-Wide BAA (HR001125S0013) is a broad agency announcement from DARPA's Defense Sciences Office (DSO) that funds innovative basic and applied research in the physical, engineering, and life sciences with national security relevance.
Defense Sciences Office (DSO) Office-wide BAA (HR001125S0013) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) DSO. The DARPA Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is soliciting proposals for innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems for national security applications. This includes a broad range of technical areas and welcomes proposals in novel areas DSO has not previously considered.
Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Defense Sciences is a grant from DARPA's Defense Sciences Office that funds high-risk, high-reward research advancing foundational science and technology with potential national defense applications. The BAA is open through June 2, 2026, to all responsible sources including universities, commercial entities, nonprofits, and individuals capable of satisfying the government's research needs. DARPA's DSO supports revolutionary science across biology, chemistry, mathematics, materials, and engineering. Proposals should address fundamental scientific questions with transformative potential, not incremental advances. DARPA invests in ideas that could change what is technologically possible.
DARPA DSO Office-Wide BAA for Defense Sciences and AI is a grant from DARPA's Defense Sciences Office (DSO) that funds basic and applied research proposals in defense sciences and artificial intelligence that may fall outside current program priorities but have potential value to national security. DARPA's primary funding vehicle is the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), which is open to all responsible proposers from universities, commercial companies, nonprofits, and research institutions. The office-wide BAA is refreshed annually and outlines current technical areas of interest. The deadline for proposals is June 2, 2026.
DARPA Defense Sciences Office (DSO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (HR001125S0013) seeks proposals that investigate innovative approaches enabling revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems for national security applications. DSO explicitly excludes research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice, instead seeking paradigm-shifting breakthroughs. The office covers a broad range of scientific disciplines including mathematics, computation and algorithms, physical sciences, materials science, and novel AI approaches grounded in scientific fundamentals. DSO programs often address foundational challenges in AI such as learning theory, reasoning under uncertainty, physics-informed machine learning, and computational neuroscience approaches to AI. Proposals are accepted on a rolling basis through June 2, 2026. Funding instruments include cooperative agreements, procurement contracts, and other mechanisms.
DoD SBIR 2026 BAA: Broadening Availability of Regimens for K-9s (BARK) - Open Topic is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This DARPA SBIR open topic aims to develop medical products that are interoperable and compatible across humans and dogs to meet the health needs of both human warfighters and military working dogs.
DoD SBIR 2026 BAA (DPA26BZ01-DV003: Smart Whole Blood Field Transfusion system (SWiFT)) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This SBIR topic seeks to develop and demonstrate a self-contained, autonomous device capable of blood collection, temporary storage, diagnostic testing, and transfusion, with continuous donor/recipient monitoring and alerts to issues, to revolutionize safe, efficient and effecti…
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program: Broadening Availability of Regimens for K-9s (BARK) - Open Topic is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This DARPA SBIR Open Topic focuses on developing medical products that are interoperable and compatible across humans and dogs to meet the health needs of both human warfighters and military working dogs.
DARPA SBIR DPA26BZ01-DV004 Extremity Platform for On-demand Surgical Implantation and Tissue Integration with Osteochondral Neogenesis is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). DARPA is seeking proposals to develop an on-demand regenerative medicine platform for complete finger restoration following trauma, aiming for full functional recovery and eliminating traditional surgeries.
DOD SBIR 2026 BAA (Biological Technologies - Broadening Availability of Regimens for K-9s (BARK) - Open Topic) is sponsored by DARPA. This DARPA SBIR opportunity under the DOD SBIR 2026 BAA focuses on developing medical products that are interoperable and compatible across humans and dogs to meet the health needs of both human warfighters and military working dogs.
Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) DPA26TZ01-NV001: Small-Robotic Swarms for Autonomous Battlefield Medical Assistance is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This STTR topic aims to develop and demonstrate small-robotic swarms capable of autonomous battlefield medical assistance, including short casualty movement, hemorrhage control, fracture stabilization, and medication delivery. The program requires a formal partnership between a small business and a university or nonprofit research institution.
DARPA SBIR DPA26BZ01-NP001 Broadening Availability of Regimens for K-9s (BARK) - Open Topic is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). DARPA is seeking proposals to develop medical products that are interoperable and compatible across humans and dogs to meet the health needs of both human warfighters and military working dogs.
DoD SBIR 2026 BAA (DPA26BZ01-NP001: Broadening Availability of Regimens for K-9s (BARK) - Open Topic) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This open topic aims to develop medical products that are interoperable and compatible across humans and dogs to meet the health needs of both human warfighters and military working dogs.
DARPA-PS-26-04: CyPhER Forge is a grant from DARPA Tactical Technology Office that funds research aimed at revolutionizing defense Test and Evaluation (T&E) by breaking the direct link between physical system complexity and test duration. The Cyber Physical Systems Executing in Real Time (CyPhER) Forge program seeks innovative approaches to accelerate and modernize how the Department of Defense evaluates complex physical systems. The solicitation was published February 25, 2026, with an abstract deadline of April 15, 2026 and an oral proposal package deadline of June 15, 2026. Managed by DARPA's Tactical Technology Office, this opportunity is open to all proposers meeting agency requirements.
Trustworthy Reasoning for AI Cybersecurity Tasks, Operations, and Resilience (TRACTOR) is sponsored by DARPA. The DARPA TRACTOR program funds research on developing AI systems that can perform cybersecurity tasks while maintaining verifiable safety properties, addressing the dual challenge of using AI to enhance cyber defense while ensuring AI-driven security tools do not introduce new …
Mathematics of Boosting Agentic Communication (MATHBAC) is sponsored by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). The MATHBAC program aims to develop the mathematical and scientific foundations for networks of AI agents to collaborate more effectively and accelerate scientific discovery for national defense. Phase I focuses on developing mathematical tools to analyze and improve AI agent communication.
