WASHINGTON— The U.S. Army xTech Program, in coordination with the Joint Humanoid Community of Collaboration, launched the xTechHumanoid competition. With up to $490,000 in cash prizes and $1.25 million in potential follow-on awards, the competition seeks transformative humanoid technologies that enhance warfighter survivability, sustain combat power, and operate effectively in complex, high-risk environments.

xTechHumanoid aims to identify and accelerate the development of prototype militarized humanoids capable of working alongside Soldiers in diverse operational settings. The competition will assess the current state of humanoid technology and evaluate key subsystems—such as artificial intelligence, sensors, and power systems—to identify scalable commercial solutions with near-, mid-, and long-term potential.

Finalists will participate in a live experimentation event with Department of Defense experts and end-users to validate technology readiness, refine system performance, and ensure solutions meet Army mission needs.

xTechHumanoid plays a strategic role in shaping future DOD investments, research and development priorities, and integration pathways for humanoid systems. The competition will also inform doctrine, training, and force structure—ultimately positioning these technologies as force multipliers on the modern battlefield.

Competition Overview

The Army seeks small and large businesses across the globe to participate, engage with DOD experts, and refine their solutions to meet Army needs.

Part One: Concept White Paper (Aug. 6 – Oct. 1, 2025)

• Eligible vendors must submit a five-page concept white paper and an optional three-to-five-minute video outlining their technology, viability, and its benefit to the military.
• Up to 10 applicants—including up to six white papers for baseline humanoid systems and up to four white papers for advanced humanoid subsystems—will receive $25,000 and an invitation to the next round.

Strategic Collaboration

• Selected participants from part one can explore strategic collaborations with fellow finalists or industry partners to help shape innovative humanoid solutions for the finals and beyond. Collaboration remains optional and will not affect selection decisions.

Part Two: Final Experimentation Event (Summer 2026)

• Finalists will participate in a live experimentation event in August or September 2026, showcasing their solutions to a panel of Army and DOD experts.
• Up to two winners with baseline humanoid systems will receive a prize of $75,000 each, and up to three winners with advanced humanoid subsystems will receive a prize of $30,000 each.
• The government may award follow-on contracts to one or more competition winners, with each award drawn from a total funding pool of up to $1.25 million.

Eligibility Requirements

xTechHumanoid is open to nonprofit and for-profit organizations, including large and small businesses, in both domestic and foreign territories. Vendors must obtain a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code to process payments and must be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the U.S. or a foreign country.

Vendors must not be U.S. federal government entities, foreign government entities, or employ a U.S. federal employees acting within the scope of their employment. Additionally, vendors must not currently be under contract, agreement, or providing similar capabilities to the government for related work.

About the Army xTech Program

The Army xTech Program is the Army’s premier tool for scouting and accelerating dual-use technologies that directly enhance Soldier readiness and mission success. Through dynamic prize competitions like xTechSearch, xTech identifies breakthrough solutions and opens doors for nontraditional companies to engage with and deliver capabilities to the Army. Since its launch in 2018, xTech has awarded over $30 million in non-dilutive cash prizes across 45 competitions—fueling innovation pipelines and delivering transformative technologies that matter on the battlefield.

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By Sarah Hepburn, Office of Army Innovation Programs

Any references to commercial products or services are not, and shall not, be construed as, official Army or DOD endorsements.

Today*, the U.S. Army awarded three Unmanned Systems (UxS) Autonomy agreements to Forterra (Clarksburg, Md.), Overland AI, Inc. (Seattle, Wa.) and Scout AI, Inc. (Sunnyvale, Ca.) to rapidly integrate and deliver commercial autonomous mobility into Army formations. The total award value for all agreements is approximately $15.5 million.

Under these agreements, each awardee will integrate their commercial autonomy solutions onto existing Army Infantry Support Vehicles (ISVs) and deliver prototypes to Army Soldiers for demonstration and evaluation in May 2026.

“We are looking forward to seeing how our industry partner’s autonomy solutions perform on vehicles while performing relevant military missions,” said Col. Ken Bernier, project manager, Future Battle Platforms “We remain committed to bringing the best technologies to our warfighters and shaping the future of autonomous mobility for our Army at an unprecedented speed.”

These demonstrations and evaluations will inform future Army decisions on the applicability of autonomous and unmanned systems across the force and could have the potential to directly transfer successful capabilities to a variety of other ground vehicle platforms.

“This effort will serve as an opportunity for the Army to assess the reliability of commercial autonomy and their ability to deliver real operational value to Soldiers in the field,” said Bernier.

By Ashley John

* published on 27 August.