Innovation Funding Database
Defensetech & Dual-Use Tech Funding
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Types of Opportunities
Broad Topics
Broad topics cover wide areas of interest where the government wants solutions. They’re open-ended and give you room to define how your idea fits the mission.
Specific Topics
Specific topics describe clearly defined needs with exact technical goals or outcomes. They’re focused requests for solutions that meet specific requirements.
Broad Topic Opportunities:
Start Applying ASAP:
Either the deadline is approaching or there is a competitive reason for applying early (such as funds that will be awarded on a first come first serve basis)
Deadline: September 30th
Funding Award Size: Est. $500K to $5M
Description: Apply for FY26 Navy propulsion and power R&D funding through NAWCAD’s open BAA. Submit white papers by 30 September 2026 across energy, propulsion, and aircraft systems.
Deadline: Rolling Submissions
Funding Award Size: $500k - $10m
Description: Apply to the Golden Dome for America Commercial Solutions Opening. Rolling submissions through 30 September 2035 for innovative defense technologies, prototypes, and mission-critical capabilities.
Deadline: Rolling deadline until December 31, 2026
Funding Award Size: Est. $500K to $5M
Description: Rolling submission program connecting commercial technologies to USSOCOM needs across AI, ISR, cyber, mobility, medical, and more, with multiple non-dilutive funding pathways.
Deadline: Rolling Deadline Until September 30, 2026
Funding Award Size: Est. $500K to $5M
Description: Funding for basic and applied research across defense-critical areas including AI, materials, energy, cybersecurity, sensing, and space systems to advance U.S. Navy capabilities.
Deadline: Rolling Submissions until 9/30/26
Funding Award Size: Est. $500K to $5M
Description: Flexible Air Force funding for innovative commercial technologies in AI/ML, cyber, and defense applications through a rolling CSO process with white paper submissions and invited proposals.
Deadline: May 11th, 2026
Funding Award Size: $25m
Description: Apply by 11 May 2026, 02:00 PM local time for the NSWC Crane Mobility MAC Follow-On. Multi-award contract supporting vehicle prototyping, testing, and integration with task orders up to $25M.
Deadline: April 6th, 2026
Funding Award Size: $500k - $2m
Description: Apply for U.S. Army GVSC funding through a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO). Open to innovative commercial technologies in autonomy, power systems, AI, and defense. Key deadline: April 6, 2026.
Deadline: September 30th
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: Apply for U.S. Army funding to support advanced manufacturing, automation, and digital modernization. Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) open until September 30, 2030.
Deadline: June 30th, 2026
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: Apply for the ERDC Geospatial Research Laboratory Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) for innovative geospatial, mapping, remote sensing, and navigation technologies.
Deadline: December 31st, 2026
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: The U.S. Army ERDC Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) is accepting proposals for innovative commercial technologies supporting cold-region operations.
Deadline: October 30th, 2026
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: The U.S. Army ERDC CERL Commercial Solutions Opening seeks innovative technologies in energy systems, robotics, additive construction, infrastructure management, and environmental monitoring.
Deadline: March 24th
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: Apply for the DIU MYSTIC DEPOT opportunity to build vendor-agnostic AI evaluation infrastructure and benchmarks for national security missions.
Deadline: May 11th
Funding Award Size: $2.5m
Description: Apply for the $100M SMART Antiviral Prize from BARDA to develop broad-spectrum small-molecule antivirals targeting Flaviviridae or Togaviridae. Concept Stage deadline: May 11, 2026.
Deadline: Rolling until September 2026
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: The Air Force AMIC Commercial Solutions Opening (FA4890-CSO-0001-24) seeks innovative commercial technologies for AI, cybersecurity, communications, counter-UAS, and data systems. Submissions accepted until September 5, 2026.
Deadline: April 3rd, 2026
Funding Award Size: $14m
Description: The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) is seeking contractors for the COMET IDIQ supporting missile evaluation, testing, and intelligence analysis at the Missile & Space Intelligence Center. Proposals due APR 03, 2026 04:00 PM
Deadline: Rolling
Funding Award Size: $500k - $2m
Description: DARPA is funding revolutionary research through the Strategic Technology Office Innovation Solutions Opening (DARPA-PS-26-09). Submit a short abstract for breakthrough technologies in AI, autonomy, sensing, robotics, space systems, and defense innovation. Abstracts accepted until October 31, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET.
Deadline: Rolling
Funding Award Size: $500k - $2m
Description: DARPA’s Bordeaux program funds innovative research in AI cybersecurity, AI models, and AI hardware. Proposals due May 15, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET.
Deadline: Rolling
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: The Air Force Research Laboratory Endless Forge solicitation offers access to a $149M funding program for materials and manufacturing technologies. White papers accepted until 1400 EST on 19 February 2028.
Deadline: Rolling
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: The Air Force Research Laboratory’s “Networking the Fight” BAA offers up to $24M per award for technologies enabling secure cross-domain data sharing and resilient networking at the tactical edge.
