Army xTechSearch 10: $1 Million Tech Competition for Small Businesses

A lot of small technology companies never seriously consider the U.S. Army as a customer.

Their software was built for manufacturers. Their sensors were designed for utilities. Their autonomous system started in agriculture. Their power technology was developed for industrial users. Their logistics platform solves commercial supply-chain problems.

None of that necessarily puts the Army out of reach.

In fact, the Army is actively looking for commercially developed technologies that could be adapted to military needs, including solutions from companies that may have little or no previous defense experience.

The Army’s xTech|Search 10 competition is accepting concept white papers through October 19, 2026, at 5 p.m. Eastern. The competition is open to eligible U.S. small businesses and allows companies to propose either an entirely new technology or a new Army application for technology that already exists commercially.

There is up to $1 million in cash prize money available through the competition, along with a potential path for selected finalists to submit a separate Phase I Army SBIR or STTR proposal worth up to $300,000.

But there is an important distinction here.

You are not submitting a regular SBIR or STTR proposal by October 19.

The first step is the xTech competition itself, and companies considering it should understand exactly what the Army is looking for before spending the next couple of weeks racing to put something together.

How is xTech|Search 10 seeking technologies beyond the traditional defense industry?

One of the most interesting things about xTech|Search 10 is that it is an open-topic competition.

The Army is not simply asking contractors to respond to one narrowly defined technical specification. Army FUZE describes the program as a way to find technologies with strong commercial traction that may also create significant advantages for the Army.

That opens the door to companies that would not normally identify themselves as defense contractors.

The Army specifically says xTech|Search encourages submissions from companies that may not already be familiar with the Army problem their technology could solve, provided they can clearly explain their technology’s advantage, technical viability and commercial potential.

That is an important signal for commercial technology companies.

You do not necessarily need to start with, “We built this for the Army.”

You may be able to start with, “We built something that solves this problem extremely well. Does the Army have the same problem?”

Often, the answer is worth investigating.

The Army reinforced that idea when announcing xTech|Search 10, noting that many technologies capable of influencing future battlefields begin in commercial markets rather than inside the traditional defense industrial base. Across the first nine xTech|Search competitions, the Army says more than 820 semifinalist, finalist and winning companies received over $14 million in cash prizes.

Start With the Army Problem, Not Your Product Features

The biggest mistake a commercial technology company can make is taking an existing sales presentation, replacing “enterprise customer” with “Army,” and calling it a government strategy.

The Army does not need another product description.

It needs to understand what operational problem your technology helps solve.

Although xTech|Search 10 welcomes technologies addressing any valid Army need or capability gap, the Army says it will give strong consideration to technologies aligned with several priority areas:

• All Arms Maneuver, including technologies supporting endurance, autonomous systems, breaching and terrain shaping
• Command and Control and Counter-C2 Networks, including resilient communications, sensing, decision systems, cybersecurity and electromagnetic capabilities
• Formation-Based Layered Protection, including protection, concealment and signature-management technologies
• Adaptive Sustainment, including logistics, power distribution, maintenance, fabrication, transportation and Soldier support
• Cross Domain Fires, including targeting, cyber and electronic warfare effects, counter-UAS, air and missile defense and related capabilities

The competition remains open-topic, so a company does not need to squeeze its technology awkwardly into one of these categories. Still, they provide valuable clues about the operational problems receiving Army attention.

This is where market research matters.

A commercial logistics company, for example, should not simply say that its platform “uses AI to improve supply chains.” It should determine whether the technology could improve distributed tactical logistics, inventory visibility, maintenance planning or sustainment in environments where communications and transportation may be disrupted.

A battery company should look beyond specifications such as energy density and charge time and ask how its technology could affect expeditionary power, Soldier load, vehicle endurance or the Army’s ability to operate farther from established infrastructure.

The technology matters, but the mission impact is what gives the technology relevance.

One important exception should also be noted. Technologies falling exclusively within certain U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command areas, including military infectious diseases, military operational medicine, chemical and biological defense, and clinical and rehabilitative medicine, are excluded from this particular xTech|Search competition. XTech

The October 19 Submission Is a Three-Page White Paper

Companies interested in xTech|Search 10 do not begin with a massive federal proposal.

The initial submission is a three-page concept white paper.

That sounds simple until you look at what those three pages have to accomplish.

The Army wants the white paper to explain the technology, its potential Army impact, its technical and concept viability, and its dual-use applications in both commercial and defense markets. Applicants must also use the official template available through the competition registration page. The Army states that submissions using another format will not be reviewed. XTech

The evaluation weights tell companies where to spend their limited space:

That scoring structure is useful because it makes the Army’s priorities fairly clear.

Sixty-five percent of the evaluation comes down to two questions:

Does the technology work?

Does it create meaningful value for the Army?