DARPA's Defense Sciences Office launched the Mathematics of Boosting Agentic Communication (MATHBAC) program on April 7, 2026, under solicitation DARPA-PA-26-05. MATHBAC aims to develop the mathematical and scientific foundations needed to make networks of AI agents collaborate more effectively and ultimately accelerate the pace of scientific discovery for national defense. The program seeks innovative research proposals that advance foundational mathematics, systems theory, and information theory required to enable and understand science-discovery by autonomous agents and agent collectives. Researchers will develop tools to model individual AI agents as mathematical operators, analyze how different communication structures affect a team's ability to solve problems, and build software that lets researchers design optimized multi-agent communication protocols without large-scale trial and error. Key technical areas include multi-agent communication protocols, agentic AI coordination, formal models of collective intelligence, and mathematical frameworks for agent-to-agent collaboration. The program is structured as a 34-month, two-phase effort with Phase I running approximately 16 months and capping individual awards at $2 million. A Proposers Day was held on April 21, 2026. Abstracts were strongly encouraged by April 30, 2026 but are not mandatory. Full proposals are due June 16, 2026, with program performance expected to begin September 15, 2026.
AI Forge: Accelerating AI breakthroughs for national security is sponsored by DARPA and U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). AI Forge is a joint research and development program by DARPA and NSF, in collaboration with NIST, to catalyze breakthroughs in AI for national security. It aims to accelerate progress towards AI that is reliable, predictable, understandable, and secure in contested environments.
AI Forge: Accelerating AI breakthroughs for national security is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). A joint DARPA and NSF research and development program to catalyze breakthroughs in AI for national security, working with the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) at NIST. It aims to accelerate progress towards AI that is significantly more reliable, predictable, understandable, and secure in high-stakes settings. The program will establish a forum of universities, industry, and U.S. government representatives to fund and manage fast-paced, university-led research projects.
The DARPA Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office-Wide BAA (HR001125S0011) solicits innovative proposals for revolutionary defense platforms, systems, and manufacturing approaches. The TTO mission is to reimagine military hardware design, development, test, manufacture, and sustainment with a focus on rapid, affordable, and scalable deployment. Three focus areas are targeted: Design/Build/Buy (disrupting systems engineering and acquisition processes), Long Range Effects (enabling decisive military effects at tactical to strategic distances), and Disruptive Innovation (rapidly fielding novel engineering approaches that disrupt the battlefield). The Disruptive Innovation area specifically includes low-cost autonomous systems that use mass to overwhelm defensive systems, making this highly relevant for AI-driven autonomy and robotics companies. This BAA is distinct from DARPA's DSO and I2O office-wide BAAs which focus on basic science and information innovation respectively. TTO focuses on operational technology demonstrations and system prototyping.
DARPA's Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (HR001125S0011) solicits revolutionary defense platforms, systems, and manufacturing approaches. TTO organizes its interests around four thrust areas: Design/Build/Buy, Surge and Sustain, Long Range Effects, and Disruptive Innovation. The Disruptive Innovation thrust specifically targets low-cost autonomous systems that can use mass to overwhelm defensive systems, approaches that disrupt sensor-stealth dynamics, and capabilities that undermine adversary readiness. AI and autonomous systems feature prominently across all thrust areas. TTO is distinct from DARPA's I2O (software/information) and DSO (science) offices by focusing on physical systems, platforms, and tactical capabilities. Executive summaries are encouraged before full proposal submission to receive early feedback on relevance.
DARPA Tactical Technology Office BAA is a broad agency announcement from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that invites proposals for innovative research and technology development that fall outside the scope of currently active program-specific solicitations. Open to all responsible sources, the BAA is posted to SAM.gov and refreshed annually with a deadline of June 2026. All DARPA technical offices maintain their own dedicated BAAs to capture cutting-edge ideas at every stage of development. This office-wide mechanism is intended for proposals that do not fit neatly into existing programs, making it an important entry point for novel concepts in defense-relevant science and engineering that could eventually shape future DARPA programs.
AI Forge Program: University Research Capabilities for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategic Thrusts Request for Information (RFI) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This Request for Information (RFI) from DARPA's AI Forge Program aims to identify and leverage the artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and research interests of U. S. universities.
The DARPA Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (HR001125S0011) solicits innovative proposals for system-level defense technology research, development, and prototyping. TTO focuses on technologies that enhance rapid force building, adaptation, and sustainment capabilities for the U.S. military. Key areas of interest include autonomous platforms and swarms, AI-enabled weapons systems and battle management, unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, advanced munitions and tactical robotics, human-machine teaming for tactical operations, advanced sensors and seekers, and rapid prototyping of unmanned systems. The BAA uses a two-step process: researchers submit Executive Summaries (deadline April 17, 2026), and DARPA responds with encouragement or discouragement before inviting full proposals on a rolling basis until June 22, 2026. Award instruments include procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and Other Transactions. Small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors are specifically encouraged to apply.
Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). DARPA TTO is soliciting innovative executive summaries and proposals to demonstrate revolutionary defense platforms, systems, and manufacturing approaches that enhance the nation's ability to rapidly build, adapt, and sustain force structures. This includes advanced materials and manufacturing, and aerospace & spacetech.
Information Processing Techniques Office Office-Wide (HR001126S0011) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). DARPA programs focus on fundamental research required to establish proof of concept in science and technology fields crucial for national security. While broad, DARPA often has interests in cybersecurity as part of its mission to prevent technological surprise.
