On behalf of the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), we are pleased to release the Request for Proposals (RFP) supporting next February’s High Tech West (HTW) Pitch Competition.
Building on what was previously known as the Remote & Austere Conditions (RAC) Grand Challenge, High Tech West is an expanded, multi-day pitch event that unites leading research experts, industry partners, and legislative representatives to explore groundbreaking technologies, innovative ideas, and holistic solutions to tackle pressing challenges our country faces.
High Tech West is seeking pitch proposals that align with these distinct focus areas, with suggested topic areas of interest found within the RFP link below:
· Focus Area 1 – February 25th: Aerospace and National Security
· Focus Area 2 – February 26th: Biotech and Medicine Supporting Austere Operations
Interested research teams are invited to submit a proposal following instructions and format provided within this RFP for review by a review panel by October 26th, 2025, and teams selected to advance will have access to pitch coaching resources before final presentations in February of 2026.
A distinguished panel of experts from relevant scientific fields, industry, and funding agencies will judge the High Tech West pitch competition and teams. Winning teams will be funded for the 2027 academic school year, and we anticipate that 2-3 awards per focus area will be funded through available funding. Awards will be made up to $250,000 and are to be used to cover only direct costs (indirect costs will not be provided).
Note: funded teams are expected to seek extramural funding support from an aligned interest / sponsor within one year of the project completion.
Further details can be found here, and if you have additional questions, please feel free to email Dr. Jim McDonough, Executive Director for DoD Research and Lead Planner for High Tech West.
Related story: High Tech West 2026: Advancing Innovation in Defense, Aerospace, and Medicine
