On January 22, 2026, the Department of War (DOW) officially kicked off its first-ever Defense Patent Holiday pilot program in Washington, D.C. This inaugural initiative aims to bridge the gap between federal laboratories and the front lines by accelerating the commercialization of
defense-developed technologies. This offers a unique opportunity to anyone in industry or in the intellectual property space. Often small businesses and startups are priced out of this space but have highly skilled academics or industry leaders who would be able to take the patent from idea to industry quickly simply because they have the knowledge of that particular industry and can see viable applications.

Industry Day Highlights

Hosted by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW (R&E)), the launch event featured senior leaders from the Office of Technology Transfer, Transition, and Commercial Partnerships (T3CP), industry experts, and partners from TechLink and SMI.

● The Theme: “From Lab to Launch: Accelerating Invention Transition to the Warfighter.”
● The Incentive: The program offers no-fee Commercial Evaluation Licenses (CELs) to American companies for select Department of War patents.
● The Goal: By lowering financial and administrative barriers, the Department of War (DOW) intends to provide unprecedented access to government intellectual property, speeding up the transition of critical tech into real-world use.

Opportunities for Industry

The pilot program includes hundreds of critical technologies across diverse categories, such as:

● Microelectronics and Materials
● Energetics and Munitions
● Advanced Research and Development
● Other Priority Techs such as Autonomy, Space Situational Awareness, critical minerals.

How to Participate

Companies interested in assessing these defense inventions and exploring their commercial potential should act quickly. Your first step as a business owner should be to visit the link below.
The database is divided into categories and allows you to search in areas of interest. There is also a way to connect directly with TechLink which gives them certain information about your company and also allows you to inform them about this kinds of things that your company may be looking for. If you are wondering who TechLink is, they are the DOW’s national technology transfer partner, who will be available to guide companies through the licensing process. With a 25-year history of moving innovations into the marketplace, TechLink also maintains a
Technology Marketplace of over 6,000 inventions available for licensing today.

● Learn More: Visit info.techlinkcenter.org/defense-patent-holiday to view available technologies.
● Apply By: License applications for this pilot program are due by July 22, 2026.

In conclusion, this is an excellent opportunity for companies that are looking to jump start themselves in the innovation space. Many times companies know the inherent issues of a particular industrial space but they do not know how to address that gap. Some of these patents
may be the solution. Even if your company has a robust patent portfolio, it is important to take a look at these options before the July 22nd deadline.

This blog’s focus is on the intersection of law, technology, and government mission which is a landscape Carolyn Dragseth has navigated for over three decades. As a highly accomplished attorney and business founder, Carolyn is at the forefront of her industry, driving innovation and market leadership in a complex global ecosystem.

This blog is not legal advice.