Low Resource Computing: SBIR is sponsored by DARPA. This DARPA SBIR effort seeks innovative solutions that repurpose existing hardware to add net-new features not thought possible today due to resource limitations (lack of upgradeability, RAM, CPU, disk, etc.). The focus is on creatively applying all available computational resources, no matter how minimal, rather than creating new chips or computing architectures. Phase I seeks a basic prototype that brings cutting-edge capabilities to a low-resource system. This aligns well with low-power embedded computing for defense.
Small Business Programs (SBIR/STTR) (DARPA) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). DARPA's SBIR/STTR programs fund small businesses developing radical, game-changing technologies with the potential to benefit national security, the federal government, and commercial markets. This includes advanced materials and protection technologies, and topics like Expeditionary Power- and Energy-Dense Implementations (ExPEDitions) which seeks to develop rechargeable batteries with significantly higher energy and power density.
Fusion of Abstract Learning and Context-Optimized Neural-methods (FALCON) - Topic is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This program aims to integrate the contextualization power of Large Language Models (LLMs) with the statistical power of Machine Learning (ML) to provide domain-specific statistical contextualization of structured data for enterprise or battlefield applications.
FALCON (Fusion of Abstract Learning and Context-Optimized Neural-methods) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This DARPA SBIR topic aims to combine advanced machine learning (ML) methods computationally efficient in structured data with large language models (LLM) that are general and can extract context from data. The goal is to derive powerful and efficient technology for interactive statistical analysis of large-scale data, such as in enterprise or battlefield settings, and to develop methods to mitigate hallucination and demonstrate verifiable and reproducible analytic traces. This topic is soliciting Direct to Phase II (DP2) proposals only.
Fusion of Abstract Learning and Context-Optimized Neural-methods (FALCON) is sponsored by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). This DARPA SBIR topic aims to combine advanced machine learning (ML) methods that are computationally efficient in structured data with large language models (LLM) that are general and can extract context from data. The goal is to derive powerful and efficient technology for interactive statistical analysis of large-scale data seen in enterprise or battlefield environments. While not explicitly mentioning computer vision or ISR tracking, the AI/ML focus for battlefield applications makes it relevant.
Defense SBIR/STTR Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). DARPA publishes multiple SBIR/STTR topic opportunities under the Department of Defense (DoD) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). These topics seek innovative solutions from small businesses in response to national security challenges. Some open topics, such as "Art of Novel Signals: Predicting and Forecasting with High Confidence" and "Fusion of Abstract Learning and Context-Optimized Neural-methods (FALCON)" directly relate to machine learning, AI, and large-scale data analysis, which could have applications in biomedical data science, particularly in areas like disease surveillance or computational biology for defense health.
Fusion of Abstract Learning and Context-Optimized Neural-methods (FALCON) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This DARPA SBIR topic aims to combine advanced machine learning methods that are computationally efficient in structured data with large language models that are general and can extract context from data. The effort must survey and research emerging ML methods, develop an architecture to combine select ML methods with LLM models, determine metrics for accuracy, insights, efficiency, and generalization, and evaluate the architecture in datasets from multiple applications. It also requires developing and demonstrating methods to mitigate hallucination and demonstrate verifiable and reproducible analytic traces.
DARPA SBIR/STTR Topics (including AI-related topics such as FALCON) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). DARPA releases periodic SBIR/STTR topics focused on advanced AI/ML technologies, including fusion of machine learning and large language models for data analysis and other computational AI R&D areas aligned with national security needs.
Art of Novel Signals: Predicting and Forecasting with High Confidence is sponsored by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). This DARPA SBIR topic seeks to develop and demonstrate a predictive/forecasting model that leverages Temporal Knowledge Graph Forecasting using In-Context Learning from novel, multilingual, and multimodal data. This could be relevant for ISR tracking through advanced data analysis and prediction.
AI Forge Program: University Research Capabilities for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategic Thrusts is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and National Science Foundation (NSF). A jointly developed program by DARPA and NSF to catalyze breakthroughs in AI for national security, focusing on aligning government, academia, and industry around foundational research to accelerate advances in AI interpretability, AI control, and adversarial robustness.
DICE: Decentralized, Interpretable, Composable, and Efficient AI is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - Information Processing Techniques Office. The DICE program seeks to develop the theory and algorithms for decentralized coordination and local inference control to enable a scalable, adaptive, and resilient collective of heterogeneous AI agents that can autonomously execute sustained long-time-horizon missions in contes…
Decentralized Artificial Intelligence through Controlled Emergence (DICE) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - Information Processing Technologies Office. The DICE program seeks to develop the theory and algorithms for decentralized coordination and local inference control to enable a scalable, adaptive, and resilient collective of heterogeneous AI agents that can autonomously execute sustained long-time-horizon missions in contes…
Decentralized Artificial Intelligence through Controlled Emergence (DICE) is sponsored by DARPA. The DICE program aims to develop theory and algorithms for decentralized coordination and local inference control to enable scalable, adaptive, and resilient collectives of heterogeneous AI agents for sustained missions in contested environments, while maintaining human control. It focuses on harnessing self-organizing systems' scalability and adaptability while minimizing risks.
The DICE program seeks to develop the theory and algorithms for decentralized coordination and local inference control to enable a scalable, adaptive, and resilient collective of heterogeneous AI agents that can autonomously execute sustained long-time-horizon missions in contested environments while remaining under human control. In contrast to small-scale, rigid, and fragile centralized orchestration or the high-risk unpredictable nature of ad hoc compositions of AI agents, DICE aims to harness the scalability and adaptability of self-organizing systems while minimizing risks and ensuring that the collective behavior remains predictable and aligned with intended outcomes. This approach mirrors the principles of decentralized self-organization that underpin the internet's own scalability and resilience, where robust global behavior emerges from simple, local rules. Funding Opportunity Number: HR001126S0010. Assistance Listing: 12.910. Funding Instrument: CA,O,PC. Category: ST.
