A 6-month accelerator for TRL 6+ defense and dual-use startups that have proven performance in operational or combat-like environments, and are ready to expand into U.S., European, and Indo-Pacific allied markets.
Hosted with SRI International in Silicon Valley, connecting you to a trusted ecosystem spanning DARPA-adjacent research, DIU-style pathways, NATO-aligned stakeholders, primes, and allied DoD networks.
Pre-register to Join Cohort IIIWatch Highlights From Cohort I, and Hear Directly From the Teams Who Shaped It.
See How Founders Strengthened Their Narrative, Partnerships, and Fundraising Through DTSA
Meet Our Alumni →What “Beast Mode” Means at DTSA
If your startup meets these criteria and is TRL 6+ with operational validation, you are ready to go Beast Mode with DTSA.
We are looking for visionary teams tackling mission-critical challenges across:
Exceptional Teams May Be Considered — if your startup is building the future of defense and dual-use technology, you are in the right place.
DTSA operates in strategic partnership with SRI International, connecting battle-tested teams with trusted experts, strategic partners, and real-world defense markets.
Positioning, partner meetings, and a high-trust ecosystem gateway, hosted with SRI International.
Sharpen your strategy, narrative, GTM, negotiation, export compliance, and leadership, built for defense and dual-use realities.
Structured access to primes, defense-focused investors, allied stakeholders, operators, mentors, and R&D partners.
Our world-class, comprehensive program is designed to address the unique challenges deep-tech security startups face.
Get oriented with the program structure, align on goals, and prepare for the residency and execution track.
In-person working immersion: positioning, curated meetings, workshops, and ecosystem access designed to accelerate market entry.
Ongoing support with expert mentoring, partner and investor follow-ups, and milestone tracking to help you scale effectively.
DTSA is designed for founders and senior leaders who can make strategic decisions and fully engage in the program. The ideal representative is:
The participant must be able to represent the technology and its operational validation, engage with investors and primes, and act on strategic decisions during and after the program. If the attendee cannot make decisions, the program won’t deliver its full value.
Fully covered by the Ukrainian Alumni Fund and supporting donors. Participants cover only travel and accommodation.
$8,250 total for the 2-week residency + 6 months of mentoring and ecosystem access. Participants cover travel and accommodation.
Only operationally validated startups, no idea-stage noise, with frontline-derived learning loops and direct access to Ukrainian founders and engineers operating under the world’s most demanding conditions.
Curated connections to primes, investors, allied stakeholders, and R&D partners, combined with integrated technical, commercial, and regulatory guidance.
Six months of execution-focused support, beyond one-week events, designed for deployment, partnerships, and market expansion.
We accelerate companies already building, not companies still imagining.
Our team brings deep expertise across technology, defense, and venture building, backing founders with the insight and experience to move fast and build right.
If your technology is validated in real-world conditions and you are ready to scale into allied markets, DTSA BEAST Mode is your execution track.
