How to Win R&D Funding with DARPA: A Founder’s Guide to High-Risk Innovation in 2025
If you’re building ambitious tech and want non-dilutive funding from a DOD agency that values speed, risk, and disruption, this is your guide to working with DARPA.
You’ve got innovative, high-risk technology. Now what?
Do you continue to search for the ideal research and development (R&D) opportunity for your innovative technology, only to come up empty? Or perhaps you find an opportunity that somewhat matches. Or maybe you see a problem that your solution can solve, but the DOD agency isn’t interested in a high-risk, radical, innovative solution.
You’ve got big ideas, but no government connections. You’re used to iterating quickly, but aren't sure how that aligns with a DOD timeline. You’re solving problems no one else is touching, but you're not sure if anyone's listening.
Well, you’re in luck! DARPA is listening. You just need to know how to talk to them.
Whether you’ve applied to SBIRs, pitched commercial investors, or built something remarkable in your lab, if you’re ready to go big, DARPA might be the best fit for your next stage of R&D. This guide breaks down how to get their attention and how to know if your work is a match.
During a recent DAPRA event, Innovators Wanted: DARPA’s Summer Engagement Playbook, DARPA representatives discussed exactly what they are looking for, who they want to work with, how to work with them, and how much they are seeking radical innovative technology.
1. What DARPA Actually Funds (Spoiler: Not Incremental Innovation)
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) is where the Department of Defense (DOD) invests in radical innovation. If your technology is an incremental improvement, it’s probably not a fit. But if your solution feels like a leap, maybe even a little uncomfortable to describe out loud, it might be exactly what they’re looking for.
As Whitney Mason, Director of the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO), put it: the most exciting proposals are the ones that make people squirm a bit in their seats. If your solution is technically plausible but sounds borderline impossible, you're in the right neighborhood.
2. The Role of DAPRA PMs and Why You Need One in Your Corner
Program Managers (PMs) are DARPA’s heartbeat. They own the programs, shape the vision, and ultimately decide who gets funded. Engaging with a PM is essential.
How to Find PMs: Visit DARPA.mil, click "About->Our Program Manager" or go here (https://www.darpa.mil/about/program-managers) and explore each technical office. Active programs often include PM names and contact details. You can also search BAAs under "Opportunities" or attend DARPAConnect events to meet PMs directly. LinkedIn and Google searches for "DARPA Program Manager" plus an office name can also help uncover specialties.
3. What Whitney Mason and Michael Koeris Are Focusing On
Both directors emphasized that DARPA is shifting from pure science toward real-world engineering. Whitney is focused on microsystems that can scale outside the lab. Michael, Director of the Biological Technologies Office (BTO), is doubling down on biological systems that enhance performance and resilience for both warfighter and civilian applications.
Together, they’re looking for ways to combine biology and hardware. If you’re working at the intersection of systems, sensors, organisms, and intelligence, this is your moment.
4. What They’re Looking for Right Now
Some of the themes these DARPA leaders highlighted:
Microsystems that work outside the lab (think sensors on helicopters, not just benchtop demos)
Bio-inspired platforms that transform human performance
Dual-use tech that catalyzes both commercial and defense outcomes
Tools that accelerate agricultural resilience (yes, really)
Bold manufacturing innovations that support scale and survivability
They're especially interested in ideas that challenge assumptions and solve problems no one else wants to touch.
5. How to Pitch Without Wasting Time
Forget the 30-page technical paper. Focus on clarity. Explain:
What problem are you solving
Why it matters (urgently)
Why your solution space is unique, risky, and worth it
Keep it short; bullets are a plus.
Then ask the PM if they’re interested. If not? Keep the idea. A new PM might be in place in six months with different priorities.
6. Upcoming Ways to Connect
DARPA is actively seeking to engage more deeply and frequently this summer. Here's what to watch for:
Pitch Days focused on dual-use innovations and bio-inspired microsystems
In-person pop-up events with lots of networking time
Virtual office hours and July webinars (register early)
DARPAConnect is leading this engagement push. This program helps innovators understand how to engage with, connect to, and navigate the system. Sign up for updates, find events, and access resources at DARPAConnect.us.
They’re also launching a new video-based submission portal for specific concepts. More details coming in July.
7. DARPA’s Mindset: Weird, Fast, Useful, and Collaborative
DARPA is pushing performers to get uncomfortable. If your idea feels safe, it’s probably too small. If it feels wild but grounded in good science? That’s the sweet spot.
They value high-speed iteration, interdisciplinary teams, and crazy-smart collaborators. They also care deeply about transitioning innovation into real-world use, which means they want your idea to thrive, scale, and make a meaningful impact.
8. What Founders Should Do Next
If you want to work with DARPA:
Study the PMs. Understand what they're working on now, not just what was posted two years ago.
Frame your idea as a radical solution to a meaningful problem.
Reach out with clarity. Bullets beat white papers.
Stay persistent. Timing and alignment matter as much as novelty.
Watch for July pop-ups and pitch opportunities. DARPAConnect is your best way in.
Most importantly: don’t self-reject. You don’t need a PhD or a DC zip code to work with DARPA. You need a big idea and the courage to share it.
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About Dr. Tracy Boyd
Dr. Tracy Boyd helps small tech businesses unlock non-dilutive funding and meaningful traction in the federal market. With over 20 years of experience across DOD innovation programs and a deep background in technology, including hands-on experience, she has helped hundreds of technology companies bridge the gap between big ideas and government investment. Her strategies have contributed to over $650 million in awarded funding. Learn more here.