Advancing the Nation’s Innovation Capabilities
WIN is a program under the Academic Partnership Engagement Experiment (APEX) Partnership Intermediary Agreement funded by the Department of the Air Force. We exist to make tech transition real by connecting the nation's most promising innovators with the funding, networks, and pathways to get their technology where it belongs.
A Collaborative Force
WIN is powered by the Science of Intelligent Teaming™. This unique collaboration between Parallax Advanced Research and Vertx Partners combines elite data analytics with personalized, boots-on-the-ground coaching. We act as both the connector and the educator for the national security landscape.
The Decisive Edge
The United States' defense advantage is built on the strength of its innovators, but the acquisition pathway from breakthrough idea to fielded capability isn’t easy. Promising technologies often stall, and talented founders and researchers hit walls they didn't know existed.
WIN was established to serve as the connective tissue between America’s most capable innovators and the Department of War's most urgent needs. Funded through the DoW's Academic Partnership Engagement Experiment (APEX), WIN combines elite data analytics, boots-on-the-ground regional coaching, and insider acquisition knowledge under a single coordinated program.
America's technological edge is not guaranteed, and it requires infrastructure that works. No other program combines national reach with the regional depth needed to serve innovators from Appalachia to the Pacific.
WIN Leadership
WIN is led and supported by people who have worked on both sides of the contracting equation. We know the mission, the process, and what it takes to move technology through it.
Brendan Thoreson
Mary Cook
Michael Bianco
Paula Lemke
Sean Frisbee
Regional Action.
National Impact.
WIN serves the entire nation while simultaneously providing state-specific offerings. Select your state to explore how WIN is making an impact.
News and guides
Explore the latest news, milestones, guides, and mission-driven work shaping the WIN ecosystem.
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5 Eastern Kentucky SBIR/STTR Success Stories
Announcing the Launch of the Warfighting Integration Network (WIN)
2026 SBIR Reauthorization: What Defense Innovators Need to Know
WIN serves as the primary connective tissue between America’s brightest innovators and the Department of War (DoW). It is a high-performance network dedicated to bringing clarity and reach to national security innovation by accelerating the transition of mission-driven capabilities from discovery to deployment.
WIN is a program funded by the Department of War under the Academic Partnership Engagement Experiment (APEX). It is executed through a collaborative partnership between Parallax Advanced Research and Vertx Partners.
No. The WIN program provides no-cost resources to academic researchers and industry innovators. The goal is to lower the barrier to entry for promising dual-use technology development.
WIN helps startups outrun the Valley of Death, the gap between research and operational relevance, by providing a strategic roadmap to non-dilutive funding and warm introductions to mission owners. The WIN team provides expert guidance through the complex proposal labyrinth for multiple contract vehicles, including SBIR, STTR, OTAs, BAAs, etc.
No, WIN does not write proposals. Instead, we provide concierge-level one-on-one coaching, review your proposals, and provide structured feedback to raise your success rate while mitigating wasted effort.
WIN explains complex acquisition pathways and advises companies on which stakeholders to engage. We also share WIN cohort success stories and guides.
WIN matches your cutting-edge research with real-world Department of War problems. By identifying dual-use pathways, WIN helps you turn institutional prestige into national security impact, validating technologies with both commercial and military utility.
WIN acts as a "matchmaker," connecting academic researchers with small businesses to form teams for STTR solicitations. To date, WIN has engaged over 400 universities across all 50 states.
WIN acts as a curator for the military, vetting companies and researchers for technical maturity before they reach a government desk. This ensures that government officials receive a curated list of high-quality innovators capable of immediately addressing mission-critical gaps.
These are the warfighters on the front lines. Every partnership WIN facilitates must eventually tie back to providing these individuals with the technology they need to succeed and survive in the field.
WIN uses a five-step framework to move technology from discovery to deployment:
Assess the Fit: Identifying alignment with defense needs.
Clarify the Path: Demystifying acquisition and funding pathways.
Build Readiness: Refining messaging and managing expectations.Make Connections: Facilitating targeted introductions to decision-makers.
Support Transition: Final steps toward funding and frontline deployment.
Yes. While WIN has formal, funded presences in select states, the National Network Access serves as a catch-all for innovators across the entire country. Any U.S.-based company with a solution for the Department of War is encouraged to join the cohort.
No. WIN only works with U.S. innovators and researchers.
No. WIN guides you on securing non-dilutive funding through various contract vehicles. We do not fund your research or innovation directly.
