Dual-Use University Accelerator Challenge
Shares a $500,000 prize pool among university-founded startups building dual-use defense tech.
The Dual-Use University Accelerator Challenge is a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) prize competition that shares a $500,000 prize pool among university-founded startups building dual-use defense technology. It targets early-stage (TRL 2-4, pre-seed/seed) U.S. startups founded by students, faculty, staff or recent graduates (within 18 months), working in energy, autonomy, AI, cyber/telecom, emerging …
Looks for early-stage (TRL 2-4, pre-seed/seed) U.S. startups founded by students, faculty, staff or recent graduates (within 18 months), building commercially viable dual-use technology in energy, autonomy, AI, cyber/telecom, emerging tech, human systems or space that aligns with DoD mission needs.
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Guides for this application
All guides →How to Write a Grant Proposal Reviewers Can Score
Learn how to write a grant proposal around reviewer criteria, evidence, work packages, budget logic, and commercialization for deeptech and R&D funding.
DocumentsGrant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
DocumentsGrant Pitch Deck Example: Slides, Storyline, and Video Script
See a grant pitch deck example with slide outline, EIC-style pitch logic, demo-video script, and grant-vs-investor deck differences.
Submit & reportSAM.gov Registration and UEI Guide for Federal Grant Applicants
Learn how SAM.gov registration, UEI numbers, Grants.gov accounts, organization profiles, workspace roles, and renewal timing fit together.
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