By Sarah Hepburn, Army FUZE 

WASHINGTON– The Army FUZE xTech Program, in collaboration with the Army FUZE Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Program, announced the 24 winners of xTechSearch 9, the Army’s flagship open-topic prize competition. Led by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology and as part of the Army FUZE portfolio, the xTech Program breaks down barriers to working with the Army and brings nontraditional defense innovators to the table. 

The xTechSearch 9 competition brought small businesses from across the commercial sector to pitch scalable, mission-relevant solutions directly to Army stakeholders. The competition awarded $900,000 in cash prizes and created a pathway to $6 million in potential follow-on Army Small Business Innovation Research contract awards. 

Unlike traditional acquisition pathways, xTechSearch is designed to reach nontraditional innovators—many of whom are engaging with the Department of War for the first time. The open-topic format enables rapid scouting of commercially viable technologies, accelerating the Army’s ability to identify and transition emerging capabilities into operational environments.  

In September, 60 finalists delivered virtual technology pitches to a panel of Army and DOW experts, who evaluated each pitch on technical merit, transition potential, and mission impact. The winners represent a diverse cross-section of innovators—37% of whom had never previously worked with the DOW—underscoring xTech’s continued success in expanding the Army’s innovation pipeline. 

“xTechSearch has become a launchpad for bold ideas and emerging technologies that might otherwise remain off the Army’s radar. It’s not just about discovering innovation—it’s about creating new pathways for small businesses to contribute directly to national defense,” said Dr. Matt Willis, director of Army FUZE. 

The 24 winning companies showcased promising innovations spanning artificial intelligence, energy resiliency, immersive and wearable systems, contested logistics, sensors, and more. These solutions aim to enhance Soldier readiness, improve decision-making, and deliver operational advantage across a range of missions and domains. 

View xTechSearch 9 Winners here. 

Each winner received a total of $30,000 over the competition life cycle and will have the opportunity to submit a Army SBIR Phase I proposal under the A254-P039 xTechSearch 9 solicitation. 

The Army’s commitment to innovation discovery  

Since its launch in 2018, xTechSearch remains the Army’s flagship open-topic prize competition and a cornerstone of the program’s innovation strategy. Designed to cast a wide net, xTech actively scouts commercially viable technologies with the potential to transform military operations—especially from companies new to defense. The sustained engagement of Army and DOW experts throughout each phase of the competition underscores the Army’s unwavering commitment to sourcing, validating, and fast-tracking dual-use technologies with real-world applicability—ensuring the most promising solutions transition swiftly to the field where they can make an immediate impact. 

xTechSearch 9 exemplifies this commitment. The Army mobilized 188 evaluators for white paper round, conducting 2,508 total reviews of more than 800 submissions. For the finals, 61 evaluators completed 743 reviews. These figures highlight the scale and rigor of the Army’s effort to surface breakthrough technologies and engage with innovators who have never worked with the DOW—ensuring fresh perspectives and faster pathways to impact. 

About the Army xTech Program  

The Army xTech Program is the Army’s premier tool for scouting and accelerating dual-use technologies that directly enhance Soldier readiness and mission success. Through dynamic prize competitions like xTechSearch, xTech identifies breakthrough solutions and opens doors for nontraditional companies to engage with and deliver capabilities to the Army. Since its launch in 2018, xTech has awarded over $30 million in non-dilutive cash prizes across 48 competitions—fueling innovation pipelines and delivering transformative technologies that matter on the battlefield.  

About Army FUZE  

FUZE is the Army’s integrated enterprise for innovation. It brings together four flagship innovation programs – the xTech, Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR|STTR), Manufacturing Technology (ManTech), and Technology Maturation Initiative (TMI) under a coordinated and synchronized framework to accelerate advanced capabilities, strengthen the industrial base, and deliver readiness at the speed of relevance. FUZE operates with a venture capitalist mindset, scouting broadly, taking calculated risks, and scaling the most promising technologies. This approach ensures taxpayer dollars are directed toward solutions with both Army operational relevance and commercial viability, while creating clearer pathways and reduced barriers for industry participation. 

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Any references to commercial products or services do not, and shall not, be construed as official Army or DOW endorsements.