Autonomous Interventions and Robotics (AIR) – ARPA-H-SOL-26-146
Below is a summary. Please see the official solicitation on sam.gov for details (link in Resources Section).
Executive Summary:
The AIR program will award multiple OT agreements to teams developing autonomous endovascular robotic systems and interventional microbots that can perform key parts of surgical and interventional procedures without direct human control. The program runs for five years (two-year Phase 1 and three-year Phase 2). Companies must submit a Solution Summary by January 26, 2026 and a Full Proposal by March 30, 2026.
How much funding would I receive?
The ISO does not specify a minimum or maximum award amount. ARPA-H states only that it expects to make multiple OT awards under this opportunity; budgets will be driven by the scope, risk, and duration of each proposed 5-year effort (2-year Phase 1 + 3-year Phase 2).
What could I use the funding for?
The Autonomous Interventions and Robotics (AIR) program aims to catalyze the development of autonomous robotic surgery—an intervention during which a robot performs part, or all, of the procedure without direct human input. AIR encompasses two (2) technical areas: Technical Area 1 (TA1)—endovascular robotics, and Technical Area 2 (TA2)—microbots. Technical Area 1 comprises sub-areas TA1-A—endovascular robotic systems and TA1-B—endovascular simulation environment.
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During an endovascular procedure, the surgeon reviews the pre-operative CT of the patient’s vasculature, makes a small incision in the patient’s skin, then manually navigates guidewires and catheters from the femoral or radial artery up into the patient’s brain, using occasional guidance from intra-operative 2D fluoroscopy images. The surgeon steers the distal tip of the catheter around tortuous anatomy by pushing, pulling, and twisting the catheter at the entry point—a challenging process requiring dexterity, mental mapping, and an understanding of the physical properties of catheters. Often, the surgeon must try multiple types of catheters, restarting the navigation from the beginning and losing precious time in the process. Once the target is reached, additional challenges await. For example, during a mechanical thrombectomy—the removal of a stroke-inducing blood clot from the brain—once the catheter reaches the clot, there is ambiguity around contact and suction; with little tactile feedback beyond translated resistance, the surgeon needs to make a seal and suction the clot. In addition, endovascular surgeons receive high yearly doses of radiation during procedures, increasing their risk of cancer and other sequelae such as cataracts1.
Thrombectomies are a critical unmet need in the United States and worldwide. Every year, approximately 335,000 Americans experience an ischemic stroke caused by a large vessel occlusion (LVO), a situation in which a major blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a clot. The standard of care is to mechanically remove the clot via thrombectomy; unfortunately, only ~40,000 Americans per year—about 10% of the patients with LVOs—receive thrombectomies2. There are only 311 thrombectomy-capable centers in the United States as of 20223, and they are unevenly distributed, with 50% of Americans living more than one hour away from one. Time to procedure is crucial; every 10-minute delay in revascularization lowers a patient’s disability-free lifetime by ~40 days and increases health care costs by $10,0004. While thrombectomies are currently recommended for patients within six hours from stroke onset, recent clinical studies have shown benefit to 24 hours and beyond5.
More broadly, other specialized or highly invasive procedures are often the only way to obtain disease diagnostics and treat pathological conditions. These include biopsies of suspicious tissue, ablations of uterine fibroids, and destruction of kidney stones, among numerous others. Overall, surgery remains dangerous: more than one in three patients experience adverse events during surgical care. Furthermore, surgery requires specialist care, which can involve extensive travel and waiting times.
Automated systems such as microbots (small, mechanical, electronic or hybrid devices) have the potential to dramatically increase access to interventions. However, surgical microrobot research and development is largely at an early stage and mostly devoted to biosensing and microrobot motion; the smaller the entity, the more difficult it is for the entity to propel itself directionally. Implementation of end-to-end clinical solutions is notional at best, except for pill-sized gastro-intestinal (GI) imaging devices, which are specifically excluded from accepted AIR solutions. Autonomous endovascular systems also currently do not exist; although complex robotics elements have been developed in industry and academia, autonomous navigation and control algorithms are still in their infancy.
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AIR aims to make endovascular procedures available at hospitals everywhere through autonomous robotic systems; it is understood, though, that the transition from the current state of clinical care to this audacious goal is likely to involve multiple practical evolutionary steps. They will likely include: a) clinical trials during which endovascular surgeons present in the room will be ready to take over at any moment from the autonomous endovascular robotic system; b) a first deployment phase, in which local general surgeons and remote endovascular surgeons will oversee the procedure; and ultimately, c) a phase in which only local general surgeons (or other medical professionals) will oversee the operation of thoroughly validated autonomous systems.
AIR microbots are intended to create a paradigm shift in interventional procedures, transforming these invasive procedures—currently performed in advanced care settings and requiring skilled practitioners—into minimally invasive procedures performed in a general practitioner’s office. Microbots are expected to simplify existing procedures, enable completely new procedures, reduce complications rates and costs, and increase procedure availability.