Deadline: TBD
Funding Award Size: $800k - $2m
Description: The FY26 Epilepsy Research Program (ERP) from CDMRP will fund research on post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE). Awards up to $2M are anticipated across multiple mechanisms.
Deadline: TBD
Funding Award Size: $1m-$1.8m
Description: The FY26 DoD Alzheimer’s Research Program (AZRP) offers up to $1.8M for research improving dementia care, diagnosis, and risk reduction. Preproposal required; full application by invitation only.
Deadline: TBD
Funding Award Size: $750-$1.75m
Description: The FY26 Autism Research Program (ARP) from the Department of Defense will fund autism research projects with awards up to $1.75M. Multiple mechanisms support early-career investigators, clinical trials, and innovative research ideas. Pre-application required through eBRAP.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $250,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop interoperable medical products usable for both humans and military working dogs, enabling shared medical devices, therapeutics, and monitoring technologies that improve battlefield care while reducing equipment and logistics burdens.
Deadline: March 20th
Funding Award Size: $1m - $10m
Description: DIBC RPP-CM-26-01 funds domestic processing, refining, recycling, and supply chain expansion for critical minerals including arsenic, graphite, hafnium, nickel, tungsten, and zirconium. OT authority. Closes March 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM (ET).
Deadline: Rolling Deadline
Funding Award Size: $1m - $10m
Description: AFRL BAA FA8750-23-S-7002 provides approximately $99.5M for Aerial Layer Networking & Transmission Technologies. White papers due by 0500 PM EST on 30 September 2027.
Deadline: October 2026
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: The AFRL/RX Functional Materials Open BAA (FA8650-22-S-5002) provides approximately $48M in Air Force R&D funding through 28 October 2026 3:00 PM Wright-Patterson AFB, OH Local time. Submit a White Paper to compete for photonic, nanoelectronic, quantum, soft matter, and biomaterials research funding.
Deadline: March 30th
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: NSWC Crane (NAVSEA) RFI N0016426SNB34 seeks Uncrewed System (UxS) solutions (UGV, UAV, USV, UUV) weighing 45 lbs or less with 30-minute runtime. Responses due Mar 30, 2026 2:00 PM EDT.
Deadline: April 30th
Funding Award Size: $500k - $5m
Description: Submit a Scout Card by 30 Apr 2026 : 17:59 GMT-6 for Cyber & Specialist Operations Command’s Market Research call on Assured and Alternate Position, Navigation, & Timing (APNT) technologies for GNSS denied, contested, or degraded environments.
Deadline: TBD
Funding Award Size: $800-$1.85m
Description: The FY26 CDMRP Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) offers up to $1.85M in total costs for innovative lung cancer research. Multiple award mechanisms available. Deadlines to be announced in the official NOFOs.forthcoming.
Specific Topic Opportunities:
Start Applying ASAP:
Either the deadline is approaching or there is a competitive reason for applying early (such as funds that will be awarded on a first come first serve basis)
Deadline: April 20, 2026
Funding Award Size: Est. $500K to $5M
Description: Funding for development of small, low-cost unmanned aircraft systems capable of autonomous, high-speed, long-range operations in contested environments for asymmetric warfare missions.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop robust autopilot flight control for heterogeneous manned/unmanned formation “wake surfing,” enabling precise station-keeping in vortex upwash for 10–20% fuel savings with minimal added hardware and low/zero datalink dependency.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $1.5 Million (Estimated)
Description: Develop software and firmware enhancements for software-defined radios to enable ad-hoc networking and synchronization across heterogeneous RF systems. The solution will improve interoperability among communication, C2, EW, and SAR platforms while maintaining primary mission functions.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop an integrated metal-ceramic matrix infusion for high-strength steel landing gear components to replace hard chrome and HVOF, improving wear/corrosion resistance, durability, readiness, and lifecycle cost while reducing hazardous processes.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop RF photonic front-end technologies that enhance the resilience, bandwidth, and interference resistance of communications and navigation systems, enabling reliable wireless connectivity and assured position, navigation, and timing (PNT) in contested electromagnetic environments.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop scalable multiphysics modeling tools that predict frontal polymerization cure behavior (front temperature/velocity/cure) and resulting distortion/residual stress, while optimizing resin additives and preventing front self-extinguishing.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop a lightweight, rugged, low-power device that converts seawater to safe drinking water for downed naval aircrew. Must fit NACES survival kit constraints, minimize human effort, deliver ≥1 gallon/day, and achieve ≥95% salt rejection across harsh environmental and ejection conditions.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $2 Million (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop a portable AI/ML-enabled diagnostic module that integrates with optical reflectometry tools to detect, classify, and troubleshoot faults in military avionics fiber-optic networks with centimeter-level precision, improving maintenance efficiency, predictive diagnostics, and aircraft mission readiness.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to design a reduced-cost, multi-frequency helicopter dipping sonar that expands ASW inner/middle-zone coverage and adds aviation mine countermeasures (AMCM) capability in a single, retrofit-compatible transducer system.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $250,000 (Estimated)
Description: Develop modular payload technologies for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) compatible with the Picatinny Common Lethality Interface Kit (CLIK) standard. Solutions may include EO/IR sensing, communications relay, electronic warfare, signals intelligence, or cargo delivery payloads integrated across multiple UAS platforms.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $250,000 (Estimated)
