Open Topic, Army SBIR, Phase I
xTech|Inversion Competition
The following topic number, ARM26BX03-NP006 – xTech|Inversion, in this release is tied to an Army FUZE xTech prize competition, xTech|Inversion. xTech|Inversion will be used to identify small business concerns that meet the criteria for a potential SBIR Phase I award under this topic. Winners selected from the xTech|Inversion prize competition will be the only firms eligible to submit a SBIR Phase I proposal under this topic. Proposals submitted to this topic by non-winners of the xTech|Inversion competition will not be evaluated.
How to Apply: Visit the xTech|Inversion competition page to read the full Competition Announcement, topic details, and apply by submitting a white paper here:
https://xtech.army.mil/competition/xtechinversion/
xTech|Inversion white papers are NOT submitted to the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP). Small business concerns that do not submit a concept white paper to the xTech|Inversion competition through the https://xtech.army.mil/competition/xtechinversion/ website before the June 30, 2026, deadline will be ineligible to compete or submit a full SBIR proposal to DSIP. The DSIP proposal submission window tied to this topic is for the winners of the competition only. Please make sure to visit the xTech|Inversion competition site and submit your white paper prior to the June 30, 2026 deadline to be considered for award under this topic.
Objective
The U.S. Army is seeking information from eligible small businesses across the U.S. to identify and advance commercialization pathways for a curated portfolio of high-potential Army Intellectual Property (IP) sets through the xTech|Inversion competition. This platform offers participants the opportunity to engage with the Department of War (DoW), earn prize money and submit a Phase I Army SBIR proposal.
The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) is partnering with the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army (DUSA) and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research and Technology (DASA R&T) to deliver the xTech|Inversion competition. The Army recognizes that the DoW must enhance engagements with U.S. small businesses by (1) understanding the spectrum of world-class technologies being developed commercially that may benefit the DoW; (2) integrating the sector of non-traditional innovators into the DoW Science and Technology (S&T) ecosystem; and (3) providing expertise and feedback to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies of interest to the DoW.
Description
xTech|Inversion is an open-topic competition designed to identify cutting-edge technology solutions that will drive significant advancements in military capabilities while addressing complex challenges and enhancing national security. The Army faces challenges in rapidly transitioning government-funded scientific breakthroughs into scalable, real-world solutions that address both military and commercial needs. Traditional pathways often limit access to innovative intellectual property and slow the pace of technology adoption. There is a critical need to foster stronger partnerships with non-traditional defense contractors, enabling them to leverage Army-developed intellectual property for dual-use applications. By bridging the gap between foundational research and market-driven innovation, the Army seeks to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies that address complex tactical challenges while also achieving commercial viability. Technologies that are selected from this competition to have the highest potential impact on the Army will have a structured pathway to continue developing those solutions for Army systems alongside Army customers. xTech|Inversion encourages submissions that may not be familiar with the Army problem your technology can solve, but can clearly articulate the solution’s advantage, the technical viability, and commercial potential.
Full competition details including information on the available Army IP identified for this competition can be found in the Appendix A section of the xTech|Inversion competition RFI here: https://xtech.army.mil/competition/xtechinversion/
The proposed schedule is outlined below and subject to change without notice.
- xTech white paper submission: June 03 – 30, 2026
- xTech finalists announcement: July 29, 2026
- xTech finalists Solider exercise event: August 18 – 20, 2026
- xTech winners announcement: August 24, 2026
- SBIR proposal submission window: September 08 – 25, 2026
The competition will award up to $1,000,000 in cash prizes throughout the competition to selected participants. Up to 12 finalists will receive a cash prize of $20,000 each and an opportunity to pitch their innovative technology solutions to a panel of Army and DoW subject matter experts (SMEs) in August 2026. The Army intends to select up to five (5) final winners of the competition to receive an additional cash prize of $150,000 each. Final winners may submit a Phase I Army SBIR proposal worth up to $300,000 in September.
