From eligibility to application for DARPA Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs): reach the right program manager, frame your white paper for defense and dual-use tech, plus every other US grant you qualify for.
DARPA BAAs plus other US programmes, all with one application
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Eligibility check after you sign up
4 routes
Grants, family offices, angel investors & VCs
DARPA awards run $500K to $5M+ per performer (seedlings around $1M to $2M, faster) across AI, autonomy, biotech, materials, and national security, and contacting the program manager first is essential.
The founder's guide
What Are DARPA BAAs?
DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) funds breakthrough research in AI, autonomous systems, biotechnology, advanced materials, and national-security technology. Most funding flows through Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), open solicitations posted on SAM.gov, with awards typically ranging from $500K to $5M+ per performer (faster "seedling" contracts run around $1M–$2M).
DARPA is not for consumer apps, SaaS, or incremental improvements, it backs genuinely hard, high-impact technology. The process is relationship-driven: a cold BAA submission rarely succeeds. Our free eligibility check shows whether DARPA, and every other US grant, fits your startup.
Who qualifies
DARPA Eligibility & Fit
DARPA is open to companies and universities, but fit and credibility matter as much as formal eligibility.
US and some foreign entities can apply, but national-security review applies to foreign participants, and some programmes require security clearances.
Breakthrough, defense-relevant technology. Think frontier AI, autonomy, biotech, materials, or hardware with clear national-security or dual-use potential.
Deep technical credibility. DARPA favours teams with prior government R&D experience, strong academic credentials, or proprietary technology in the domain.
Compliance capacity. Some programmes involve ITAR-controlled work and clearances (which can take 6–12 months), so budget for compliance.
A founder's guide
How to Apply to DARPA
DARPA is relationship-first. The order of these steps matters more than almost any other agency.
Step 1
Find a BAA & Contact the PM
Find a relevant BAA on SAM.gov and email the program manager before writing anything. A 2-page white paper to the PM is the strongly recommended first step. Run the free eligibility checker to shortlist DARPA and other US grants you qualify for.
Step 2
Submit a White Paper / Abstract
For office-wide BAAs, submit a 3–5 page abstract describing your concept. Be brutally specific: a measurable improvement over the state of the art beats any generic claim.
Step 3
Full Proposal & Contract
If encouraged, submit a full proposal. DARPA also runs SBIR/STTR topics through the DoD SBIR portal, often a more accessible entry point for a first government contract.
Done-for-you service
Don't want to write it yourself? We build the application for you.
The steps above are the do-it-yourself route. If you would rather hand it off, our grant specialists write, package and manage the whole application for you, working alongside you so the technical detail stays yours while we handle the process.
1ApplyTell us about your startup and the grant you are targeting. It takes a few minutes.
2Chat with a specialistA grant specialist checks your fit, confirms the right programme, and scopes the work with you.
3We build your applicationWe write the narrative, budget and supporting documents to the funder's exact scoring criteria.
4We guide every stageMany grants run in several rounds (assessment, interviews, sometimes multiple phases, then reporting). We handle each step and explain everything as we go.
Transparent, mostly success-based pricingA modest upfront fee to scope and start the work (not always tied to your metrics), plus a success fee based on the grant, the amount awarded, and your business. Every engagement is quoted individually.
Apply and we'll come back with a tailored budget for your specific grant.
Interactive Tool
Check Your US Grant Eligibility in 30 Seconds
Every US programme is listed below by default. Tell us your stage and sector to narrow them to the SBIR/STTR, agency, and federal programmes that match your startup. Getting matched is 100% free - no fee, no commission, no credit card.
Choose your stage and sector below to see which US grants you may be eligible for
Want a definitive eligibility report? It's free.
This is a first-pass match based on stage, sector, and geography. Complete the application form and we'll automatically match you with the most relevant grants - including the one you're researching - cross-referencing your technology, IP, team, and traction against every active US programme. This matching service is completely free: no fee, no commission, no credit card required.
The strongest raises stack multiple non-dilutive programmes. Here are the other US grants you can apply for, all matched in one free eligibility check.
Awards typically run $500K to $5M+ per performer, with faster "seedling" contracts around $1M–$2M, and DARPA SBIR Phase I at roughly $250K. Amounts vary widely by program and office.
Effectively, yes. A cold BAA submission with no prior PM contact rarely succeeds. Email the relevant program manager with a short concept, a 2-page white paper is the recommended first step, before investing in a full proposal.
Only if you're solving a genuinely hard, defense-relevant problem, frontier AI, autonomy, security. DARPA does not fund consumer apps, standard SaaS, or incremental products. For broader tech, SBIR/STTR is usually the better route.
Yes, and many deep-tech and defense startups do. A DARPA contract is a strong credibility signal. After winning one, find US deep-tech investors on AngelsPartners to fund commercialisation.
The Full Capital Stack
Grants Are Only Part of the Stack
SBIR awards and federal grants cover early-stage R&D, but most US startups need equity capital to scale. The strongest raises combine non-dilutive grants with angel or VC investment.
AngelsPartners is the only platform where a founder can access all three capital pathways in one place: grants (this page), debt financing, and 120,000+ equity investors.
Equity funding
US Angels & VCs
Search a database of angels, micro-VCs, and funds investing in US startups. Filter by sector, geography, ticket size, and stage. Direct contact details included - no gatekeepers, no pay-to-pitch.
Venture debt, revenue-based financing, and startup loan programmes - without diluting your cap table. Our AI matches you to a curated lender network based on your revenue, traction, and geography.
