The latest entrants in the technology search competition sponsored by the Army to help advance its modernization priorities will demonstrate their innovations during the upcoming Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition.

The Expeditionary Technology Search, known as xTechSearch, invites small nondefense companies to demonstrate technologies and nontraditional innovators who can work with the Army to modernize the force.

During AUSA’s annual meeting, Oct. 14-16 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., the 12 finalists for round two of the contest and the 24 semi-finalists for round three will demonstrate their technologies.

In March, Adranos, Inc., a Purdue University startup in West Lafayette, Indiana, won first place in the inaugural competition of xTechSearch, earning $200,000 in prize money. Announced at AUSA’s Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville, Alabama, the money is to continue work on ALITEC, a cost-effective solid rocket propellant that increases by 40% the range of ballistic missiles against other propellant-based projectiles.

The ongoing competition takes place as the Army undergoes a massive modernization effort to prepare for near-peer adversaries and great-power competition. To meet its goals, the Army has six modernization priorities: long-range precision fires, next-generation combat vehicle, future vertical lift, the network, air and missile defense, and soldier lethality.

At the annual meeting, the 12 finalists for xTechSearch 2.0 will conduct capstone proof of concept demonstrations in the Shaw and LeDroit Park rooms at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, which is adjacent to the convention center. The xTechSearch 2.0 winner will receive a cash prize of $250,000.

Semi-finalists for xTechSearch 3.0 will showcase their technologies and concepts at the Innovator’s Corner in booth 2361 in Hall B of the convention center. Twelve semi-finalists will each receive $120,000 and be invited to participate in the xTechSearch 3.0 capstone demonstration event at the 2020 Global Force Symposium and Exposition in March.

The 2.0 winner and 3.0 finalists will be announced at the Innovator’s Corner at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 16.

More information on xTechSearch is available here.