DARPA is a venture capital firm and is the central research and development organization for the US Department of Defense. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, United States, it focuses on companies within the artificial Intelligence, information technology, and national security sectors. It usually issues funds for grants and Series A Rounds. Its portfolio companies include GRYFN, Xanadu, Cogito Corporation, Voyant Photonics, Ayar Labs, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Vector Launch, Paradromics, Synchron and Gamalon.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency lists their mission as making pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security. As part of this, they work to find transformational change instead of incremental advances. They work with academic, corporate and governmental partners with a focus on the United States military services.
DARPA comprises approximately 220 government employees in six technical offices, including near 100 program managers overseeing 250 research and development programs.
Known before as the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), the agency was created in February 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in response to the Soviet launching of Sputnik 1 in 1957.
As of 2020, Dr. Victoria Coleman serves as the 22nd director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the highest office in the department.
Timeline
Funded Companies
MicroLink devices is a Niles, Illinois-based semiconductor manufacturing company
MaXentric Technologies is a research and development company which offers consulting services. The company has developed a portfolio of technologies in wireless systems, digital signal processing, and biosensors, among other fields
Management Sciences, Inc. (MSI) supports the needs of industry and government for sensors and intranets in the areas of prognostic health management, situation awareness, signals intelligence, AI, safety, and embedded systems.
A biotechnology company developing immuno-oncology therapies and therapeutic vaccines
Embody, Inc. is a regenerative medicine company focused on the development and commercialization of implantable medical devices to address unmet needs in soft tissue restoration and regeneration.
People
Brian M. Pierce
Deputy Director
Daniel Wattendorf
Program Manager
David Gunning
Program Manager
Peter Highnam
Deputy Director
Stefanie Tompkins
Acting Deputy Director
Steven H. Walker
Director
Tim Grayson
Director / Strategic Technology Office
Timothy Chung
Program Manager
Further reading
Documentaries, videos and podcasts
Companies
GRYFN
Ayar Labs
Cogito Corporation
Gamalon
Paradromics
Synchron
Vector Launch
Voyant Photonics
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Xanadu