Submission Information
Visit the xTech|Inversion competition page to read the full Competition Announcement, topic details, and apply by submitting a white paper here: https://xtech.army.mil/competition/xtechinversion/
XTech Help Desk: usarmy.xtech@army.mil
The following topic number, ARM26BX03-NP006 – xTech|Inversion, in this release is tied to an Army FUZE xTech prize competition, xTech|Inversion. xTech|Inversion will be used to identify small business concerns that meet the criteria for a potential SBIR Phase I award under this topic. Winners selected from the xTech|Inversion prize competition will be the only firms eligible to submit a SBIR Phase I proposal under this topic. Proposals submitted to this topic by non-winners of the xTech|Inversion competition will not be evaluated.
How to Apply: Visit the xTech|Inversion competition page to read the full Competition Announcement, topic details, and apply by submitting a white paper here:
https://xtech.army.mil/competition/xtechinversion/
xTech|Inversion white papers are NOT submitted to the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP). Small business concerns that do not submit a concept white paper to the xTech|Inversion competition through the https://xtech.army.mil/competition/xtechinversion/ website before the June 30, 2026, deadline will be ineligible to compete or submit a full SBIR proposal to DSIP. The DSIP proposal submission window tied to this topic is for the winners of the competition only. Please make sure to visit the xTech|Inversion competition site and submit your white paper prior to the June 30, 2026 deadline to be considered for award under this topic.
Objective
The U.S. Army is seeking information from eligible small businesses across the U.S. to identify and advance commercialization pathways for a curated portfolio of high-potential Army Intellectual Property (IP) sets through the xTech|Inversion competition. This platform offers participants the opportunity to engage with the Department of War (DoW), earn prize money and submit a Phase I Army SBIR proposal.
The Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) is partnering with the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Army (DUSA) and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research and Technology (DASA R&T) to deliver the xTech|Inversion competition. The Army recognizes that the DoW must enhance engagements with U.S. small businesses by (1) understanding the spectrum of world-class technologies being developed commercially that may benefit the DoW; (2) integrating the sector of non-traditional innovators into the DoW Science and Technology (S&T) ecosystem; and (3) providing expertise and feedback to accelerate, mature, and transition technologies of interest to the DoW.
Description
xTech|Inversion is an open-topic competition designed to identify cutting-edge technology solutions that will drive significant advancements in military capabilities while addressing complex challenges and enhancing national security. The Army faces challenges in rapidly transitioning government-funded scientific breakthroughs into scalable, real-world solutions that address both military and commercial needs. Traditional pathways often limit access to innovative intellectual property and slow the pace of technology adoption. There is a critical need to foster stronger partnerships with non-traditional defense contractors, enabling them to leverage Army-developed intellectual property for dual-use applications. By bridging the gap between foundational research and market-driven innovation, the Army seeks to accelerate the development and deployment of technologies that address complex tactical challenges while also achieving commercial viability. Technologies that are selected from this competition to have the highest potential impact on the Army will have a structured pathway to continue developing those solutions for Army systems alongside Army customers. xTech|Inversion encourages submissions that may not be familiar with the Army problem your technology can solve, but can clearly articulate the solution’s advantage, the technical viability, and commercial potential.
Full competition details including information on the available Army IP identified for this competition can be found in the Appendix A section of the xTech|Inversion competition RFI here: https://xtech.army.mil/competition/xtechinversion/
The proposed schedule is outlined below and subject to change without notice.
- xTech white paper submission: June 03 – 30, 2026
- xTech finalists announcement: July 29, 2026
- xTech finalists Solider exercise event: August 18 – 20, 2026
- xTech winners announcement: August 24, 2026
- SBIR proposal submission window: September 08 – 25, 2026
The competition will award up to $1,000,000 in cash prizes throughout the competition to selected participants. Up to 12 finalists will receive a cash prize of $20,000 each and an opportunity to pitch their innovative technology solutions to a panel of Army and DoW subject matter experts (SMEs) in August 2026. The Army intends to select up to five (5) final winners of the competition to receive an additional cash prize of $150,000 each. Final winners may submit a Phase I Army SBIR proposal worth up to $300,000 in September.
Submission Information
Visit the xTech|Inversion competition page to read the full Competition Announcement, topic details, and apply by submitting a white paper here: https://xtech.army.mil/competition/xtechinversion/
XTech Help Desk: usarmy.xtech@army.mil