2026 MXO Spark Tank Special Notice

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is hosting the Multi X Office (MXO) Spark Tank in-person event on November 2–4, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois, with advance registration required by October 18, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The event excludes FFRDCs, UARCs, and Government Entities. Registration opens August 10, 2026, and carries a $450 fee for all attendees, including U.S. Military and Government Personnel; venue capacity limits attendance to 500 participants.

The Spark Tank targets prospective MXO proposers and future collaborators seeking engagement with DARPA program leadership. The event features overview presentations by DARPA personnel, including MXO Program Managers, and individual 15-minute sidebar meetings with up to three selected Program Managers drawn from 12 managers covering quantum sensing, advanced computing, optics, microsystems, materials science, cybersecurity, and energy technologies.

Prospective attendees must submit a 500-word Capability Summary describing core competencies and relevant research areas; sidebar meetings are coordinated based on these submissions and venue capacity. Non-U.S. Citizens must complete DARPA Form 60 or submit Foreign Visit Requests through their embassy. Organizations may send up to two representatives per unit and eight per overall organization. Attendees must present government-issued photo identification. No classified, ITAR-controlled, or proprietary information may be included in submissions or discussed on-site. Presented materials will be posted to the MXO website after the event.