Capital Factory is pleased to announce the $100,000 Defense Innovation Challenge focused on identifying solutions to two of the U.S. Army’s modernization priorities. This will be the finale of the J.P. Morgan Texas Startups Roadshow, a unique gathering of the country’s top tech investors and innovators who are investing in Texas.

On June 6, the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, five technology startup finalists will be judged by a panel of successful entrepreneurs, defense industry leaders, and venture capitalists. All five will be accepted into the inaugural cohort of Capital Factory’s new Defense Innovation Track, and one will walk away with a $100,000 investment that day.

Startups! Submit your application on AngelList

How were the topics identified?

The U.S. Army is on a mission to update its forces and equipment with new ideas and novel technology to address some of its key challenges. The two topics for this challenge were selected from among the Army’s top six modernization priorities. Capital Factory wants to help the Army deliver technology overmatch to warfighters by finding and investing in startups with “dual-use” solutions that were developed for the commercial industry but could also be used by the Army.

Who is eligible?

Any U.S.-based startup company with a solution to one of the two problems identified below can apply to participate. If selected as a finalist, you will join the new Defense Innovation Track at Capital Factory and, if you win, you will receive a $100,000 investment from Capital Factory on a convertible note.

Here are the problems:

Better AR/VR network optimization and data compression technologies

There is a need for network optimization and data compression technologies to ensure delivery of scalable AR/VR capabilities with low-latency to no latency, on a distributed and global basis, even in bandwidth and computationally-constrained environments. Based upon the current training environment performance, there are needs to: optimize training network performance to support AR/VR graphics and scalable data delivery and response; compress data to provide low-bandwidth, low-latency, and high-fidelity streaming of AR/VR graphics and data in bandwidth-constrained environments; and, implement advanced edge computing and networking architectures and solutions to deliver optimized network performance.

IoT and AI/ML training assessment tools

There is a need to enhance its current measurement, assessment, and optimization of training activities conducted through this new training capability. While training is monitored and assessed today, most of the measurement and analysis of training by organizations of all types is conducted manually. Thus, specific opportunities have been identified to enhance the existing capabilities by providing: automated collection, monitoring, and measurement of training performance activities of individuals and groups during training activities in virtual, live, and hybrid training environments through IoT and other solutions; training outcomes, assessments, and recommendations on additional training or areas of improvement through predictive analytics, including AI/ML and other approaches; automated training performance measurement, analysis, and optimization — including adaptive learning and intelligent tutoring systems — through novel applications; and other automated training assessment capabilities.

Defense Innovation Track

Earlier this year, Capital Factory opened the Center for Defense Innovation — 23,000 square feet of collaboration space with the Army Futures Command, AFWERX, Defense Innovation Unit, MD5, The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and a team of Booz Allen Hamilton’s defense innovators as initial tenants. This unprecedented collaboration between the public and private sector brings entrepreneurs and government innovators shoulder-to-shoulder in a coworking environment where they can learn from each other and have a kind of serendipity that can’t happen behind high security.

This new center of gravity for defense innovation brings together military leaders with entrepreneurs, innovators, and established defense industry leaders to co-create solutions that ensure our armed forces are poised to meet the threats of tomorrow. The Defense Innovation Track is a new program designed to give special attention to startups who have the potential to solve problems for the defense industry and to help make the connections to the investors, customers, and talent that startups need to be successful.

All Participants in the Defense Innovation Track will receive:

• Mentor network that includes special access to an A-List of Texas’ top entrepreneurs as well as defense industry veterans
• 6 months of unlimited co-working at Capital Factory for your whole team
• Hundreds of thousands of dollars in total hosting credits from Amazon, Google, Microsoft and other major hosting providers (each individual offer is different and subject to change)

Think you’ve got a shot? Apply now on AngelList to be one of five teams selected to pitch. You could walk away with $100,000 and a new home at the Center of Gravity for Defense Innovation! Application deadline is May 24th.

Startups! Submit your application on AngelList

About Capital Factory

Capital Factory is the center of gravity for entrepreneurs in Texas, the number one startup state in the U.S. Last year more than 200,000 entrepreneurs, programmers and designers gathered day and night, in-person and online for meetups, classes and coworking. With boots on the ground in Austin, Dallas and Houston, we meet the best entrepreneurs in Texas and introduce them to their first investors, employees, mentors and customers. According to Pitchbook, Capital Factory has been the most active investor in Texas since 2013.