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Army xTech prize competition and Army SBIR return to AUSA with Innovator’s Corner

Published: 08/30/2024
xTech SBIR Innovator's Corner

By Anna Volkwine, Office of Army Prize Competitions and Army SBIR Program

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army  xTech Prize Competition Program and Small Business Innovation Research Program, led by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, will return to the show floor with the Innovator’s Corner at the 2024 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition. This prominent event will take place in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 14 to 16, showcasing the latest advancements and collaborations in defense technology.

xTech prize competitions foster collaboration between the Army and nontraditional innovators, offering non-dilutive cash prizes, feedback, education, mentorship and networking opportunities with Army customers. Winners may also receive opportunities for follow-on contracts, including Army SBIR awards. These provide small businesses with contract opportunities, ranging from $250,000 to $2,000,000, to develop a proof-of-concept or a prototype of a commercially viable technology that can be modified to solve Army challenges.

During AUSA, the Innovator’s Corner will feature small businesses and nontraditional vendors who have leveraged the programs’ resources to propel the development of their novel solutions and align their technologies with critical Army priorities.

xTech finalists and winners from recent xTech prize competitions will exhibit their solutions at the Innovator’s Corner, highlighting potential technology enhancements or entirely new Soldier capabilities. Firms are introduced to the Army through the xTech Program’s low-barrier-to-entry process, and many go on to compete for and win contracts via the Army SBIR Program, and other Army and Department of Defense funding opportunities.

 Representatives from these firms will be available to discuss their journey through the Army xTech and SBIR Programs, and to share how these initiatives have assisted them in broadening their engagement with Army customers and in understanding how their technologies can serve the Army.

Check out Army xTech and SBIR at AUSA

Small and nontraditional vendors, technology integrators and Army customers can discover the future of innovation at the Innovator’s Corner, hosted in Hall B, Booth 2261 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Open during AUSA’s regular exhibit hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., this hub will feature approximately 15 new firms each day, including winners of the Army’s annual open-topic xTechSearch 8 competition; and finalists from the xTechScalable AI and xTechScalable AI 2 competitions. Team members from the programs will also be on site to discuss upcoming Army xTech and SBIR opportunities.

Beyond the Innovator’s Corner, the programs will host exciting events throughout AUSA. Notably, the xTechScalable AI 2 finals that will take place on Oct. 14-15, with award announcements on Oct. 16.  The final winners will receive cash prizes ranging from $12,000 to $100,000.

The pitch event is open to the public at the Marriott Marquis in the Catholic University Meeting Room. Finalists will be demonstrating scalable AI solutions for automated risk management, robust testing and evaluation, and improved battlefield data visualization to ensure AI models are reliable, secure and effective in operational environments. The finalists will also be available at the Innovator’s Corner between Oct. 14 and Oct. 15 to speak about the programs and demonstrate their innovative AI solutions.

In addition to the AI demonstrations, small and nontraditional vendors can mark their calendars for an important panel discussion titled “Funding the Future: Army R&D Investment in Small Business AI/ML Tech” during AUSA’s Army Office of Small Business Programs Small Business Seminar in room 201 of the convention center. Scheduled from 10:00 to 11:15 a.m. on Oct. 15, the panel will feature several Army experts, including Mr. Bharat Patel, the product lead for Project Linchpin-Sensor AI. This session, open to all AUSA attendees, will delve into the funding avenues available to small businesses, shaping the Army’s capabilities for 2040.

As the Army’s largest land power exposition in North America, AUSA is an unparalleled forum for the Army xTech and SBIR Programs, forging connections with small businesses, nontraditional innovators and Army customers. Make your way to the Innovator’s Corner to learn how these programs pave the way to solve some of the toughest challenges for the Army of the future. Be sure to attend the panel discussion on Oct. 15 to gain perspectives directly from Army leadership.

The Army xTech and SBIR Programs look forward to connecting with you in October. Should you have any questions, please contact the xTech team at usarmy.xtech@army.mil or the Army SBIR team at usarmy.sbirsttr@army.mil. Your journey into the next era of Army innovation begins here.

About the programs

Established in 2018, the xTech Program hosts several prize competitions per year, from open-topic competitions such as xTechSearch to technology-focused competitions targeting specific Army challenges.

In addition to cash prizes and opportunities for follow-on contract awards, such as Army SBIRs, the program provides small businesses and nontraditional vendors with direct exposure to Army laboratories, program executive offices, end Users and other stakeholders across the Army. Participants receive detailed feedback from Army and DoD subject matter experts and have access to training, mentorship and networking opportunities.

To learn more about current and upcoming competitions, please visit the xTech website at www.xtech.army.mil.

The Army SBIR Program offers Phase I contract opportunities to U.S.-based small businesses showing commercial viability, feasibility and technical merit. It also provides Phase II and Direct Phase II contracts to vendors with mature technologies meeting Phase I qualifications.

Small businesses also receive access to technical, acquisition and operational Army experts. These specialists give insights into the Army’s critical needs while guiding them from within the Army science and technology ecosystem.

The Army SBIR Program releases contract opportunities on an ad-hoc basis to address current and expected Soldier needs. The program will promote new contract releases via solicitation announcements and email.

For more information, visit the Army SBIR website at www.armysbir.army.mil.

xTech SBIR Innovator's Corner

Army xTech prize competition and Army SBIR return to AUSA with Innovator’s Corner

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