Another 25 percent addresses commercial potential, which is particularly important for companies entering from outside the traditional defense market. Commercial adoption, customer validation, investment, testing and demonstrated demand can help establish that the Army is not betting on an interesting idea that exists only on paper.

Do Not Submit the Initial White Paper Through DSIP

This is probably the most important procedural point for interested companies.

The October 19 xTech|Search 10 white paper is not submitted through the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal, or DSIP.

The white paper is submitted through the xTech competition process, using the application pathway provided on the xTech|Search 10 competition website.

The Army is explicit about this. Companies that do not submit a concept white paper through the xTech competition by the deadline will not be eligible to advance into the associated Phase I SBIR or STTR opportunity.

The process currently looks like this:

Part 1: Concept White Paper
Up to 50 semifinalists can receive $5,000 each and advance.

Part 2: Virtual Technology Pitch
Up to 20 finalists can receive an additional $20,000 each.

Part 3: Finals Demonstration
The Army intends to select up to three winners, with additional prizes of $200,000 for first place, $100,000 for second and $50,000 for third.

Part 4: Phase I Army SBIR or STTR Opportunity
Finalists can receive instructions allowing them to submit a separate Phase I proposal for a potential award of up to $300,000 with a six-month period of performance.

And that final point deserves emphasis: the Phase I contract is not automatic.

Being selected as an xTech finalist creates eligibility to submit the associated SBIR or STTR proposal. Finalists still have to satisfy the separate program requirements, and an award is not guaranteed. The Army says finalists are the only companies eligible to submit under the associated xTech|Search 10 Phase I topics.

Is xTech|Search 10 Worth Pursuing for Your Company?

With an October 19 deadline approaching, companies should resist the temptation to pursue the competition simply because there is funding attached.

A better question is whether there is a credible fit.

Before committing resources, ask:

Can we identify a real Army problem our technology could solve?
If your argument begins and ends with “the Army is large and probably needs this,” you need more market research.

Can we explain why our solution is technically different or better?
Technical approach represents 40 percent of the white-paper evaluation.

Do we have evidence of commercial potential?
Customers, pilots, revenue, testing, partnerships or other market validation can strengthen the dual-use story.

Could we realistically adapt the technology for Army requirements?
A promising commercial product may still require changes to ruggedization, cybersecurity, communications, power, interoperability or operating conditions.

Are we prepared for what happens if we advance?
A good xTech submission should not be treated like a lottery ticket. Semifinalists move into pitching, finalists into demonstrations and potentially into a formal SBIR or STTR effort.

There is also an eligibility issue involving overlapping federal support. The Army states that submissions cannot be substantially the same as another proposal that has already been funded, is currently being funded, or is pending contract award with another federal agency. Companies with questions about similar prior or pending support are instructed to disclose that information to the Army FUZE xTech Program Office as early as possible.

What federal opportunities exist beyond the xTech|Search 10 competition?

Even if xTech|Search 10 looks promising, the larger strategic question is more valuable:

Where else in the federal government could this technology fit?

An Army application might reveal demand within another military service, DHS, NASA, the Department of Energy or a civilian agency. The same underlying capability could also appear in SBIR/STTR topics, Broad Agency Announcements, prototype opportunities, Other Transactions, subcontracting opportunities or conventional federal procurements.

That is why companies entering the government market should avoid building their strategy around a single solicitation or competition.

Start with the technology. Identify the problems it solves. Determine which agencies have those problems. Find the programs, buyers, incumbent contractors, competitors and acquisition vehicles associated with that market.

Then decide which opportunities deserve your time.

The Army itself notes that xTech participation can lead to interest from organizations outside the immediate competition and potentially to other acquisition pathways.

For a commercial technology company that has never seriously considered the federal market, that may ultimately be the biggest opportunity here.

October 19 Is the Immediate Deadline. Agency Fit Is the Bigger Question.

xTech|Search 10 gives innovative small businesses a relatively accessible way to put commercial technology in front of Army technical, acquisition and operational experts.

But the companies most likely to make good use of the opportunity will not simply submit because they have interesting technology.

They will understand where the technology fits, what Army problem it addresses, why it performs better than the alternatives and whether pursuing the Army represents a logical extension of their commercial market.

If your company has a commercial technology and you are unsure whether the Army, or another federal agency, could be a viable customer, FedBiz Access can help you evaluate the market before you commit valuable time and resources to the wrong opportunity.

From identifying agencies and buyers to analyzing competitors, upcoming opportunities and broader federal demand, the goal is not simply to find an opportunity. It is to determine where your company has a realistic path to compete.

Call FedBiz Access at (844) 628-8914 to discuss your government market strategy and learn how FedBiz365 can help you identify where your technology fits in the federal marketplace.

Official xTech|Search 10 information and application: Army xTech|Search 10 Competition

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