You’ve seen the announcement—a DARPA program that perfectly fits your technology. But as you read the specs, a familiar sense of dread creeps in. It makes sense. The goals seem more science fiction than science fact, and the odds feel impossible.
When you hear that DARPA programs have a historical success rate between 5-10%, it's completely understandable to ask: is this even worth our time and limited cash? In my work with founders, I've seen so many grapple with this exact disconnect. The key isn’t to scale back your vision. It's to build a pragmatic bridge between their moonshot goals and what you can realistically deliver in the first year. Help is here. Here’s a framework to do just that.
The DARPA paradox: Why a 10% chance is worth taking
It’s easy to be drawn in by the numbers. DARPA’s budget is substantial, with plans to reach $4.37 billion for 2025. But as we've acknowledged, the odds are long. I've seen teams spend months and precious runway on a proposal only to receive a rejection. It’s a gut punch, and your hesitation is completely understandable.
So why do the best deep tech teams keep trying? Because the reward fundamentally changes a startup's trajectory. The benefit goes far beyond the funding itself; it’s about securing significant non-dilutive capital that extends your runway without giving up a single point of equity. At a time when deep tech is claiming a larger share of venture capital, this kind of funding allows you to de-risk your technology on the government's dime, making you infinitely more attractive to future investors.
A DARPA award is a stamp of approval from one of the world's most demanding technology evaluators, often accelerating your path to commercialization.
What "revolutionary" really means: Aligning your tech with DARPA's mission
To succeed, you first have to understand the mindset. DARPA’s mission is to make "pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security." They are not interested in incremental improvements. They don't want a 10% better battery; they want a new way to store energy.
The scale of their ambition can feel abstract, so let's ground it in history. When they funded a project called ARPANET, they weren't trying to improve the telegraph; they were creating the foundational protocols for what became the Internet. When they funded the CALO project, they weren't just building a better planner; they were developing the AI assistant that Apple later acquired and turned into Siri. They fund the seemingly impossible.
Your job is to show them that your technology has that same world-changing potential. Aligning your work with their current priorities is the first step. While these evolve, their focus consistently revolves around a few key areas:
- Current Priorities: Artificial intelligence, autonomy, microelectronics, quantum sciences, and hypersonics.
- Emerging 2026 Focus: Advanced materials, biotechnology, utility-scale quantum computing, and nuclear fusion.
If your work falls into one of these domains, you're in the right arena. Now, let's equip you with a plan to build a winning proposal.
Your practical proposal blueprint: The NABC framework
A powerful proposal tells a simple, compelling story. I’ve found the NABC framework—Need, Approach, Benefits, and Competition—to be the most effective way to structure this narrative for a skeptical, time-crunched reviewer.
1. Define the Need
Many founders make the mistake of leading with their technology. Your tech is the solution, but it's not the story. The story begins with the problem—the Need. You must clearly articulate a specific national security gap that your project addresses. Go beyond generic statements. How does your innovation counter a specific threat from a near-peer adversary? What capability does it provide to a warfighter that they lack today? Frame your work in the context of their mission, not just your own.
2. Detail a Phased Approach
This is the heart of your proposal and where I see most applications fall apart. You must balance a visionary end-goal with a meticulously detailed, believable Year 1 plan. This is how you bridge the gap between their science fiction and your science fact.
Start with the grand vision. Don't be shy about the ultimate, revolutionary impact of your technology. But then, bring it back to earth with an exhaustive plan for the initial phase. This Year 1 plan should have clear, quantifiable milestones, specific metrics for success, and a realistic timeline. It should be so concrete that the program manager feels confident you can start making progress on day one.
To bolster this, you need to show you’re not starting from zero. Including preliminary data, a proof-of-concept, or even a well-reasoned simulation demonstrates that your approach is grounded in reality and reduces the perceived risk.
Finally, map your project's progression along the Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). Show a clear path from where you are now (likely TRL 1-3) to where you will be at the end of each phase. This is critical because it shows you understand the R&D lifecycle. A huge portion of DARPA's budget is specifically allocated for basic and applied research, so demonstrating a clear path from foundational science toward a tangible application is exactly what they want to see.
3. Quantify the Benefits
Once you’ve established the need and your approach, you must quantify the payoff. What is the ultimate benefit of your success? Be specific. Will it reduce a system's weight by 50%? Increase its speed by a factor of 10? Provide a capability that currently doesn't exist at all?
It's also important to think beyond the initial military application and highlight the dual-use potential. Many DARPA-funded projects find immense success in the commercial market, and the agency sees this as a major win. A great example is Blackbox Biometrics, which developed Blast Gauges to measure explosive exposure for the DoD. The technology was so effective that it transitioned to serve first responders and law enforcement, creating a sustainable commercial business. Showing this path proves your innovation has long-term value.
4. Acknowledge the Competition
It can feel counterintuitive, but addressing competing approaches head-on is a sign of strength. It shows the reviewer you have deep market and technical knowledge. Briefly describe the other ways this problem is being solved, and then clearly explain why your approach is fundamentally different, better, faster, or more effective. This is where you define your unique advantage and prove that your solution is truly revolutionary, not just another spin on an old idea.
Beyond the tech: Building a de-risked bid
A brilliant idea is not enough. DARPA invests in teams and plans that they believe can execute. Your proposal must build confidence by addressing the practical realities of deep tech R&D.
Your team's expertise and commitment are non-negotiable. The proposal needs to show that your key personnel have the right background and will be dedicating a substantial amount of their time to the project. DARPA program managers are betting on you as much as they are on your tech.
You must also include a dedicated section on risk management. Deep tech is full of unforeseen challenges. Acknowledging the primary technical, financial, and operational risks you face, and detailing your mitigation strategies for each, demonstrates foresight and proves you have a plan for when things inevitably go wrong.
Finally, for programs like SBIR/STTR, a Transition and Commercialization Strategy is a required component. This is where you formalize your plan for dual-use applications. To support this, DARPA even offers programs like the Embedded Entrepreneur Initiative (EEI) to provide founders with the business expertise needed to bring their technology to market.
Your first step before writing a single page
Before you invest hundreds of hours in a full proposal, I encourage you to take two simple, strategic steps.
First, if the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) allows for it, submit a short concept paper or abstract. This is typically a one or two-page document that summarizes your idea. It’s a low-effort way to get direct feedback from the program manager and see if your concept is even aligned with their vision.
Second, attend the Proposers' Days for programs you're interested in. These are often virtual events where the program manager explains their goals in detail and answers questions. It is an invaluable opportunity to understand the unwritten requirements and subtle priorities that don't always make it into the official documents.
While the odds are formidable, a strategic approach that bridges the visionary and the achievable gives your deep tech innovation a real chance. It’s about proving that your moonshot is tethered to a solid launchpad. Take that first step.
