Status: Open. RFI responses due December 4, 2026, 2:00 p.m. ET. No funding attached.
Executive Summary
DARPA's Multi X Office (MXO) issued a Request for Information (DARPA-SN-27-10, Flexoelectric Futures) to inform possible future research on flexoelectric materials. Flexoelectricity is an electromechanical response to strain gradients, which could let compliant materials and unusual geometries sense and transduce in ways piezoelectrics cannot.
The Department of War needs sensing and transduction under tight size, weight, power and environmental limits. DARPA wants input on materials, interfaces, metrology, design rules and device elements that can tell bend from impact, contact from slip, or safe load from overload at the material level. Responses are due December 4, 2026, and may shape the thrusts, metrics and targets of a future program.
Solicitation at a Glance
- Agency: DARPA, Multi X Office (MXO)
- Notice: Special Notice DARPA-SN-27-10, Request for Information: Flexoelectric Futures (posted November 4, 2026)
- Technical POC: Dr. David Meyer, MXO Program Manager
- Funding: None. RFI for information and planning only
- Responses due: December 4, 2026, 2:00 p.m. ET (SAM listing shows 9:00 a.m. ET)
- Submit to: DARPA-SN-27-10@darpa.mil (unclassified only)
Working on strain-gradient materials or devices? Talk with BW&CO before you respond.
Technical Areas
- TA1, mechanism-resolved compliant flexoelectric materials: state of the art, material pathways (hybrid dielectrics, ionically enhanced materials, composites, non-crystalline and defect-engineered materials, gradient structures), mechanism attribution, predictive design rules, and scale-up and integration.
- TA2, state-selective strain-gradient device elements: devices that encode bend, impact, contact, slip, vibration, load, fatigue or damage as distinguishable outputs, with metrics and benchmarking.
- TA3, idea exploration: key unanswered questions, decisive experiments or models, and enabling capabilities.
What DARPA Does Not Want
- Generic piezoelectric, capacitive, triboelectric or soft-sensor responses without a clear strain-gradient distinction.
- Claims without a physical mechanism, figure of merit, state-of-the-art comparison or validation approach.
- Complete robotic or autonomy systems without a distinct materials or device innovation.
- Approaches where software or external electronics do the mechanical-state discrimination.
How to Respond
- One integrated, unprotected Word, PowerPoint or PDF file; 11-point font, 1-inch margins.
- Cover page; up to 4 pages each for TA1 and TA2 and 2 pages for TA3 (10 technical pages maximum); 2 pages of references; one summary slide per TA.
- Give quantitative metrics for the state of the art, a practical threshold and what revolutionary progress would look like.
- Mark any proprietary information.
Is This Opportunity a Good Fit for Your Company?
It fits materials startups and labs working on flexoelectric, ionic or composite dielectrics, compliant sensors and transducers, electromechanical metrology, and morphological or physical computing elements. Teams that only integrate off-the-shelf sensors are a weaker fit.
How BW&CO Can Help
BW&CO has helped deep-tech founders secure more than $350M in non-dilutive funding. For DARPA RFIs we help you:
- Connect with the right DARPA program manager before you respond.
- Shape a response that maps your mechanism and metrics to what MXO asks.
- Plan the follow-on route, such as the DARPA MXO office-wide solicitation.
Plan Your Flexoelectric RFI Response
Frequently Asked Questions
When are responses due?
December 4, 2026, 2:00 p.m. ET, by email to DARPA-SN-27-10@darpa.mil (the RFI document time; the SAM listing shows 9:00 a.m. ET, so submit by the earlier time to be safe).
Is there funding?
No. This is a request for information, not a solicitation. Responses may shape a possible future DARPA program and its metrics.
Who can respond?
Companies, individuals, universities, university-affiliated research centers, nonprofit research institutions and government labs.
How long can a response be?
A one-page cover, up to 4 pages each for Technical Areas 1 and 2 and 2 pages for Technical Area 3 (10 technical pages maximum), 2 pages of references and one summary slide per technical area.
Will DARPA talk to respondents?
DARPA says it intends to hold individual discussions with respondents as needed and will contact them by email.
Can BW&CO help with the RFI response?
Yes. We can often connect you with the right DARPA program manager first, then help you shape a response that positions you for any follow-on program. Book a call with our team.
Source: SAM: DARPA-SN-27-10, Request for Information: Flexoelectric Futures