Army xTech|Search 10 Competition: SBIR Topic ARM26BX05-NP011

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

xTech|Search 10 is an open-topic Army prize competition that identifies groundbreaking, commercially traded technologies with the potential to deliver game-changing capabilities to the Army. Companies enter by submitting a white paper to the xTech|Search 10 competition by August 26, 2026. The Army will competitively down-select up to 16 finalists, and only those finalists become eligible to submit a Phase I Army SBIR proposal under topic ARM26BX05-NP011 for a potential follow-on award of up to $300,000 over a 6-month period of performance. Proposals submitted to this topic by non-finalists or non-participants will not be evaluated.

What is the xTech|Search 10 Competition?

xTech|Search 10 is an open-topic competition run by the Army SBIR/STTR Program and the Army xTech Program. Its purpose is to surface technologies that already have strong commercial traction and that could also provide a disruptive advantage to the Army. Rather than defining a single narrow problem, it invites companies across many technology domains to demonstrate why their solution is best in class and how it maps to Army modernization priorities.

The competition functions as a front door to the Army SBIR program. It is structured as a prize competition first and a funding pathway second. Companies compete on the strength of a white paper, the Army selects up to 16 finalists, and only those finalists are permitted to submit a Phase I SBIR proposal under this topic. This structure means the competition itself is the gate, and the SBIR award is the prize on the other side of it.

Because it is open-topic, xTech|Search 10 is one of the most accessible entry points into Army non-dilutive funding for deep-tech startups that may not have a background in defense work but can clearly articulate a technical and commercial advantage.

How much funding is available?

Finalists who are selected from the xTech|Search 10 competition become eligible to submit a Phase I Army SBIR proposal under topic ARM26BX05-NP011. The Phase I award carries a cost limit of $300,000 with a 6-month period of performance.

The full xTech|Search 10 competition also awards cash prizes to finalists across the stages of the competition. The complete prize structure, including finalist cash awards and the number of participants advanced at each stage, is detailed in the official xTech|Search 10 competition RFI. Companies should review that RFI directly for the exact prize amounts, since those figures are set at the competition level rather than in the SBIR topic itself. The link is provided in the timeline section below.

The headline number to plan around is the up to $300,000 Phase I SBIR follow-on, which is the funding that flows to finalists who successfully submit and win a Phase I proposal.

What technologies is the Army looking for?

xTech|Search 10 is deliberately broad. The Army has aligned four portfolios of priority interest for this competition, each tied to critical Army needs, but the program explicitly welcomes proposals in any other technology domain that could provide a disruptive advantage. If your technology does not fit neatly into one of the four portfolios but you can show it delivers a game-changing capability, you are still encouraged to apply.

The competition maps to the following Army modernization priorities: Advanced Computing and Software, Advanced Materials, Human-Machine Interfaces, Integrated Network Systems-of-Systems, Integrated Sensing and Cyber, Microelectronics, Quantum Science, and Trusted AI and Autonomy. The projected security requirement for this topic is CMMC Level 1, which is the entry-level cybersecurity maturity tier.

What are the four priority portfolios?

The Army has identified four portfolios of priority interest for xTech|Search 10, each with core technology components:

Sensors. Electronic devices used to measure physical parameters, often enabling enhanced automation through the Internet of Things.

Immersive and Wearables. Integration or extension of the real world through digital or simulated reality, including augmented, virtual, and mixed reality. The wearables component focuses on smart electronic devices worn by or attached to the user to gather data or provide insight during mission operations.

AI/ML. Technology that incorporates human intelligence into machines, along with machine learning approaches that allow systems to learn from data without explicit programming.

Contested Logistics and Sustainment. Strategic and operational technologies for planning and executing the movement and maintenance of forces and materials under adversarial conditions.

Who is eligible to apply?

To be eligible for the Phase I Army SBIR award that follows this competition, a company must meet standard SBIR eligibility criteria:

It must be a for-profit company.

It must be more than 50 percent owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens, or by other for-profit small businesses that are themselves U.S.-owned and controlled.

It must have 500 or fewer employees, including all affiliates.

Companies should also review the full xTech|Search 10 competition RFI for any competition-specific eligibility requirements, including rules about prior xTech participation and the ability to obtain a CAGE code.

What is the timeline and key deadline?

The single most important date for any company interested in this topic is the white paper deadline for the xTech|Search 10 competition.

August 26, 2026: White paper submission deadline for the xTech|Search 10 competition, submitted through the official competition portal.

The competition RFI and application link are available here: https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions/

After the white paper stage, the Army competitively down-selects to up to 16 finalists. Only those finalists are invited to submit a Phase I Army SBIR proposal under topic ARM26BX05-NP011. Companies that did not participate in the competition, or that participated but were not named finalists, are not permitted to submit and will not have proposals evaluated.

Because the competition is the gate, missing the August 26, 2026 white paper deadline closes off the entire pathway to this topic. Companies interested in the up to $300,000 Phase I award should treat the white paper as the true application and build their timeline backward from that date.

What happens in each SBIR phase?

