ARPA-H SPECTRA ARPA-H-SOL-26-163: Autism Technology and Research Funding Guide for Startups

ARPA-H's Systems for Phenotypic Evaluation, Clinical Trajectories, Response, and Agency (SPECTRA) program aims to understand how autism develops across the lifespan and to act on that knowledge earlier and more precisely. The first open call is for Technical Area 4: everyday technologies such as wearables, communication devices, eye tracking, and AI speech tools that people want to use, and that generate assessment data as they are used. Companies, universities, and nonprofits are eligible.

Deadline: TA4 Solution Summaries are due October 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. TA1 and TA2 summaries are expected December 2, 2026, and TA3 summaries January 18, 2027.

Why This Opportunity Matters

About 1 in 31 U.S. children is diagnosed with autism, and an estimated 25 to 30 percent of autistic people are minimally verbal or nonspeaking. Diagnosis often comes late, data sit in silos, and most assessments do not work well for the people with the highest support needs. SPECTRA is designed to change that by connecting biology, environment, real-world data, and targeted interventions into one program.

For health technology companies, TA4 is the immediate opening. It is one of the rare federal programs that funds consumer-grade tools built for real homes and classrooms, not just clinics, and it rewards products that families actually keep using.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Sponsor: Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), Proactive Health Office
• Solicitation: ARPA-H-SOL-26-163, Innovative Solutions Opening
• Award type: Other Transaction (OT) agreements, with phased reviews and possible down-selects
• Award size: Not published. Proposers request funds across all phases on the Solution Summary cover page
• Program length: About four years, with TA4 gates at Months 12, 24, and 48
• TA4 Solution Summary due: October 18, 2026, 5:00 PM ET (portal open now)
• TA1 and TA2 Solution Summary due: December 2, 2026, 5:00 PM ET (details by amendment, expected late October)
• TA3 Solution Summary due: January 18, 2027, 5:00 PM ET (details by amendment, expected early December)
• Full proposals: Dates will be announced after Solution Summaries are reviewed
• Cost share: Resource sharing is encouraged but not required

What SPECTRA Funds

TA4: Technologies for Communication, Quality of Life, and Embedded Assessment (open now)

TA4 funds everyday tools that improve communication and daily function while collecting meaningful data in the background. ARPA-H names examples including wearables for sleep, movement, and autonomic state, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and speech interfaces, eye tracking on tablets and phones, low-channel EEG usable at home, camera-based analysis of movement and behavior, and immersive virtual environment tools. Multimodal combinations are encouraged.

Strong TA4 proposals personalize to each user on the device, adapt over a lifetime, keep users in control of their data, and share data through the program's common data model. A goal is to push validated early identification about ten months earlier than today's 16-month floor. An optional speech component calls for open-source, on-device speech recognition tuned for child and atypical speech. Tools that require users to perform an assessment task belong in TA1, not TA4, and closed ecosystems that cannot export data are out of scope.

TA1: Multi-Factor Analysis and Trajectory Identification (coming)

Multimodal analysis of genetic, biological, environmental, and medical factors to define autism trajectories. TA1 is analysis only and requires datasets and partners already in place.

TA2: Population-Scale Modeling and Data Integration (coming)

A federated, privacy-preserving national data network built on health data standards, with at least 10 live nodes and fast multisite queries.

TA3: Precision Intervention and Trajectory Testing (coming)

Adaptive platform trials stratified by trajectory, prioritizing sleep, seizures, GI issues, pain, anxiety, crisis, and regression.

Is Your Company a Fit?

TA4 is a strong fit for:

• Wearable and biosensing companies focused on sleep, autonomic state, or seizure and overload alerts
• AAC and communication device makers, especially for minimally verbal and nonspeaking users
• Speech AI teams willing to build open, on-device models
• Eye tracking, low-channel EEG, and computer vision companies with tools that run on common phones and tablets
• VR and immersive learning companies

ARPA-H asks for prior experience building technology for autistic people or comparable populations, plus pilot or usability data from the intended users, so teams with real-world deployments will be most competitive. Looking ahead, AI and multi-omics analytics companies fit TA1, federated data and privacy companies fit TA2, and clinical trial platforms and therapeutics companies fit TA3.

FFRDCs and government entities cannot participate, entities from covered foreign countries are excluded, and ARPA-H prioritizes work performed in the United States.

How to Apply

1. Register on the ARPA-H Solutions site. The TA4 portal is open now at solutions.arpa-h.gov. A UEI is not required for the Solution Summary but is required before award.
2. Submit a TA4 Solution Summary by October 18, 2026. Use the required Attachment A1 template, up to 7 pages for the concept, innovation and impact, proposed work, and team. The cover page, cost estimate, resource share strategy, and references do not count toward the limit.
3. Receive an encourage or discourage response. ARPA-H says its view should carry significant weight in your decision to continue.
4. Submit a full proposal. Requirements and deadlines will be released by amendment after summaries are reviewed.

You may submit to more than one technical area, but each must be a separate, standalone submission. Questions go through the Ask a Question page on the ARPA-H Solutions site.

How BW&CO Helps

BW&CO helps digital health, wearable, and AI companies decide which SPECTRA technical area fits, frame their real-world evidence for ARPA-H reviewers, and deliver a compliant Solution Summary on a tight timeline. We also track the TA1 through TA3 amendments so clients are ready the day each call opens. With $350M+ in non-dilutive funding secured for our clients, we help health technology founders compete for ARPA-H programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ARPA-H SPECTRA program?

SPECTRA (Systems for Phenotypic Evaluation, Clinical Trajectories, Response, and Agency) is an ARPA-H program to understand and act on autism trajectories across the lifespan through analysis, data integration, precision interventions, and everyday assistive technologies.

When is the SPECTRA deadline?

TA4 Solution Summaries are due October 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. TA1 and TA2 summaries are expected December 2, 2026, and TA3 summaries January 18, 2027. Full proposal dates will be announced later.

What does SPECTRA TA4 fund?

Everyday technologies such as wearables, AAC and speech interfaces, phone and tablet eye tracking, low-channel EEG, computer vision, and immersive tools that improve communication and quality of life while generating real-world assessment data.

Can startups apply to SPECTRA?

Yes. ARPA-H is primarily interested in proposals from commercial performers, academic institutions, and nonprofits. FFRDCs and government entities cannot participate.

How much funding does SPECTRA provide?

ARPA-H has not published award sizes. Awards are Other Transaction agreements, and proposers request total funds across all phases in their Solution Summary.

How long is the SPECTRA TA4 Solution Summary?

Up to 7 pages using the required Attachment A1 template. The cover page, cost estimate, resource share strategy, and references are not counted.