Description: Develop a real-time logistics tracking system that integrates distributed ledger technology, sensor data, and enterprise systems to provide commanders with secure, near-real-time visibility of in-transit military assets, enabling predictive logistics management, improved situational awareness, and faster operational decision-making.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop and demonstrate a cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage and delivery system for Navy/USMC UAS that achieves high mass fraction and low boil-off, improving endurance, range, and continuous payload power.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Develop nonlinear optical dyes embedded in sol-gel glass that act as optical power limiters to protect EO/IR sensors from frequency-agile lasers and dazzlers while maintaining high infrared transmission and fast response times.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $2 Million (Estimated)
Description: Develop and demonstrate a 10-inch air-launched rocket motor integrating Highly Loaded Grain (HLG) propulsion to increase total impulse and extend operational range by ~30%. The effort advances propulsion performance, thrust shaping, and manufacturing readiness for next-generation tactical rocket systems.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Develop a universal, non-invasive hold-up battery (HUB) tester and low-voltage alert device for Type 1 encryption systems to prevent battery-related software loss, reduce depot returns, improve readiness, and simplify battery interval tracking for long-term storage conditions.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop low-cost, lightweight, flexible printed organic thermoelectric cooling films (tight bend radius <1”) for personal warfighter cooling or conformal cooling of curved military-platform surfaces.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $2 Million (Estimated)
Description: Develop a U.S.-based pilot manufacturing process to produce high-purity zirconium and hafnium metal-organic precursors (e.g., TDMAZ, TDMAH) used in semiconductor, microelectronics, and advanced ceramic manufacturing via ALD, CVD, and CVI deposition processes.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Develop an AI/ML-enhanced optical fire detector capable of operating in aircraft engine nacelles up to 400°F, enabling rapid fire detection, reduced false alarms, and reliable performance in high-temperature environments.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to build an M&S tool that generates validated, high-fidelity EO/IR virtual clutter models (weather-explicit 3D clouds and/or debris fields) with thermal/optical/physical attributes for real-time scene generation (60 Hz–1 kHz) to test missile warning, IR countermeasure, and ISR systems in high-clutter environments.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Develop robotic systems to automate or assist the assembly of Expeditionary Airfield matting in austere environments, enabling autonomous navigation, heavy mat handling, and precise alignment to improve deployment speed, reduce manual labor, and enhance operational safety.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Develop a low-SWaP, open-architecture airborne software-defined radio using MOSA and MBSE to support multi-band communications, secure waveforms, and interoperability across Navy and Marine Corps aircraft platforms.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $2 Million (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop a passive structural health monitoring system that detects, locates, and characterizes ship hull cracks in real time, providing automated severity/criticality insights beyond strain-gauge inference methods.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop an A-size deployable low-frequency vertical line array of vector sensors for long-range passive ASW detection, directional sensitivity, and STANAG 4718 compliant communications in deep-water operations.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Development of a portable induction welding system that enables in-situ repair of thermoplastic composite aircraft components on naval aviation platforms, reducing downtime and scrap rates by allowing field maintenance without removing damaged material.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Develop a modern, modular tropical cyclone forecasting software suite with containerized architecture that integrates legacy and new models, data sources, and APIs to automate storm analysis, prediction, and dissemination for operational forecasting centers.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $2 Million (Estimated)
Description: Develop and integrate Highly Loaded Grain (HLG) propellant into a 2.75" Mk66 rocket motor to increase total impulse and extend weapon range by ~30% while maintaining compatibility with existing rocket motor materials, systems, and operational environments.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Develop a high-speed telemetry antenna system for reentry test bodies that transmits encrypted inflight data via K/Ka-band links to geostationary satellites, enabling real-time communication and improved data capture during ballistic missile flight testing.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop a high-power (10W CW) blue laser (425–475 nm) with long coherence length (>10 m) and high pulse repetition (>100 MHz) for reliable continuous operation in demanding Navy environments.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop passive, thermal-equilibrium alkali atom sources (Rb/Cs) with synthetically controlled vapor density to simplify thermal management and improve stability/SWaP for practical atom-based quantum sensors.
Deadline: April 29, 2026 (Estimated)
Funding Award Size: $240,000 (Estimated)
Description: Funding to develop a throttleable solid-fuel rotating detonation ramjet by integrating a controllable gas generator for precise fuel regulation, enabling stable detonation operation and efficient high-speed propulsion across varied mission profiles.
Deadline: Rolling Submission Deadline
Funding Award Size: $20M–$100M
Description: AFRL MSDEW ARA offers $20M–$100M awards for electronic warfare, sensor fusion, and defense systems. Rolling calls open through 13 JULY 2027.