March 26, 2025
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) is hosting a Spark Tank event on July 24 and 25 in Aurora, Colorado. This event aims to expand DARPA MTO’s engagement with stakeholders across the innovation ecosystem. MTO seeks to engage with small businesses, startups, and others who have not previously engaged with DARPA.
MTO’s mission is to “dominate the microsystems ecology militarily and economically.” The event will allow participants to engage directly with MTO leadership and program managers. Attendees will have the opportunity to gain insight into MTO’s mission and thrust areas, participate in one-on-one meetings with program managers, and receive guidance on engaging with DARPA.
Advanced registration for Spark Tank is required and will open on April 10, 2025. Registration will close on June 30, 2025. While registration details are not yet public, the registration website can be found hereThe registration fee is $450.00 for all attendees, and all attendees will be required to submit a Capability Summary at the time of registration. More information on the Spark Tank event, including a list of MTO program managers that will be available for one-on-one meetings can be found here.
Following the Spark Tank event, MTO is hosting an invitation-only Pitch Day on July 25. Selected proposers will pitch their ideas directly to MTO program managers, with the opportunity to receive $400,000 for their proposed research. MTO seeks research related to its core technical areas of interest below:
-
“Unconventional Computing: Exploring new paradigms beyond traditional digital computing, with the potential to improve speed, energy efficiency, and processing capabilities
-
Biologically Inspired Microsystems: Developing electronic microsystems that integrate biomolecules and leverage biological principles for superior sensing and computation capabilities
-
Commercially Catalyzed Defense Deployment: Leveraging commercial-scale technologies to enhance national security and create a self-sustaining ecosystem for accelerating defense-specific microsystem deployment.”
Prior to Pitch Day, abstracts should be submitted for evaluation by DARPA in April and May. Proposers that are selected for further evaluation of concepts will be invited to submit a Pitch Day Presentation (PDP) package. Attendance at the MTO Spark Tank event is not required to participate in Pitch Day but highly encouraged. The special notice for Pitch Day is available on Sam.gov; a full funding opportunity notice will be published on SAM.gov in the near future.