Multi Modal Materials Analysis (MMoMA) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). DARPA is soliciting innovative solutions in the technical area of materials analysis, including surface and bulk analysis of molecular structure, elemental composition, trace elements, and isotope ratios in samples, to be conducted under ambient conditions without special sample preparation.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative solutions in the technical area of materials analysis, including surface and bulk analysis of molecular structure, elemental composition, trace elements and isotope ratios in samples, to be conducted under ambient conditions, without the need for special sample preparation. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice. Funding Opportunity Number: HR001126S0013. Assistance Listing: 12.910. Funding Instrument: CA,O,PC. Category: ST.
AI Forge Initiative for University Research on AI Interpretability, Control, and Adversarial Robustness is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The AI Forge initiative is a university-only research forum that funds Project Ventures focusing on AI interpretability, AI control, and adversarial robustness. It aims to accelerate trustworthy and secure foundation-model and frontier-AI research at U.S. universities by pairing academic teams with a rapid, milestone-driven venture structure. The program is designed to solve critical AI challenges for national security.
SBIR Phase I — US Small Business Innovation is sponsored by US Federal Government (11 agencies including NIH, DOE, NSF, DoD, DARPA). The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program provides early-stage funding for highly innovative R&D projects. Active funding areas include blockchain for federal applications, decentralized identity, AI safety, and quantum computing. It is non-dilutive and open to US-based small businesses.
DoD SBIR/STTR FY26 Release 5: "Open Architecture Platform for Underwater Vehicles for Rapid Adaptation, Collaborative Sensing, Navigation, and Autonomy" (DPA26BZ05-DV021) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) via DoD. This grant seeks the development and demonstration of a modular, open-architecture autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) platform that enables rapid payload adaptation, scalable fleet deployment, advanced multi-vehicle collaboration, and resilient autonomous navigation. The architecture should be open/modular for hardware reconfiguration and adhere to open software standards for plug-and-play sensors/comms/nav/autonomy stacks.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals in the following technical area: physics and nonlinear control of inertial measurement units (IMUs) appropriate for tactical and unmanned missions. The Precision Inertial Navigation & Positioning On an Integrated Tesseract (PINPOINT) program will challenge the research community to overcome the decade-long performance plateau of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) IMUs by exploring revolutionary sensor architectures that operate in highly nonlinear regimes. DARPA is soliciting proposals for the research and development of novel inertial sensors based on physics such as, but not limited to, electromagnetically levitated proof masses, non-linear resonators, and high-velocity tethered microsystems. A central theme of this program is the tight co-design of the physical sensor package with advanced, real-time adaptive control systems necessary to stabilize and harness these complex dynamics. Performers should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice. Funding Opportunity Number: HR001126S0016. Assistance Listing: 12.910. Funding Instrument: CA,O,PC. Category: ST.
DARPA Disruptioneering Program Announcement 25-07 is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This program aims to accelerate DARPA's ability to fund and execute high-risk, high-reward scientific research through short-turnaround solicitations called Disruption Opportunities (DOs). These opportunities focus on specific technical challenges or emerging research areas related to national security.
Disruptioneering (DARPA-PA-25-07) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This program serves as a mechanism for DARPA's Defense Sciences Office (DSO) to issue individual Disruption Opportunities (DOs) that investigate high-risk, high-reward science and technology research projects quickly, typically making awards within 120 days of publication. It focuses on pursuing high-risk, high-payoff research in support of national security and technological surprise. Universities are explicitly eligible.
DARPA Disruptioneering Program Announcement is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The Disruptioneering Program provides DARPA with the flexibility to pursue exploratory R&D across a wide range of scientific and engineering domains through short-turnaround solicitations called Disruption Opportunities (DOs). These DOs focus on specific technical challenges or emerging research areas relevant to national security.
Disruptioneering (DARPA-PA-25-07) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Agency (DARPA), Defense Sciences Office (DSO). The Disruptioneering Program Announcement (DARPA-PA-25-07) establishes a streamlined mechanism for DARPA's Defense Sciences Office to explore bold new ideas through short-turnaround solicitations called Disruption Opportunities (DOs). These DOs aim to accelerate the agency's ability to fund and execute high-risk, high-reward scientific research, moving promising concepts rapidly from inception to prototype development in support of national security.
Biological Technologies Office (BTO) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) HR001126S0003 is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This BAA solicits innovative research proposals leveraging biological properties and processes, including advances in AI and machine learning, to develop technologies that protect warfighters, enhance decision-making, and strengthen resilience against threats. The scope includes radical new techniques to restore and maintain health of military service members, insights into non-human biology (microbes, plants, marine life), understanding collective behaviors of biological organisms, and countermeasure development for biological/chemical/radiological threats.
AI Forge Program: University Research Capabilities for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategic Thrusts is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The AI Forge Program seeks to identify and leverage the AI capabilities and research interests of U. S. universities to conduct high-impact, fast-paced, university-led, fundamental AI research aimed at solving "Critical AI Challenges for National Security".
Biological Technologies Office Broad Agency Announcement (HR001126S0003) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO). This BAA solicits innovative research proposals at the intersection of biology with engineering and the physical and computer sciences, with a particular interest in groundbreaking applications of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), biotechnology, and bio-inspir…
DARPA's Biological Technologies Office (BTO) office-wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA HR001126S0003) funds research that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to advance the biological sciences for national security. Priority interest areas include warfighter health, biodefense, diagnostic systems for chemical and biological threat detection, medical countermeasures, materials and sensors, agricultural and environmental applications, security and surveillance, and novel approaches to tactical care and performance recovery. Abstracts are accepted on a rolling basis through September 30, 2026, with award sizes varying by the scope of the proposed effort.