Phase I. Accepting submissions from xTech|Search 10 finalists only, with a cost limit of $300,000 and a 6-month period of performance. In Phase I, the company completes a feasibility study that demonstrates its competitive technical advantage relative to other commercial products, and develops concept plans for applying the technology to Army modernization priorities. The study should identify the technology at both the component and system levels, provide supporting literature for technical feasibility, highlight existing performance data, show application opportunities to a broad base of customers outside defense, present a commercial market strategy, explain how the technology addresses the Army modernization area, and include a technology development roadmap. At the end of Phase I, the company provides a concept demonstration showing a high probability that continued development will yield a mature Phase II product.

Phase II. The company produces prototype solutions that a Soldier can easily operate. These prototypes are provided to select Army units for evaluation by Soldiers. The company also delivers a technology transition and commercialization plan covering both DoD and commercial markets.

Phase III Dual Use. The company matures the technology developed in Phase II to TRL 6/7 and produces prototypes to support further development and commercialization. The Army evaluates each product in a realistic field environment, and based on Soldier feedback the company updates the prototypes toward a final design configuration. Phase III work is funded through non-SBIR sources.

How do you actually enter and win?

The path is sequential and unforgiving of missed steps. First, submit a competitive white paper to the xTech|Search 10 competition by August 26, 2026. Second, get selected as one of up to 16 finalists in the Army down-select. Third, submit a Phase I Army SBIR proposal under ARM26BX05-NP011 as an invited finalist. There is no way to skip the competition and go straight to the SBIR proposal.

The plain guidance for self-assessment is straightforward. If you can achieve the competition objective better than any other company on the market, you have a strong likelihood of advancing and you should apply. Open-topic competitions reward companies that can crisply demonstrate a defensible technical edge and real commercial traction.

What does a competitive white paper need to show?

Winning white papers for open-topic competitions tend to do four things well. They demonstrate genuine commercial traction, such as revenue, customers, partnerships, or independent validation, rather than a concept alone. They articulate a clear and defensible technical advantage over existing commercial products. They draw a direct line from the technology to a specific Army modernization priority or operational need. And they show a credible path to maturation and transition, so the Army can see how the capability reaches Soldiers.

Because the topic is open, judges are comparing very different technologies against one another. Clarity, evidence, and a sharp articulation of why your solution is game-changing carry more weight than technical density.

Why this topic matters for deep-tech startups

xTech|Search 10 is one of the lowest-friction ways for a commercially oriented startup to enter the Army SBIR ecosystem. It does not require a prior defense relationship, it rewards existing commercial traction, and it offers a structured pathway from a single white paper to a $300,000 non-dilutive Phase I award, with cash prizes along the way and direct engagement with Army stakeholders. For a seed to Series A company with a strong product and no in-house grants team, the competition format lets you compete on the strength of your technology and your traction rather than on your familiarity with federal proposal mechanics.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO provides end-to-end support for the xTech|Search 10 pathway, including competition strategy, white paper development, and full Phase I SBIR proposal writing for finalists, along with administrative and compliance support. We help you position your commercial traction and technical advantage for the open-topic judging criteria, map your technology to the right Army modernization priority, and build the timeline backward from the August 26, 2026 deadline so nothing slips.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Army SBIR topic ARM26BX05-NP011?
It is the Phase I SBIR topic tied to the xTech|Search 10 prize competition. Only finalists selected from the xTech|Search 10 competition are eligible to submit a Phase I proposal under this topic. Proposals from non-finalists or non-participants will not be evaluated.

How do I apply to xTech|Search 10?
You apply by submitting a white paper to the xTech|Search 10 competition through the official Army xTech portal at https://www.xtech.army.mil/competitions/ by the August 26, 2026 deadline. You do not apply to the SBIR topic directly.

When is the deadline?
The white paper submission deadline for the xTech|Search 10 competition is August 26, 2026.

How much funding can I receive?
Finalists are eligible to submit a Phase I Army SBIR proposal for up to $300,000 over a 6-month period of performance. The competition also awards cash prizes to finalists, with the full prize structure detailed in the competition RFI.

How many finalists will be selected?
The Army will competitively down-select up to 16 finalists, and those finalists are the only firms eligible to submit a Phase I SBIR proposal under this topic.

Does my technology have to fit one of the four portfolios?
No. The four portfolios of Sensors, Immersive and Wearables, AI/ML, and Contested Logistics and Sustainment are priority areas, but the competition is open-topic and welcomes any technology domain that could provide a disruptive advantage to the Army.

Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility for the Phase I SBIR follows standard SBIR rules: a for-profit company, more than 50 percent U.S.-owned and controlled, with 500 or fewer employees including affiliates. Review the competition RFI for any competition-specific eligibility requirements.

What security or compliance level is required?
The projected requirement for this topic is CMMC Level 1, the entry-level cybersecurity maturity tier.

Can I submit a Phase I proposal without entering the competition?
No. Only xTech|Search 10 finalists may submit a Phase I proposal under this topic. There is no direct submission path.

Who is the point of contact?
The technical point of contact is the Army xTech Mailbox at usarmy.xtech@army.mil.