DIU Vendor Day — Autonomy Portfolio

## TEE Take

**DIU** (Defense Innovation Unit) Vendor Days are the closest thing the **Pentagon** has to a demo day for startups. The Autonomy Portfolio session focuses on autonomous systems, robotics, and AI for defense — and unlike SBIR, **DIU** contracts are Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) with commercial-speed timelines. Prototyping contracts can be awarded in under 90 days.

The **DIU** model is simple: find commercial technology that solves a military problem, fund a prototype, and hand off to a service branch for production. If your technology has dual-use potential, this is the fastest path to a **DOD** contract without the traditional acquisition bureaucracy.

## Insider Tip

Prepare a 60-second verbal pitch and a one-page capability brief. **DIU** portfolio managers evaluate dozens of companies in a single day — the ones who communicate clearly in under a minute get the follow-up meetings. Don't bring a slide deck; bring a working demo if you can. The Mountain View office has outdoor space where ground robots have been demonstrated at prior Vendor Days.

## What to Expect

Morning briefings on current **DIU** Autonomy Portfolio priorities, followed by afternoon one-on-one meetings with portfolio managers. Current areas of focus include counter-UAS, autonomous logistics, maritime autonomy, and AI-enabled ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance). Expect 50-80 companies to attend.

## Who Should Attend

Robotics and autonomy startups with technology that has defense applications. Dual-use companies that haven't yet engaged the **DOD**. This is particularly valuable for companies that find SBIR too slow — **DIU** OTAs move at commercial speed.