This bill creates a new federal fund to help move promising tech from the lab to working prototypes and full production for use by U.S. intelligence agencies. The fund can give support as grants, payments for products or services, or even equity investments. To qualify, a business or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit must already be doing research and development under an agreement with an intelligence agency, and leaders must confirm the tech will meet a real mission need, like filling a technology gap or adding more suppliers and better prices for the government . The program focuses on small businesses and “nontraditional” defense contractors, aiming to help younger companies cross the “valley of death” between research and real-world use .

The fund sits at the U.S. Treasury and is managed by the Director of National Intelligence, who can consult with groups like DARPA, IARPA, national labs, the NATO Investment Fund, and the Defense Innovation Unit. Annual public spending reports to Congress begin in 2026, explaining how much was spent, on what, and with what results. The fund is authorized at up to $75 million per year starting in fiscal year 2026, and it cannot hold more than $75 million at any time .

Key points

• Who is affected: Small tech businesses and 501(c)(3) nonprofits working with intelligence agencies; U.S. intelligence agencies and their suppliers; communities that may see new jobs from tech moving to production .
• What changes: New funding to bridge R&D to prototype/production; support can be grants, product/service payments, or equity; priority to small and nontraditional contractors; oversight through yearly reports .
• When: Starts with funding authorized for fiscal year 2026; first annual report due by September 30, 2026 .