NSIN Vector seeks to identify and assist the next generation of dual-use ventures as they develop solutions supporting the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

Vector gives participating teams the tools to pursue business opportunities with the government and develop their early-stage ventures. The program welcomes companies that started in the commercial market and are interested in exploring the DoD market and companies that began in the DoD market and are seeking to grow.

The 2024 iteration of NSIN Vector will accept applications from companies based in all 50 states, and will leverage the Defense Innovation OnRamp Hubs to help teams connect to the defense innovation ecosystem.

Key Dates

  • April 5, 2024: Application period begins

  • April 17, 2024 at 4pm-5pm ET: “Ask Me Anything” Session for Participants, see the info session recording

  • May 10, 2024: Application due date and down-select begins

  • May 27, 2024: Participant selection announcement

  • Week of Jun. 3, 2024: Accelerator start

  • Week of Aug. 12, 2024: Showcase Pitch Event and Winner Announcements

Areas of Focus

Companies selected for the 2024 NSIN Vector cohort will have technologies to address advanced sensing, data sharing, command and control, resilient position navigation and timing, and contested communications.

Who Should Apply?

Early-stage ventures starting within the commercial market and interested in exploring DoD market opportunities or startups beginning in the DoD market and seeking to grow.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Companies must be U.S. Owned and Operated.
  • Registration in SAM.gov is required to receive an award but is not required at the start of the competition.
  • Companies must be pre-Series A.

Download the judging rubric.

Apply Now

Applications should be submitted via AirTable for consideration by May 10th.

Apply Now

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which stage ventures should apply? Pre-Series A or early-stage ventures that want to explore or have started exploring doing business with the DoD.

  • Who should apply? Open to U.S.-based pre-Series A ventures and teams.

  • Where can I apply? Apply via the application link by May 10th.

  • When does Vector occur? The 2024 Vector cohort is 10 weeks long and is expected to begin in early June.

  • Where does Vector happen? Vector is entirely virtual, a combination of live webinar sessions every week and pre-recorded content.

  • What level of venture participation is expected? The expected minimum workload for teams is about two hours per week for every week of the cohort.

  • How many ventures does Vector accept? Vector accepts about 20 qualified ventures for each iteration cohort.

  • Who facilitates the accelerator delivery? Decisive Point. See www.decisivepoint.com for more information.

  • What exactly will we learn? Teams can anticipate an extensive learning experience encompassing a diverse array of topics through a blend of live sessions and self-paced modules. The program covers essential aspects of federal contracting, including business planning, and capital raising. Participants learn how to effectively market to federal agencies, refine pitches, and navigate procurement processes. They also gain insights into leveraging partnerships, ensuring compliance, and protecting intellectual property. The curriculum culminates in a Showcase Event highlighting participants’ achievements, with guidance from Department of Defense mentors throughout. Moreover, participants will have numerous opportunities to engage with Department of Defense (DoD) mentors, including experts from the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN). The program will culminate in a final Showcase Event, providing participants with a platform to demonstrate their learning and achievements to component experts. There will also be a final Showcase Event at the end of the program.

  • How do participating ventures receive funding? Teams placing first, second, and third in the final showcase event will receive $25,000, $15,000 and $10,000, respectively. NSIN will fund the awards via its prize authority.

  • Derivative IP? The purpose of Vector is for new ventures to explore the benefits of making their business dual-use. NSIN is a DoD organization that exists to promote dual-use innovation. This program does not include an ask to obtain teams’ equity or IP rights. IP considerations will be up to the parties involved to make separate agreements with DoD partners. NSIN does not speak for other DoD organizations or the DoD at large.

  • Is there more information? Yes, additional information can be found in the info session slides or the info session recording

Questions

Please email any questions about this program to vector@nsin.mil.

About National Security Innovation Network

NSIN is a program office in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), nested within the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU). We are set up to collaborate with a wide variety of innovators to include universities, researchers, students, entrepreneurs and start-ups. We create opportunities for collaboration across communities and connect those that might not traditionally work in national security. Together, we help drive national security innovation and develop technologies that directly support the individuals responsible for protecting our country.

For more information or interview requests with Team NSIN, please contact us at media@nsin.mil.

