Built Local. Backed Nationally.
WIN's partner states have deep roots, closer connections, and more direct access to the resources that advance capabilities. But national security is a national effort, so our services don't stop at a state line. Wherever you're building, WIN is working to get your technology where it needs to go.
From concept to funded, fielded impact.
Assess the Fit
Evaluate your technology to identify where it aligns with specific defense needs, priorities, and transition opportunities. This ensures the foundation of your project matches actual federal requirements.
Clarify the Path
Demystify the complex acquisition pathways and funding mechanisms. Understanding the specific engagement routes lets you determine exactly how to move your technology forward within the defense system.
Build Readiness
Refine your positioning and messaging. Managing expectations at this stage ensures your team is prepared to engage confidently with both federal and industry partners.
Make the Connections
Utilize targeted introductions and events to connect with the right decision-makers. Building these relationships is critical for creating momentum toward a funded partnership.
Support Transition
Focus on the final steps toward funding and deployment. The goal is to successfully transition the technology into the hands of the warfighter through active partnership and support.
Joining our national network
WIN's official state partnerships represent the leading edge of an expanding network, but they're not the whole picture. No matter where you're based, you have access to the same connections, the same transition support, and the same opportunities to move your technology toward defense adoption.
And the organizations engaging with WIN now, before a formal partnership exists in their region, are often the ones who help shape what that future looks like. If you're building something that matters for national security, WIN is for you.
Regional Action.
National Impact.
Strengthening the commonwealth through statewide innovation and technology transitions.
Formalized in 2025
WIN's founding state, revolutionizing R&D in Appalachia.
Formalized in 2021
Your state doesn't have a formal WIN partnership yet, but that's not a barrier. Academia, industry, government, and capital providers can work directly with WIN wherever they're based. If you're building something that matters for national security, we enourage you to reach out so we can get your technology where it needs to go.
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
Upcoming events
WIN hosts events that connect industry, academia, and government around the challenges shaping the future fight. Join us in person or online for discussions, networking, and collaborative sessions built to move promising ideas closer to real-world impact.
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.