The Quantum Benchmarking Initiative Phase B is a grant from DARPA that funds rigorous research and development planning by advanced quantum computing companies working toward utility-scale quantum operation. Selected through a competitive multi-stage evaluation process, Phase B participants spend one year developing detailed R&D plans, identifying technical risks, and specifying risk-reduction prototypes for fault-tolerant quantum computers. The program aims to verify whether any quantum computing approach can achieve computational value exceeding its cost by 2033. Awards range from $1 million to $5 million. Eligibility is currently limited to the 11 companies already selected for Stage B, though new entrants may apply to Stage A via DARPA-PA-26-02-02 by September 30, 2026.
Biological Technologies Office (BTO) Office-wide BAA (HR001126S0003) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - Biological Technologies Office. The DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is soliciting proposals that leverage biological properties and processes to revolutionize the protection of the nation's warfighters. This excludes research primarily resulting in evolutionary improvements.
DARPA's Biological Technologies Office (BTO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (HR001126S003) seeks abstracts and proposals that leverage biological properties and processes to revolutionize the ability to protect warfighters, with an explicit emphasis on applying artificial intelligence and machine learning across biological science. Priority research areas include machine learning and AI applications, combat casualty care, human performance optimization, materials/sensors/processing, agricultural and environmental solutions, security and surveillance, and biomedical and biodefense initiatives. Abstracts are accepted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2026.
DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) Programs (BAA HR001126S0003) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). DARPA's BTO is soliciting proposals for innovative research that leverages biological properties and processes to advance national security, including significant advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to create new opportunities for transformativ…
Biological Technologies Broad Agency Announcement HR001126S0003 is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO). Seeks transformative research leveraging biological processes and technologies to enhance warfighter protection and performance, with particular interest in groundbreaking applications of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), biotechnology, and bio-inspired engine…
Broad Agency Announcement (HR001126S0003) - Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is a grant from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that supports universities, industry, and government laboratories are invited to submit proposals.. Subcontracting Plan Reporting Contract Retrieval Issue Show Details) Apr 17, 2026 SAM.gov users of the Subcontracting Plan Reporting module, may currently experience difficulties when trying to retrieve Prime Contracts and Subcontracts within their Workspace. We are aware of this issue and are actively working on a resolution. Eligible applicants include Universities, industry, and government laboratories are invited to submit proposals. Deadline: 2026-09-30 00:00:00+00.
DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) Office-wide BAA is a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that funds basic and applied research in biological technologies with potential value to national security. The BTO office-wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) enables researchers to propose ideas that may fall outside DARPA's current program priorities but have high potential impact. The BAA is refreshed annually and outlines the office's current technical areas of interest in biological technologies. Eligible applicants are unrestricted, including small businesses, large businesses, and universities. Funding amounts vary by project scope and awards are made through contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements. The BAA is open through September 30, 2026.
Broad Agency Announcement HR0011226S0003 is a grant from the DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) that seeks innovative research proposals leveraging biological properties and processes to enhance warfighter protection and mission readiness. BTO focuses on harnessing advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning to drive transformative science across the biological spectrum. Areas of interest include materials, sensors, and processing; agricultural and environmental applications; security, safety, and surveillance; and biomedical and biodefense solutions. The office develops diagnostic systems for chemical and biological threat identification, medical countermeasures, and novel approaches to tactical care, warfighter performance, and recovery. BTO also invests in biological manufacturing, resilient supply chains, and innovative sensors. Abstracts are accepted on a rolling basis through September 30, 2026. Multiple organization types are eligible, excluding FFRDCs, UARCs, and government entities, though non-U.S. entities may apply.
Office-wide: BTO (HR001126S0003) is a grant from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that funds research leveraging biological properties and processes to protect the nation's warfighters. DARPA's Biological Technologies Office (BTO) solicits proposals through a Broad Agency Announcement via Cooperative Agreement. The program is open to all responsible sources capable of satisfying the government's needs, including universities, industry, and other organizations. Research must go beyond evolutionary improvements to existing practice. Applications are due September 30, 2026. No cost sharing or matching is required.
DARPA's Biological Technologies Office (BTO) BAA HR001126S003 seeks revolutionary research proposals that leverage AI and machine learning in biological research. Key focus areas include AI/ML-driven biological modeling, foundation models combining biological and chemical data, virtual testbeds and synthetic data for predictive capabilities, combat casualty care, human performance optimization, novel materials and sensors, agricultural and environmental solutions, biosecurity and biodefense threat detection, and advanced data analytics for pathogen surveillance. The BAA emphasizes transformative solutions rather than incremental improvements, aiming to protect warfighters through biological innovation enhanced by artificial intelligence. Released October 1, 2025, the BAA accepts abstracts and proposals on a rolling basis.
Biological Technologies Office-wide BAA (HR001126S0003) is a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office that funds research leveraging biological properties and processes to revolutionize protection of the nation's warfighters. The broad agency announcement (BAA) solicits proposals for revolutionary advances rather than evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice, covering the full range of biological technologies research priorities. Funding amounts vary by project scope and merit. All responsible sources may submit proposals including industry, academia, and individual researchers. The submission deadline is September 30, 2026.
Office-wide BAA: Biological Technologies Office is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) solicits innovative research proposals leveraging biological properties and processes, including advances in AI and machine learning, to develop technologies that protect warfighters. This BAA supports research programs that are finite in duration but aim to drive revolutionary advancements.