*Evaluation Process:

  1. Non-Government advisors (e.g., DIU/NSIN contractors, academic SMEs) may be used in the evaluation of program applications and for the purposes of in-program performance assessment. Non-Government advisors will have signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with the Government. If an applicant company determines the need to enter into a non-disclosure agreement directly with the non-government advisor, the company shall notify the DIU/NSIN agreements officer, the DIU/NSIN program manager, and the DIU/NSIN portfolio director. Submission of an offer under this Open Call will constitute a grant of authority by the submitting company to the Government to allow the use of non-Government advisors to participate in evaluations of all phases of the Open Call process.
  2. The Government understands that information provided in response to this Open Call is presented in confidence and may contain trade secret or commercial or financial information, and it agrees to protect such information from unauthorized disclosure to the maximum extent permitted or required by Law, to include:
    1. 18 U.S.C. 1905 (Trade Secrets Act);
    2. 18 U.S.C. 1831 et seq. (Economic Espionage Act);
    3. 5 U.S.C. 552(b)(4) (Freedom of Information Act);
    4. Executive Order 12600 (Pre-disclosure Notification Procedures for Confidential Commercial Information); and,
    5. Any other statute, regulation, or requirement applicable to Government employees.
  3. NSIN policy is to treat all submissions as confidential information, and to disclose their contents only for the purpose of evaluation. Restrictive notices notwithstanding, during the evaluation process, submissions may be handled by support contractors for administrative purposes and/or to assist with technical evaluation. All NSIN, DIU and DoD support contractors performing this role are expressly prohibited from performing NSIN or DIU-sponsored technical research and are bound by appropriate NDAs.
  4. The Department/NSIN will also assess proposals utilizing open-source analysis and analytical tools to evaluate the proposer's viability as a recipient of federal funding.
Intellectual Property Considerations: By participating in this competition and submitting in any of the rounds, participants are granting the US Government and its Partners permanent access to any provided presentations, videos, and white papers with the provision that the US Government and its Partners may store and copy the presentations, videos, and white papers in perpetuity. Participants will retain intellectual ownership of and publishing rights to the presentations, videos, and white papers. Excluding presentations, videos, and white papers and any material considered to be co-produced with the US Government, the US Government and its Partners agree not to share submissions with other entities, including files and tradecraft concepts. Other Transaction Authority: This Vector public announcement is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors seeking innovative, commercial technologies proposed to create new DoD solutions or potential new capabilities fulfilling requirements, closing capability gaps, or providing potential technological advancements, technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, but also concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities improving commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, or concepts for broad Defense application(s). As such, the Government reserves the right to award a contract or an Other Transaction for any purpose, to include a prototype or research, under this public announcement. The Federal Government is not responsible for any monies expended by the applicant before award and is under no obligation to pursue such Other Transactions.


Follow-on Acquisition Opportunities - Pursuant to the authority of 10 USC 4025, this Vector public announcement is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors seeking innovative, commercial technologies proposed to create new DoD solutions or potential new capabilities fulfilling requirements, closing capability gaps, or providing potential technological advancements, technologies fueled by commercial or strategic investment, but also concept demonstrations, pilots, and agile development activities improving commercial technologies, existing Government-owned capabilities, or concepts for broad Defense application(s). As such, the Government reserves the right to award a contract or an Other Transaction for any purpose, to include a prototype or research, under this public announcement. The Federal Government is not responsible for any monies expended by the applicant before award and is under no obligation to pursue issuance of any contract or agreement.


Satisfying Competition Requirements - This NSIN Announcement is considered to have potential for further efforts that may be accomplished via FAR-based contracting instruments, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for Prototype Projects (10 USC 4022) and Research (10 USC 4021), Prizes for advanced technology achievements (10 USC 4025), Prize Competitions (15 USC 3719), and/or Procurement for Experimental Purposes (10 USC 4023). The public open call announcement made on the NSIN event page is considered to satisfy the reasonable effort to obtain competition in accordance with 10 USC 4025(b), 15 USC 3719 (e) and 10 USC 4022 (b)(2). Any FAR-based actions will follow announcement procedures per FAR 5.201(b) accordingly.


Executive Order 12600 (Pre-disclosure Notification Procedures for Confidential Commercial Information); and, Any other statute, regulation, or requirement applicable to Government employees. NSIN policy is to treat all submissions as confidential information, and to disclose their contents only for the purpose of evaluation. Restrictive notices notwithstanding, during the evaluation process, submissions may be handled by support contractors for administrative purposes and/or to assist with technical evaluation. All NSIN, DIU and DoD support contractors performing this role are expressly prohibited from performing NSIN or DIU-sponsored technical research and are bound by appropriate NDAs. The DoD /NSIN will also assess proposals utilizing open-source analysis and analytical tools to evaluate the proposer's viability as a recipient of federal funding.