Real programs, real numbers, real official links — verified July 29, 2026. Amounts and deadlines change constantly, so confirm on each official source before you rely on it. Not sure which fits what you're building? Ask us.
DIU's core solicitation vehicle. DIU posts Areas of Interest (specific operational problems) and any commercial entity can respond. It's a competitive, three-phase funnel: solution brief, pitch, full proposal.
How to apply: Watch DIU's open solicitations, then submit a ~5-page (or ~15-slide) solution brief against a specific Area of Interest. Selected teams pitch, then are invited to submit a full proposal.
The contract you actually sign after winning a CSO. Authorized under 10 U.S.C. §4022, it sidesteps most FAR/DFARS overhead — no DCAA audits, lighter IP terms, faster negotiation.
How to apply: You don't apply for an OT directly — you win a CSO and DIU negotiates the OT prototype agreement with you.
The real payoff. A successful prototype OT can transition, without re-competing, into a sole-source production OT or FAR contract — often worth far more than the prototype. DIU reports ~51% of completed prototypes transition to production.
How to apply: Deliver the prototype and satisfy the transition criteria written into your OT; the sponsoring component then negotiates production directly.
DIU-affiliated program that funds dual-use HARDWARE startups facing a shortfall of trusted private capital. Hardware and materials only — no software-only plays.
How to apply: Submit a pitch deck at any time under the open Commercial Acceleration Opportunity; selected teams pitch, then negotiate a prototype OT (~12–18 month period of performance).
The DoD's fast-fielding initiative. Replicator-2 focuses on counter-small-UAS. DIU CSOs and prize challenges are the entry ramps; JIATF-401 made its first R2 purchase (Fortem DroneHunter F700 systems) in January 2026.
How to apply: Respond to Replicator-2 CSOs and JIATF-401 counter-UAS solicitations posted through DIU, or enter an associated prize challenge.
Non-dilutive cash prizes for demonstrating a capability against a defined problem — a low-friction on-ramp that often feeds directly into CSO awards. Example: the C-sUAS Low-Cost Sensing Challenge (MatrixSpace won the ~$500K top prize; three runners-up took ~$100K each).
How to apply: Register and submit against the specific challenge posted on DIU's submit-a-solution portal.
Regional physical hubs (Arizona, Hawaii, Wichita KS, Dayton OH, Renton WA; Kentucky, Minnesota, and Montana planned) offering mentoring, events, and warm introductions into the DoD marketplace for companies outside the coastal tech centers.
How to apply: Connect with your nearest OnRamp Hub for events, office hours, and referrals into DIU solicitations.
The National Security Innovation Network was absorbed into DIU in fall 2024, but its dual-use programming continues: Vector (a startup accelerator that pairs teams with OnRamp Hubs) and Propel (commercial-accelerator collaborations). Propel-linked ventures have historically drawn ~$100M+ in DoD funding and ~$250M in private investment.
How to apply: Apply to open Vector or Propel cohorts announced through NSIN/DIU channels.
DIU's vetting and cleared-list process for trusted small drones and components (the Blue UAS Cleared List). Getting on the list makes it dramatically easier for DoD buyers to procure your platform.
How to apply: Respond to Blue UAS onboarding solicitations and pass the technical/security vetting.
$0 (screening) · ~5 pages / ~15 slides
Prove your commercial tech maps to a specific Area of Interest and can be adapted for the mission.
A single simulation figure — a stress plot, a CFD contour, an antenna pattern — makes a brief read like a mature engineering team, not a pitch.
$0 (down-select) · ~30-minute session
Show the DIU team and the sponsoring component that you understand the operational problem and can deliver on the timeline.
Simulation-backed performance predictions let you answer 'will it survive / fly / radiate?' questions on the spot instead of promising to test later.
prototype scope (often ~$500K–$10M) · award in ~60–120 days
Negotiate scope, success metrics, and IP, then sign the Other Transaction prototype agreement.
Simulation lets you commit to aggressive prototype milestones with confidence because the hard physics is already modeled.
per the OT · months to ~2 years
Build, test, and demonstrate the prototype against the agreed success criteria.
Digital iteration replaces destroyed test articles — you burn through design variants virtually and only build the ones the model says will pass.
$10M–$100M+ · sole-source, no re-compete
Convert a successful prototype into a production OT or program of record.
At scale, simulation supports qualification, reliability, and manufacturing sign-off so you can produce at volume without surprise field failures.
The technology behind most of these awards has to be proven with physics. We can arrange an Ansys evaluation license with live engineering support so you can build the feasibility evidence reviewers and investors want to see — at no cost while you're pre-funding.
See if you qualify for an Ansys eval The MVP playbook →Chasing one program often means you qualify for others you haven't heard of. These sister guides cover more of the U.S. non-dilutive landscape — same honest, no-nonsense approach. Not sure which fits what you're building? Ask us — we'll point you at the right doors, even the ones that aren't ours.
America's ~$4B/yr non-dilutive seed fund across 11 agencies.
Visit →Air Force & Space Force open topics and $3–15M matching funds.
Visit →Tipping Point, TechFlights, NIAC and the space startup ladder.
Visit →Army prize competitions with a fast lane into Army SBIR.
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