DARPA Information Innovation Office BAA is a grant opportunity from DARPA that funds basic and applied research and development proposals falling within the Information Innovation Office's current technical areas of interest. The office-wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is the primary vehicle for R&D funding and is refreshed annually to reflect DARPA's evolving national security priorities. Researchers are encouraged to propose ideas that may fall outside current program priorities but have potential value to national security. Awards may be structured as contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements. Eligible applicants include all responsible sources—academic institutions, commercial firms, nonprofits, and government laboratories. Individual award amounts vary from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, with a deadline of November 1, 2026.
The DARPA Information Innovation Office (I2O) FY2026 Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA HR001126S0001) is the widest entry point for AI researchers with breakthrough ideas that do not fit a specific named DARPA program. I2O is DARPA's home for artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, autonomy, and information science research. Released November 28, 2025, this BAA solicits innovative research concepts across the full spectrum of AI and information technology, including machine learning, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, natural language processing, computer vision, human-AI teaming, and novel computing architectures. Proposal Abstracts are due by November 1, 2026, and Full Proposals by November 30, 2026. This BAA is distinct from other DARPA office-wide BAAs (STO, TTO, BTO, DSO) and specifically targets the information and AI research space. It enables researchers from academia, industry, and small businesses to propose bold, high-risk high-reward ideas directly to DARPA without waiting for a named program solicitation.
DARPA Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO) Broad Agency Announcement is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This office-wide Broad Agency Announcement invites researchers, companies, universities, and innovators to submit ideas for breakthrough technologies in artificial intelligence innovation and execution, inherent security and privacy, and resilient megasystems, that fall outside …
DARPA Triage Challenge (DTC) Event 3 is a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that funds competing teams developing scalable, timely, and accurate mass casualty triage tools for both military and civilian crisis scenarios. The challenge drives innovation in identifying vital signs of injury, locating and assessing casualties, and transmitting critical data to help medical responders prioritize care when resources are stretched. Event 3 awards range from $500,000 to $1,500,000. The application deadline is November 14, 2026. Teams must register through the DARPA team portal and review the Resources section for submission requirements. The program builds on prior challenge events showcased in immersive competition environments.
Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) is sponsored by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). The Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) aims to determine whether it's possible to build a utility-scale quantum computer by 2033. It solicits research proposals in quantum benchmarking and is structured in three stages: concept description, R&D plan, and validation/co-design.
DARPA Information Innovation Office (I2O) Office-Wide BAA is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - Information Innovation Office (I2O). This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is the broadest entry point for AI researchers with breakthrough ideas in AI, cybersecurity, data analytics, and human-machine teaming. Abstracts are required before full proposals.
DARPA's Information Innovation Office (I2O) office-wide BAA (HR001126S0001) is the widest entry point for AI researchers seeking defense funding. It organizes interests around four thrust areas: transformative AI (trustworthy, explainable, ethically-aligned systems), resilient and secure software, offensive and defensive cybersecurity, and fighting in the information domain, with AI threads running through all. It is a standing invitation for disruptive R&D concepts in information science, accepting proposals outside current program priorities.
DPA26BZ03-DV016: Advanced Machine Learning Methods and Large Language Models for Interactive Statistical Analysis of Large-Scale Data is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This DARPA SBIR topic seeks to combine advanced machine learning methods that are computationally efficient with large language models to enable powerful and efficient technology for interactive statistical analysis of large-scale data, relevant to enterprise or battlefield environments.
Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This office-wide BAA invites researchers, companies, universities, and innovators to submit ideas for breakthrough technologies in information science, computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and software assurance that fall outside the scope of current DARPA programs.
Office-wide BAA: Information Processing Techniques Office (HR001126S0001) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO). IPTO seeks revolutionary research ideas for topics not being addressed by ongoing programs or other published solicitations. This broad agency announcement covers a wide range of advanced information processing technologies relevant to DARPA's mission.
DARPA Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO). This office-wide BAA invites researchers, companies, universities, and innovators to submit ideas for breakthrough technologies that fall outside the scope of current DARPA programs and solicitations.
Artificial Intelligence Research and Development (R&D) Program (Office-Wide BAA, Information Processing Techniques Office - IPTO) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) from DARPA's Information Processing Techniques Office (IPTO) invites ideas for breakthrough technologies in information science, computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and software assurance that fall outside the scope of current …
FY2026 Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is a grant from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Information Innovation Office (I2O) that supports research and work in its focus areas. Records Retention Policy Impacts Old SAM Registration Data # Information Innovation Office (I2O) Office-Wide DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY (DARPA) #### Looking for contract opportunity help?. APEX Accelerators are an official government contracting resource for small businesses. Find your local APEX Accelerator (opens in new window) for free government expertise related to contract opportunities. Eligible applicants include Open to all proposers who can meet the agency's needs, including universities, industry, and consortia. Awards total Varies by project scope. The application deadline is 2026-11-30T00:00:00+00:00.
Office-wide BAA: Information Processing Techniques Office is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Information Processing Techniques Office (I2O). The I2O seeks revolutionary research ideas for topics not being addressed by ongoing programs or other published solicitations, with a focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics, and human-machine teaming.
DARPA I2O Office-Wide BAA for AI and Information Innovation is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeks groundbreaking research in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and information innovation to advance national defense capabilities. It focuses on transformative AI technologies that are trustworthy, ethically aligned, and capable of interacting competently with humans.
Information Innovation Office (I2O) FY2026 Office-Wide BAA (HR001126S0001) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) from DARPA's I2O explicitly solicits proposals in offensive and defensive cybersecurity, trustworthy AI, and complex software systems. It's an opportunity for researchers to propose innovative ideas in areas that align with DARPA's mission to prevent technological surprise and create breakthrough technologies for national security.
Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Information Innovation Office (I2O) is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). An open solicitation accepting white papers in various research interests, explicitly including offensive and defensive cybersecurity, trustworthy AI, and complex software systems. This BAA is a potential avenue for sustained DARPA funding.
DARPA's Information Innovation Office (I2O) FY2026 Office-Wide BAA (HR001126S0001) seeks revolutionary research ideas across four thrust areas: transformative AI (trustworthy, explainable, ethically-aligned systems), resilient and secure software, offensive and defensive cybersecurity, and information domain operations (cognitive and semantic operations, digital artifact tracking, adversarial influence). Part of DARPA's AI Forward initiative. I2O seeks unconventional approaches outside the mainstream that challenge accepted assumptions and have potential to radically change established practices. Abstracts (3-5 pages) required before full proposals; I2O reviews abstracts and issues explicit invitations to submit. Abstract deadline November 1, 2026; full proposal deadline November 30, 2026.
I2O Office-Wide BAA for Transformative AI and Cybersecurity Research is sponsored by Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Information Innovation Office (I2O). DARPA I2O is soliciting innovative research proposals in information science and technology, including cybersecurity, to address national security challenges. The program aims for revolutionary advances rather than incremental improvements.
I2O Office-Wide BAA: HR001126S0001 is sponsored by DARPA. This Broad Agency Announcement from DARPA's Information Innovation Office (I2O) solicits novel research concepts across various areas, including AI. It is a broad call for innovative research, and while not exclusively focused on open-source developer tools for AI local inference, it is a significant avenue for high-risk, high-reward AI research that could encompass such projects. Abstracts are required before full proposals.
DARPA's Information Innovation Office (I2O) released its FY2026 Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) HR001126S0001 seeking groundbreaking research proposals in information science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and complex software systems. The total anticipated funding across FY2025-2029 is $35,880,000, subject to availability. I2O focuses on four key thrust areas: (1) Proficient AI technologies that are trustworthy, ethically aligned, and capable of interacting competently with humans; (2) Resilient, adaptable, and secure software and complex systems; (3) Offensive and defensive cybersecurity and privacy innovations; and (4) Technologies that enhance fighting in the information domain. The BAA serves as the primary mechanism for researchers and organizations to propose revolutionary ideas to I2O outside of specific program solicitations. Abstracts are due November 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET, with full proposals accepted on a rolling basis. This BAA is refreshed annually and enables DARPA to identify transformative research opportunities that may not fit within existing programmatic boundaries. Submissions are evaluated on overall scientific and technical merit, potential contribution to DARPA's mission, and cost realism.
DARPA's Information Innovation Office (I2O) released its FY2026 Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) HR001126S0001 on November 28, 2025, providing the widest entry point for AI researchers with breakthrough ideas that do not fit into a specific named DARPA program. The BAA invites performers to propose bold, unconventional approaches capable of delivering decisive information and computational advantage to the United States and its allies. I2O programs address four key thrust areas: (1) Transformative AI — developing trustworthy, disruptive artificial intelligence technologies that are ethically aligned and capable of interacting competently with humans; (2) Resilient, Adaptable, and Secure Software — formal methods and tools for building secure complex systems; (3) Offensive and Defensive Cybersecurity and Privacy — AI-leveraged trustworthy cyber capabilities; and (4) Fighting in the Information Domain — protecting and detecting attacks across cognitive, semantic, tracking, and transport levels. A fifth category covers novel capabilities outside mainstream approaches that provide decisive advantage. Proposal abstracts are accepted on a rolling basis until November 1, 2026, with full proposals due by November 30, 2026. This BAA is distinct from DARPA's STO and TTO office-wide BAAs, and specifically targets the information sciences and AI domain.
The Strategic Technology Office-wide Innovation Solutions Announcement from DARPA seeks revolutionary research proposals on topics not covered by existing STO programs. STO is a systems warfare office focused on innovative and disruptive technologies across all physical domains including air, space, sea, and land. Areas of interest include artificial intelligence, autonomy and control algorithms, electromagnetic warfare, command and control, distributed autonomy and teaming, space sensors and architectures for proliferated low earth orbit constellations, undersea and seabed technology, and software-defined radio technologies. Funding may be awarded through cooperative agreements, Other Transaction Agreements for research or prototypes, and procurement for experimental purposes. Proposals must pursue revolutionary advances rather than evolutionary improvements to current capabilities.
The DARPA Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (HR001125S0011) solicits revolutionary research ideas for advanced military systems including autonomous platforms, AI-enabled weapons systems, unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, advanced munitions, and tactical robotics. TTO's mission focuses on rapid development and demonstration of system-level military capabilities that can be transitioned to the warfighter. The BAA uses a two-step process: researchers first submit Executive Summaries by April 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM ET, and DARPA responds with either encouragement or discouragement for submitting full proposals. This is distinct from DARPA's DSO BAA (basic research) and I2O BAA (information technology); TTO specifically funds tactical systems integration, autonomous platform prototyping, and operational capability demonstrations. Areas of interest span autonomous swarms, AI-enabled battle management, human-machine teaming for tactical operations, advanced sensors and seekers, and rapid prototyping of unmanned systems.
