AFWERX 2026: Which SBIR Topics Small Companies Are Actually Winning
An honest breakdown of the AFWERX topic landscape — including which areas have a real track record of Phase I awards to companies under 50 people, which topics are wired for primes, and why TACFI is the most underused conversation in the AFWERX ecosystem.
Read the articleAFWERX 2026: Which SBIR Topics Small Companies Are Actually Winning
AFWERX's rolling admission model is a genuine advantage — but only if you know which topics are actually accessible versus which ones have been structured to favor established primes. We break down the 2026 landscape.
The 5 Best Sources for Early DIU & DARPA Opportunities (Ranked)
Where to find DIU and DARPA solicitations before everyone else — ranked by reliability, speed, and relevance matching. Includes what each source misses and the optimal stack for small defense companies.
SBIR Matching Done Right: Stop Wasting Time on Bad-Fit Topics
The 5 signals a topic is a bad fit. The 3 signals you should pursue it. How to build a scoring system that filters 300+ open topics down to the 5 worth actually writing proposals for.
How Defense Startups Build a BD Pipeline on $20/Month
The exact tool stack, weekly rhythm, and three meeting types that small defense companies use to win SBIR Phase IIs and OTA prototypes without spending $10K/year on GovWin IQ.
SBIR Phase III: The Sole-Source Pathway Most Companies Miss
Phase III isn't a separate competition — it's a sole-source authority baked into the SBIR statute. Most companies that have won Phase I and Phase II don't know how to use it. This is the playbook.
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