Accelerating Innovations to Market for National Security

One Innovation, Many Missions.

Have a breakthrough with dual potential? Apply to AIM for National Security and accelerate your innovation toward impact, from healthcare to homeland defense. Your research could serve more than one mission. Let us help you launch it.

At the intersection of research, readiness, and real-world application, UC San Diego's Accelerating Innovations to Market (AIM) for National Security is where impactful technologies find traction. This specialized track accelerates the commercialization of UC San Diego technologies that serve dual-use applications for both civilian and defense needs. From lab to launchpad, AIM-NS was designed to equip entrepreneurs, researchers, and startup founders with the tools, mentorship, and networks needed to deploy solutions that matter.

For this track, we welcome projects focused on Resilient Infrastructure and Environmental Technologies; Defense and Aerospace Systems; Life Sciences and Human Performance; and Space Systems and Technologies, including:

• Resilient Infrastructure and Environmental Technologies: Climate Adaptation, Coastal and Urban Resilience, Disaster Response and Recovery Systems, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Energy Resilience and Storage, Water and Wastewater Systems, Environmental Monitoring and Sensing, Carbon Capture and Sustainable Materials, Pollution Mitigation, Ecosystem and Ocean Health, and Data Analytics for Resilient Systems.
• Defense and Aerospace Systems: Naval/Ocean and Undersea Systems, Integrative Oceanography, Mechanical and Aerospace, Cybersecurity and Cryptography, Microelectronics and Semiconductors, Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Energy Systems, and Disaster Response and Critical Infrastructure.
• Life Sciences and Human Performance: Infectious Disease, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Wearable Sensors, Human Performance, Humanoid/Organoids, Surgical Innovation, Stroke, Nanoengineering, Bioengineering, Cognition, and Disease Areas, including but not limited to cancer, dermatology, and urology.
• Space Systems and Technologies: Human Health and Performance in Space (including stem-cell and organoid biology in microgravity; radiation effects on humans; in-flight clinical care; post-flight reconditioning research using real splashdown crews; vestibular/cognitive/physical deconditioning countermeasures), Earth Intelligence & Climate from Orbit (including remote sensing, PNT/altPNT, telecommunications), Trusted Space Systems (Dual-Use including space domain awareness, ISAM, autonomy, radiation-electronics, advanced materials for extreme environments, satellite cybersecurity, secure communications ), Translational Space Manufacturing & Biotech (including In-space pharmaceutical manufacturing (protein crystallization); semiconductor and advanced materials in microgravity), Deep Space (including optical and infrared telescope technology, space weather related technologies).

What is Accelerating Innovation to Market?

AIM is UC San Diego's commercialization accelerator for high-potential innovations. This initiative is designed to catalyze the translation of UC San Diego discoveries into commercial products and support the formation and growth of startups within our regional innovation ecosystem. We're particularly excited to welcome projects focused on women's health and therapeutics aligned with the Defense Health Agency, building on groundbreaking work led by the Human Milk Institute in partnership with industry collaborators, such as Novonesis.

We are also seeking applications from therapeutic programs that align with DARPA and the scientific focus areas of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute and the Sanford Advanced Therapy Center, including cell, gene, biomaterial, and/or other regenerative medicine therapies. These domains represent key strengths of our innovation community and offer significant potential for clinical translation and commercialization.

The National Security track of AIM is purpose-built to support dual-use technologies, those with both civilian and defense applications, and to guide research teams and startups in engaging effectively with the Department of Defense (DoD), Intelligence Community (IC), and other federal partners.

AIM is intended to bring both funding and mentorship to our researchers to catapult promising early-stage concepts to license-ready technologies that can either be licensed to existing companies or support the formation of spin-out companies that are mature enough to attract outside funding for successful translation. An independent advisory committee, comprising operators, national labs, installation representatives, industry and investors, will help guide applicants on the most effective development path for the technology. Through funding, intensive workshops, expert coaching, external project champions, and curated pitch opportunities, AIM helps innovators validate use cases, sharpen acquisition strategies, and prepare for real-world deployment in defense, civilian, and national security environments. 

Meet the most recent members of the 2026 AIM-funded cohort.

What You’ll Gain

• A validated dual-use business model
• Customized defense market landscape
• Strategic roadmap for government engagement
• Curated mentor network selection for a dedicated champion to support your project
• Actionable guidance on IP, compliance, and transition planning
• Pathways to funding via SBIR/STTR, DoD labs, or tech accelerators
• Entry into UC San Diego's National Security Innovation Network

APPLY NOW

Accelerating Innovation to Market is an equal opportunity grant that does not discriminate against awardees based on social identity group affiliation. All teams will be considered based on the clarity of their IP and the feasibility of reaching inflection points during the performance period. 

Past Award Recipients

• 2026
• 2025
• 2023
• 2022
• 2021