DARPA Tactical Technology Office (TTO) Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (HR001125S0011) solicits innovative proposals for revolutionary platforms and systems across four thrust areas: Design/Build/Buy (rapid prototyping and manufacturing of defense systems), Surge and Sustain (scaling production and maintaining systems), Long Range Effects (extended reach weapons and capabilities), and Disruptive Innovation (including low-cost autonomous systems that can use mass to overwhelm defensive systems). The BAA seeks compelling hardware demonstrations at scales that show disruptive capability while managing complexity and reducing risk and cost. Executive summaries are accepted on a rolling basis through April 17, 2026, with full proposals accepted through December 22, 2026. This office focuses on unmanned systems, autonomous vehicles, AI-enabled tactical platforms, and novel system architectures. The FY2026 defense budget earmarks $13.4 billion for AI and autonomous systems.
The DARPA Tactical Technology Office (TTO) creates technological surprise and provides new options for national security, by demonstrating revolutionary platforms and systems with cutting-edge technology. TTO demonstrates compelling hardware at scales that demonstrate disruptive capability, with designs that reduce risk and cost by managing complexity, and which can be manufactured responsively and affordably. TTO is soliciting innovative executive summaries and proposals that enhance the nation’s ability to rapidly build, adapt and sustain force structures with the following focus areas: Design/Build/Buy, Surge and Sustain, Long Range Effects, and Disruptive Innovation. Funding Opportunity Number: HR001125S0011. Assistance Listing: 12.910. Funding Instrument: CA,G,O,PC. Category: ST.
DARPA's TIAMAT (Transfer from Imprecise and Abstract Models to Autonomous Technologies) program develops sim-to-real transfer techniques that train autonomous systems in low-fidelity, abstract simulations and reliably deploy them in unpredictable physical environments. Research targets foundations for rapid sim-to-real generalization, robustness to physics-model error, and transfer learning across morphology and sensor configurations. The program is structured as two 18-month phases and supports applications including ground autonomy, aerial autonomy, and robotic manipulation in adversarial, novel, or contested settings. Awards have included University of Central Florida ($1.2M) and other academic and industry performers. TIAMAT is a core DARPA investment in foundational autonomy R&D.
DARPA's REMA (Rapid Experimental Missionized Autonomy) program enhances commercially available and stock military drones by adding an autonomy subsystem that increases the drone's capability and renders ineffective adversaries' electromagnetic countermeasures that disrupt operator-drone communication. The single-phase program develops a drone-autonomy adapter interface and mission-specific autonomy software, utilizing accelerating development spirals for tactical deployment. Focus areas include onboard AI inference for navigation, target recognition, and mission continuation in GPS-denied and jammed environments; foundation models for tactical autonomy; and modular autonomy stacks compatible with diverse commercial drone platforms. Managed by DARPA TTO under PM Phillip Smith.
DARPA Strategic Technology Office Innovation Solutions Opening for AI Autonomy and Robotics is sponsored by DARPA Strategic Technology Office (STO). A rolling solicitation that accepts proposals for revolutionary advances in national security technology, with a focus on AI autonomy and robotics. Specifically excludes research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.
DARPA Strategic Technology Office Innovation Solutions Opening for AI Autonomy and Robotics (DARPA-PS-26-09) is sponsored by DARPA Strategic Technology Office (STO). This is a rolling solicitation that accepts proposals for revolutionary advances in national security technology. It seeks innovative research ideas for topics not addressed by ongoing STO programs, with a focus on AI autonomy and robotics.
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DARPA's DICE program (HR001126S0010) wants the theory and algorithms for a self-organizing collective of AI agents that stays on mission in contested environments with no central controller. It is a 36-month, simulation-only, three-technical-area BAA due August 25, 2026 — and it rewards a rare blend of distributed-systems theory and frontier-model inference control that almost no single lab has under one roof. Here is what DICE is really asking for, who is positioned to win, and how to build a team that can.
Read articleDARPA's FY26 SBIR Release 5 pre-releases August 5, 2026, opens August 26, and closes September 23 — a four-week window. The Department of War now pre-releases SBIR/STTR topics the first Wednesday of every month, turning DARPA solicitations into a predictable annual cadence you can plan around. The most valuable and least-used part is the three-week pre-release period, when you can talk directly to the topic authors before proposals open. Here is how to turn the monthly rhythm and the pre-release window into a real competitive edge.
Read articleThe Defense Production Act's Title III has quietly become one of the most active federal funding vehicles of 2026 — $500M for energy infrastructure, ~$275M for critical-minerals processing, and a standing defense-manufacturing FOA. But the underlying authorities sunset September 30, 2026 absent reauthorization. Here is how DPA Title III works, who is eligible, why it differs from a normal grant, and how to move before the window closes.
Read articleTitle III of the Defense Production Act lets the Pentagon hand non-dilutive capital to companies that expand domestic production of defense-critical materials and manufacturing — through a white-paper-first pathway run by the Air Force Research Laboratory (FA8650-19-S-5010) rather than a conventional grant competition. But the core DPA authorities sunset September 30, 2026 absent reauthorization, and the standing white-paper window has moved in and out of suspension. Here is how the Title III mechanism actually works, why it rewards companies that lead with a supply-chain vulnerability, and how to position before the authority cliff.
Read articleOn April 20, 2026, the White House declared grid, natural gas, LNG, petroleum, and coal 'essential to national defense,' unlocking DPA Title III loans, loan guarantees, and purchase commitments through DOE. Here is how this non-traditional financing works, who qualifies, why the September 30 sunset matters, and how energy companies and their supply chains should position now.
Read articleDARPA's Non-Volatile Memory for Extreme Environments topic (DPA26BZ04-DV017) is a Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR worth $1.2 million for radiation-hardened NOR Flash that works from -269°C to +600°C. It opened July 22 and closes August 19, 2026. Here is why the no-Phase-I structure narrows the field to a handful of teams, what the rad-hard specs actually demand, and how a qualified company should sequence a proposal in under a month.
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