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20. October 2025
Us Army Unveils Tech Revolution: Innovative Startups Secure Millions For Game-Changing Solutions
The US Army has announced its inaugural Tech Competition, xTechDisrupt, which brought together 375 companies to showcase innovative technology solutions that can enhance the army’s capabilities. Eight winning companies were selected from this pool, each of whom will receive a significant prize and an opportunity to participate in a prestigious experimentation event.
The competition was held at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., where participating companies had just one minute to pitch their solutions to three-judge panels in one of four key areas: electronic warfare, power generation, management or storage, unmanned aerial systems, and counter-unmanned aerial systems.
This event was part of the Army’s efforts to identify agile, adaptive, and lethal technology solutions from eligible small- to medium-sized businesses. The competition aimed to provide a platform for innovators to showcase their ideas and demonstrate how they can make a significant impact on the army’s operations.
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll praised the participating companies, acknowledging that they are the ones who will shape the future of the army. “To the companies that participated: You are the innovators that will make the Army great and strong for the next 250 years,” he said.
Matt Willis, Director of Army FUZE, highlighted the exceptional talent and innovation displayed by small- to medium-sized businesses across the country. FUZE is an initiative that provides funding to startups to purchase and field equipment to soldiers in weeks, instead of years. The xTechDisrupt competition at the AUSA meeting was the first event in this program.
“The xTechdisrupt program that we’ve run here at AUSA is a clear example of how the Army FUZE program is not just talk—we’re delivering on the secretary’s imperative to identify, test and accelerate innovation on operationally relevant timelines,” Willis said. “It’s about moving ideas quickly from concept to operational reality.”
The winning companies were selected after 32 finalists pitched their solutions, demonstrating the high level of competition and innovation displayed by these companies. The selected winners will receive $62,500 each and an opportunity to participate in the U.S. Army Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center experimentation event in Hawaii scheduled for November 7-16.
The winning companies have demonstrated a range of innovative solutions that can address various challenges faced by the army. R2 Wireless pitched passive radiofrequency detection, classification, geolocation, and tracking technology that can help soldiers detect and identify potential threats. Mesodyne’s fuel agnostic, ultra-portable quiet generator is capable of utilizing different types of fuel, reducing soldiers’ battery load by hundreds of pounds.
Auterion’s Skynode is an all-in-one flight controller and mission computer that powers autonomous robots with the company’s operating system, transforming them into a networked, artificial intelligence-enabled system. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way soldiers operate in the field.
Nine Five North pitched a UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) with ground-penetrating radar for mine or unexploded ordnance sensing and clearing. Orion Edge’s low-size, weight, power, and cost fully autonomous radiofrequency control technology can disrupt adversary navigation and digital messages. Inergy’s stackable batteries provide portable energy storage at the edge, enabling soldiers to operate more efficiently.
Aurelius Systems’ low-size, weight, power, and cost laser weapons systems for counter-drone defense have significant implications for the army’s ability to detect and neutralize potential threats. Modalic’s drone mothership capable of carrying several small UAS longer distances enables longer-range swarm systems, giving soldiers a significant advantage on the battlefield.
The Army’s xTechDisrupt competition is an exciting development that demonstrates the army’s commitment to innovation and its willingness to engage with small- to medium-sized businesses. By providing a platform for innovators to showcase their ideas, the army can accelerate the development of new technologies that can address its operational challenges.
As Willis highlighted, the program is not just about talk; it’s about delivering on the secretary’s imperative to identify, test, and accelerate innovation on operationally relevant timelines. The xTechDisrupt competition at AUSA was a significant step in this direction, showcasing the army’s commitment to innovation and collaboration with small- to medium-sized businesses.
The selected winning companies will now have an opportunity to take their innovations to the next level by participating in the U.S. Army Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center experimentation event in Hawaii. This event provides a unique opportunity for these companies to demonstrate their technologies in real-world scenarios, providing valuable feedback and insights that can help refine their solutions.
The selection of these winning companies is a testament to the army’s commitment to innovation and its willingness to engage with small- to medium-sized businesses. By supporting these innovators, the army can accelerate the development of new technologies that can address its operational challenges and give soldiers a significant advantage on the battlefield.