A 6-month acceleration and executive program for defense and dual-use companies that move like startups and are ready to scale into the U.S., European, and Asia-Pacific markets.
Hosted with SRI International in Silicon Valley, with direct access to DIU, NATO, and the VALOR ecosystem and its Asia-Pacific track.
Silicon Valley Residency: March 8–20, 2027
First wave of applications: by November 14 · Final deadline: December 15
DTSA works with companies at different levels of maturity. Find the track that fits you.
TRL 6+ companies that are Ukrainian, Ukrainian-founded, or run by a Ukrainian operational team. You may already sell internationally. Now you want to understand the U.S. market and build a system to win there.
You have 500+ people and proven products. You don’t need the basics. You need access, and leaders ready for new markets. TAF Drones, Swarmer, Moodro, Zaruba, and LOGICS 7 have already joined DTSA.
Defense companies looking to work with the Ukrainian defense ecosystem. Strong dual-use companies in AI, public safety, firefighting, health and medtech, or govtech that want to build or strengthen their defense application, even if they are not battle-tested yet.
Joining DTSA means joining an ecosystem, not only a program. Every company gets access to the network and initiatives we run in the U.S. and beyond.
A fast-forward entry to one of the leading defense research institutions in the U.S., and the host of our Silicon Valley residency.
Direct conversations with DIU, DARPA, NATO, ITAR specialists, and other key stakeholders who shape defense innovation, procurement, and regulation in the U.S. and across the Alliance.
Pathways to governments, Ministries of Defense, and leading R&D institutions across the Asia-Pacific region, where buyers are looking to purchase from, partner with, and co-develop with proven companies.
Explore VALOR Ecosystem →A closed network of R&D institutions and government representatives from allied countries. Members are more likely to receive proposals for joint R&D, starting with SRI.
Our alumni collaborate with each other to improve their products and grow their companies. They co-develop new products and test together. The capital and contracts follow.
Watch 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 →Pure defense and dual-use companies are both welcome. Your speed, innovation, and agility matter more than your size.
We work with teams tackling mission-critical challenges across:
We accelerate companies already building, not companies still imagining. Follow us and stay in touch.
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.
Strategy, narrative, GTM, negotiation, export compliance, and leadership for founders and executive teams, built for defense and dual-use realities.
Structured access to primes, defense-focused investors, governments, operators, mentors, and R&D partners.
Our world-class, comprehensive program is designed to address the unique challenges defense and dual-use companies face.
Online program focused on pitch preparation and onboarding, so you arrive ready for the residency and execution track.
In-person working immersion: trainings, workshops, curated meetings, 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.
Six tracks delivered during the Silicon Valley Residency, March 8–20, 2027.
Silicon Valley innovation culture, SRI’s NABC value framework, and Lean Startup.
Tech commercialization, sales, and AI-powered U.S. go-to-market strategy.
Think like a VC: fundraising, Series A readiness, IP & legal, and pitch practice.
Agile prototyping, AI, autonomy, imaging systems, and tech scouting with SRI experts.
Government contracting, ITAR, and sessions with NATO, DARPA, DIU, and primes.
Team dynamics, negotiation, change management, leadership, and future forecasting.
DTSA is designed for leaders who can make strategic decisions and fully engage in the program.
Founder, co-founder, CEO, CTO, or Chief Strategy / Business Development leader.
Your executive leaders. For them, DTSA works as an executive education program focused on leadership, mindset, partnerships, and the skills needed to succeed in the U.S. market.
The participant must be able to represent the technology and its 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. Participants cover only travel and accommodation.
Welcome upon donation to the Alumni Fund. Participants cover travel and accommodation.
Program fee available upon request. Participants cover travel and accommodation.
Because the value is access, not the basics. Several of our alumni are large, established companies, including TAF Drones, Swarmer, Moodro, Zaruba, and LOGICS 7. They joined to keep innovating and to build their international presence.
Through DTSA you get a fast-forward entry to SRI International, direct access to DIU and NATO, and integration into the VALOR ecosystem with its Asia-Pacific track. Members of our closed network are also more likely to receive joint R&D proposals from SRI, other leading R&D institutions, and government representatives from allied countries. Your executive leaders can join as an executive education program.
Both. We focus on execution: procurement readiness, market entry, partnerships, and scaling. But there is no right execution without constant learning.
At DTSA you learn from the best: founders who have made more than one exit, investors who actively invest in defense and dual-use, mentors and educators, and people who have built multi-billion-dollar global companies.
The DTSA Silicon Valley Residency is designed to give you a clear understanding of how the U.S. defense market operates, how to navigate it, and how to position your company for successful integration into the American defense ecosystem.
Throughout the program, we bring together leading experts, industry practitioners, investors, and decision-makers who can share firsthand knowledge and experience.
During the residency, you will have the opportunity to meet:
Beyond expert sessions, the program includes Demo Day and networking mixers.
At our Demo Day, we invite investors, international delegations, government representatives, and other key stakeholders to discover the participating companies and explore potential opportunities for cooperation.
Through our networking mixers, you will connect with the local Silicon Valley ecosystem, expand your professional network, and develop relationships that may lead to future partnerships.
Equally important, DTSA is built around creating a trusted environment within each cohort. You will spend two weeks alongside exceptional founders and fellow defense innovators, exchanging experiences, discussing challenges, learning from one another, and building relationships that extend far beyond the residency.
No, DTSA does not take any equity in participating companies.
DTSA was established at the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a mission-driven initiative to help Ukrainian defense companies integrate into the Silicon Valley ecosystem and enter the U.S. market.
Initially, the program was designed exclusively for Ukrainian companies. Since then, we have expanded our mission and now also welcome international teams interested in collaborating with Ukrainian defense innovators and seeing the U.S. market as an opportunity to scale their businesses.
Our commitment to supporting Ukrainian defense innovation remains unchanged, which is why participation fees are waived for Ukrainian companies.
Following our first cohort, we established the DTSA Alumni Fund, which allows our alumni companies to voluntarily contribute to support future cohorts and create similar opportunities for the next generation of defense innovators.
These contributions are entirely voluntary and not required for participation.
Our team brings deep expertise across technology, defense, and venture building, backing founders with the insight and experience to move fast and build right.
Battle-proven or ready to become dual-use, moving with startup speed and ready to scale: DTSA is your entry to the U.S. defense ecosystem.
