The Crucible Accelerator (Inland Empire Tech Bridge, powered by FedTech) runs an 8-week virtual Fall 2026 cohort from October to December for 12 defense and dual-use startups, taking no equity and charging no fees. The program page lists an application deadline of August 31, 2026, with Demo Day in week 8 and top teams invited to the Warfighting Innovation Summit in February 2027.
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Crucible Accelerator Fall 2026: no-equity defense dual-use program
Why this matters for founders
Deep-tech and dual-use founders can pitch to Navy stakeholders, prime contractors, and investors without giving up equity; confirm the exact deadline on the program page (some listings show mid-September) and apply before it closes.
Source: FedTech - Crucible Accelerator
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