Original Broadcast Date: 6/14/2026
Sponsored by Forward Network and Carasoft
The U.S. Army is taking a new approach to innovation, one designed to move promising technologies from concept to field testing in a matter of months rather than years. According to Matt Willis, Director of Army FUZE, the goal is to accelerate the delivery of new capabilities while ensuring that soldiers play a central role throughout the development process.
Speaking on FedGov Today, Willis describes FUZE as a new model for Army innovation that combines multiple existing programs into a more streamlined system. The initiative adopts what he calls a venture capital mindset, focusing on quickly identifying promising technologies, investing strategically, and getting solutions into the hands of soldiers earlier and more often.
"The Army FUZE program represents an entirely new way in which the Army is building our innovation program," Willis says.
At the heart of the effort is a commitment to solving real operational problems rather than developing technology in isolation.
Historically, Willis explains, many technologies begin in laboratory environments where testing occurs under ideal conditions. However, a capability that performs well in a controlled setting may encounter unexpected challenges once it reaches the field. Battery life, environmental conditions, connectivity issues, and usability can all affect performance when soldiers begin using a system in operational environments.
To address that challenge, FUZE is changing the development process.
Willis says the program is focused on "getting in the dirt with the soldier," meaning that soldiers help identify capability gaps from the beginning and remain involved throughout testing and evaluation. Their feedback helps shape requirements, assess performance, and determine whether a technology can realistically support mission needs.
The approach aligns closely with broader efforts across the Department of Defense to accelerate acquisition and innovation.
Willis emphasizes that speed is a foundational element of the program. Traditional acquisition timelines can stretch across many years and require significant investments before capabilities reach users. In contrast, FUZE is working to identify technologies and place them in soldiers' hands within 75 to 90 days.
For the Army acquisition community, Willis says that pace represents a dramatic shift.
Achieving those timelines requires making better use of existing acquisition authorities and creating more agile pathways for companies to engage with the Army. It also means helping businesses navigate what has traditionally been a complicated government ecosystem.
One of the primary tools supporting that effort is the Army's XTech competition program.
Willis explains that XTech was created to lower barriers for companies interested in working with the Army. The competitions help businesses understand Army challenges, demonstrate potential solutions, and gain access to operational environments where technologies can be evaluated by soldiers.
Participating in military exercises can be costly, particularly for smaller companies and startups. XTech helps offset some of those expenses by providing prize funding and resources that support participation in testing and evaluation activities.
The program also creates opportunities for companies to receive direct feedback from soldiers and Army stakeholders.
According to Willis, the competitions cover a wide range of technology areas. Some, such as the annual XTech Search competition, are broadly focused and open to virtually any capability that could support Army missions. Others target specific operational challenges.
One current competition, XTech Kinetic Reach, focuses on autonomous technologies that can operate in GPS-denied environments. Companies selected through the program receive support to participate in Army exercises and demonstrate their capabilities in realistic operational settings.
Beyond accelerating innovation, FUZE is also designed to address one of the most persistent challenges facing emerging technology companies: the so-called "valley of death."
Many companies successfully develop innovative solutions but struggle to transition those technologies into larger government programs. Willis says FUZE helps bridge that gap by creating a clearer pathway from demonstration to adoption.
By bringing together previously separate innovation programs under a single umbrella, FUZE simplifies engagement and provides companies with a more direct route into the Army ecosystem. If a capability shows promise, the program can help connect companies with additional opportunities to scale and expand.
Importantly, the initiative is also attracting new participants.
Willis notes that at least half of the companies entering the program each year are new to working with the Army. That steady influx of new businesses and ideas supports the Army's goal of expanding access to innovative technologies and broadening the defense industrial base.
Ultimately, Willis says success depends on identifying technologies that not only solve real problems but also have the potential to scale across the force. Through soldier involvement, rapid experimentation, and streamlined acquisition pathways, Army FUZE is working to ensure that promising innovations reach the field faster and deliver meaningful operational value.