Cohort 25-1 Complete · Next Cohort Forming

The Combine

One week. In person. Funded companies in a room with the operators who own the problem. Structured feedback and match decisions — not panels, not pitches.

Cohort 25-1: 83 companies pressure-tested against real operator demand in Tulsa. 21 advanced as finalists and deployed alongside mission owners across the Indo-Pacific. Real-world international impact within 4 weeks.

Last updated: March 2026

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Selection-Based
The Combine
Cohort 25-1
83 Companies
Next Cohort

Now forming

Selection-based · In person · Details announced soon

Get notified when applications open

Request Updates
The Week

Five days to ground truth.

No innovation theater. No panels. Every session is with operators close to the requirement — the people who decide what gets fielded.

Day 1–2
Problem Immersion
Mission owners brief the operational context, constraints, and urgency behind each problem set. You hear the pain from the people who live it.
Day 3–4
Operator Feedback
Present directly to operators. Structured, candid feedback on mission fit, deployment path, and what would need to change for them to fight with it.
Day 5
Match Decisions
Go or no-go. Warm introductions to program offices, deployment partners, and capital. Every team leaves with a clear answer.
Eligibility

This is for builders with edge, not decks.

If you have a working product and the conviction to hear unfiltered operator feedback, you belong here. We select for technical credibility and mission relevance.

  • Funded or revenue-generating with a working product — not a slide deck
  • Technology aligned to Indo-Pacific operational problem sets
  • Ready to commit one week, in person — no remote, no observers
  • Ready for candid operator feedback — the kind that changes your roadmap

Earlier stage? Tell us what you're building and we'll help you find the right path.

Track Record

Past Cohorts

Cohort 25-1
Tulsa, OK
83 companies · Browse directory →
Cohort 25-1 Finalists
21 Draft Picks
Deployed alongside mission owners · Outcomes across INDOPACOM
Outcomes

You leave with signal, not a certificate.

Validation from the people who matter. Introductions to the programs that can fund it. A clear answer on what to build next.

Operator Validation
Structured feedback from operators close to the requirement. The people who decide what gets fielded — not analysts, not advisory boards.
Warm Introductions
Direct connections to program offices, primes, and deployment partners. Not cold intros — introductions backed by operator endorsement.
Verified Listing
Combine alumni earn a verified listing in Defense Builders. A signal to the ecosystem that your technology has been operator-tested.
Alumni Network
Join a network of validated defense builders sharing deal flow, acquisition lessons, and operator access. The builders who've been through this process become each other's best resources.
Next Cohort

Your technology has edge. Prove it has pull.

Cohort 25-1 produced real-world international impact within 4 weeks. Outcomes span INDOPACOM, Australia, Japan, Korea, and NATO. If you're building in autonomy, sensing, or mission software — and you have operator interest but no clear transition path — The Combine exists for this exact moment.

Next Cohort

Now forming

One week · In person · Selection-based · Details announced soon

Get notified when applications open

Request Updates Read: Combine to Series A