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Technical Area 1 (TA1) of AIR aims to develop fully autonomous robotic endovascular intervention systems. After a medical professional inserts the catheter system into the femoral or radial artery, the robot will complete an endovascular procedure without human intervention. The system capabilities will be demonstrated in several procedures, including 3D rotational angiogram imaging, vascular embolization, and, most importantly, thrombectomy. Autonomous endovascular systems developed in TA1-A will encompass:
1) Robotic control systems that can manipulate catheters and guidewires
2) Navigation algorithms based on pre-operative imaging and real-time sensing
3) Steerable catheters and guidewires (if required)
4) Solutions for autonomous clot removal and vascular embolization
In addition, TA1-B will develop an in silico testing and validation environment for these robots, an activity that will include the collection of fluoroscopic videos of endovascular procedures, CT angiograms, and other imaging modalities as needed for training.
Note that autonomous blood vessel access is out of scope for the AIR program; a surgeon or surgical technician will obtain vessel access.
Additional details are available in the solicitation. -
Technical Area 2 (TA2) of AIR aims to develop a set of interventional microbots. Performers will specify a target clinical indication and develop microbots that move, sense, and act to diagnose or treat this condition by means of more precise targeting and/or less invasive access. TA2 teams will address:
a. Microbot locomotion
b. Anatomy/pathology targeting methods
c. Miniaturization or externalization of power supplies and computational processing
d. Autonomous or automated action
e. Microbot removal or deactivation
Gastrointestinal/ingestible pill microbots that only image, stimulate, and/or deliver cargo are out of scope for the AIR program.
Although the technologies for both TAs are developed and validated for a target indication, it is expected that they will serve as platforms for multiple interventions and procedures.
Additional details are available in the solicitation.
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
Beyond direct funding, AIR awards can provide strategic benefits typical of ARPA-style programs:
Government technical validation: Being selected by ARPA-H signals that your approach is technically ambitious and nationally relevant in health innovation and surgical autonomy, which can help in discussions with strategics, hospital systems, and investors.
Positioning for regulatory and ecosystem engagement: AIR is structured with parallel FDA collaboration (for TA1) and explicit regulatory milestones (e.g., simulation frameworks, Q-submissions) that can de-risk later clinical and commercialization steps.
Access to a high-end performer network: Performers will interact with other top robotics, imaging, and microbotics teams, plus FDA scientific collaborators and ARPA-H program staff—often leading to follow-on partnerships and future solicitations.
Nondilutive growth capital: Because funding is nondilutive, successful teams can mature high-capex platforms (robotics, microfabrication, imaging) while preserving equity and potentially driving higher valuations and stronger exit options down the line.
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?
Proposer’s Day: December 16, 2025
Q&A deadline: January 20, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
Solution Summaries due: January 26, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
Full Proposals due: March 30, 2026, 5:00 PM ET
Where does this funding come from?
The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a federal R&D agency within HHS, issuing awards under the authority of 42 U.S.C. § 290c(g)(1)(D) via OT agreements.
Who is eligible to apply?
Universities and other educational institutions
Non-profit organizations
Small businesses
Other-than-small businesses
What companies and projects are likely to win?
Overall Scientific & Technical Merit:
Companies proposing highly innovative, technically rigorous, and fully executable plans with well-defined milestones, clear risk-mitigation strategies, and IP structures that enable commercialization are most competitive. Winning projects will demonstrate a credible path to achieving AIR’s demanding 5-year technical milestones.Proposer’s Capabilities & Related Experience:
Teams with deep, directly relevant expertise—including experienced robotics engineers, imaging specialists, microbot developers, and required clinicians (e.g., an endovascular neurosurgeon for TA1-A)—are most likely to win. Prior success delivering complex R&D programs on time and on budget is a major advantage.Assessment of Proposed Cost/Price:
ARPA-H will favor proposers who submit realistic, well-justified budgets that reflect the true complexity of autonomous surgical robotics or microbot development. Costs must align with the technical plan, leverage past research efficiently, and avoid artificially low budgets or staffing junior personnel simply to reduce cost.
Are there any restrictions I should know about?
Key restrictions from the ISO include:
Scope restrictions
TA1 excludes autonomous vascular access and closure; a human must obtain vessel access.
GI “pill camera–only” devices and ingestible microbots that only image, stimulate, or deliver cargo are out of scope; GI microbots must at least sense and biopsy, or sense/biopsy/ablate, to qualify.
Purely biological, purely chemical, or chem-bio-only delivery concepts (no mechanical/electronic component) are not acceptable microbots. Nanoparticles alone are out of scope.
Team composition and application rules
TA1-A teams must include at least one endovascular neurosurgeon.
A given team may propose to either TA1-A or TA1-B, but not both
How long will it take me to prepare an application?
For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive solutions summary under this BAA will likely take 40–60 hours in total.
How can BW&CO help?
Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:
Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development
Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations
Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth under Federal & State R&D Initiatives.
How much would BW&CO Charge?
Our full service support is available for a flat fee of $4,000 to submit a solution summary.
Fractional support is $300 per hour.
For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier grant consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.
Additional Resources
Check the full solicitation here.