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Funder · Federal agency

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency

Funds DARPA, United States defence innovation agency creating high-impact technology programs for national missions.

United Stateswww.darpa.mil
Key stats
Annual funding$4.9B
Programs9
Active grants6
Total grants9
About

DARPA, founded in 1958, sits under the Department of Defense (effective 2025 reorganized as Department of War in some communications) and operates as the model that NIH ARPA-H, DOE ARPA-E, and other ARPAs were modeled on. The FY2026 budget request is approximately $4.9 billion, a 12% increase from FY2025, with roughly $1.9 billion allocated to the Advanced Technology Development and Commercialization line.

DARPA's signature funding mechanism is the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Each technical office publishes an Office-wide BAA that remains open year-round for innovative concepts in that office's domain. In addition, specific program BAAs are published for focused technology initiatives. All BAAs use a two-stage process: Executive Summary or Abstract first, then Full Proposal by invitation.

DARPA awards funding via procurement contracts, cooperative agreements, and Other Transactions (OTs). Award sizes range from $250K Disruptioneering seedlings to $100M+ flagship programs. DARPA's funded portfolio has produced foundational technologies including the Internet, GPS, stealth aircraft, mRNA vaccines, and large language models.

Programs & grants under this funder
DARPA Biological Technologies Office

Supports biology-inspired defense innovation in the United States by funding projects that turn biology into mission capability.

1 grant
DARPA BTO Office-wide BAA
Open
$500M pool·87 days
DARPA Defense Sciences Office

Supports United States advanced science and systems research for strategic security technologies and materials.

2 grants
DARPA DSO Disruptioneering
Open
$30M pool·86 days
DARPA DSO Office-wide BAA
Paused
$400M pool
DARPA Information Innovation Office

Supports United States defense innovation in AI, cyber, and information domains through high-impact technology development.

1 grant
DARPA I2O Office-wide BAA
Opens 2026
$600M pool
DARPA Microsystems Technology Office

Funds advanced United States electronics, photonics, quantum, and sensing work for computing, communications, and security.

DARPA Multi X Office (MXO)

Funds work in quantum computing, materials, and cross-domain technologies aligned with mission priorities.

1 grant
DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI)
Open
$100M pool·102 days
DARPA SBIR/STTR

Funds United States small businesses tackling bold national security technologies through focused defense opportunities.

2 grants
DARPA SBIR Phase I
Open
$70M pool
DARPA SBIR Phase II
Open
$130M pool
DARPA Strategic Technology Office

Supports strategic technology development in the United States for communications, sensing, and operational advantage.

1 grant
DARPA ERIS (Expedited Research Implementation Series)
Open
— pool·Rolling submission
DARPA Tactical Technology Office

Supports United States tactical technology development for air, sea, and space systems through rapid contracts.

1 grant
DARPA TTO Office-wide BAA
Paused
$700M pool
DARPA Young Faculty Award (YFA)

Supports early-stage defense-relevant research by junior faculty at United States institutions.

Parent entityU.S. Department of Defense
Last verified: 13 May 2026Source: www.darpa.mil