Build what the mission needs.
You will not need it all today.
Five stages · 33 resources
Prepare to succeed.
Before anything else, learn how the system works. Who buys, how they buy, and where the money flows. This stage builds the mental model that keeps everything else from being wasted motion.
Where you are and what's next.
Identify the mission problem you solve and the acquisition pathway that fits. Match your technology to active demand signals: SBIR topics, CSOs, OTAs, or direct engagement with problem sponsors.
Get connected.
Land your first contract vehicle. Get compliant, write proposals that win, and connect your solution to the acquisition system. This is where most startups stall: the bureaucratic interface between innovation and procurement.
Build to full power.
You won a contract and built the prototype. Now the tension builds to production and scale. Build the relationships, evidence, and end user demand that launches you over the valley of death.
Go operational.
Production contracts, follow-on awards, colors of money, B2B partnerships, and lifecycle optimization. You're building the team and the right team members change everything.
We go deeper than advice. Merge Combinator builds alongside a small number of companies trading equity for founder-grade expertise.