In 2026, we're kicking off The Pulse with a first-of-its-kind opportunity. The Department of War (DOW) is launching a new pilot program called the Defense Patent Holiday that offers businesses a chance to secure no-fee commercial evaluation licenses (CEL) for select defense lab patents.
As the longstanding national technology transfer partner for defense labs, TechLink is here to support. We will guide qualified companies through the licensing process, so they may assess the commercial potential of patented technology developed by federal researchers.
As always, our help is offered at no cost to companies. Let's dive into what you need to know about this exciting announcement.
Build the Next Frontier of Defense Capabilities
Today marks the launch of the Defense Patent Holiday by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. This pilot program is designed to accelerate the commercialization of breakthrough defense technologies from the lab to the warfighter.
The DOW has selected hundreds of critical technologies that are now available for no-cost commercial evaluation licenses. CELs offer a unique way for companies to assess defense inventions and explore their commercialization potential.
The technologies available through the Defense Patent Holiday span many categories including energetics, munitions, microelectronics, materials, and more. TechLink is here to support you, whether through the CEL process, or by helping you evaluate a different technology from the more than 6,000 currently available in our Technology Marketplace.
Click below to learn more about the Defense Patent Holiday, and keep reading to see some of the technologies featured in the initial pilot program.
With hundreds of technologies included in the initial Defense Patent Holiday pilot program, industry partners can evaulate promising government intellectual property. Here's a glimpse at what's available:
High-Density Fuels from Renewable Alcohols Offer a Smaller Carbon Footprint: Navy scientists have developed a process that converts renewable alcohols to high-performance fuels, providing a tactical advantage while reducing the Navy's carbon footprint. This solution is sourced from renewable material and meets or exceeds fossil fuel performance.
Nanostructured Boron Phosphide Pyrotechnic Mix Enables Stable, Green Light and Dense Smoke Effects: Unlike traditional pyrotechnic fuels, this material resists oxidation and moisture, leading to longer shelf life and safer handling. Example use cases include improved training and operational environments by eliminating reactive and toxic legacy materials, and providing dense, hygroscopic smoke for troop screening or target marking.
Metamaterial for Improved Noise Dampening:About 22 million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise levels each year — and that hearing loss cannot be restored. Army researchers invented an acoustic metamaterial design to make soundproofing cheaper, scalable and customizable. The modular and flexible design can also be manufactured through 3D printing, protecting people and equipment from harmful noise levels.
Energy-Harvesting Ankle Brace in Footwear Enables On-the-Go Device Charging and Movement Assistance: This invention integrates a compact, ankle-capturing brace and energy conversion system into a shoe or boot, capturing natural ankle rotation from walking and converting it into electricity. As a result, you'll find a wide variety of use cases, including assisting mobility for rehabilitating or elderly users; powering wearable sensors or health monitors for athletes, hikers, or personnel; and supporting smart footwear consumer applications.
Missile System with Controlled, Multi-Directional Payloads and Reusable Collar:Traditional fragmentation munitions expend energy rupturing casings, creating random and uncontrolled blast patterns that are inefficient and potentially damaging. The Air Force invented a missile system that combines a non-fragmentation hollow collar with outward-facing ports and ignition sources, allowing the payload to be expelled radially without shell rupture. This technology has application in areas such as reusable munition training or logistics, air-to-air or air-to-ground payload delivery, and precision area denial.
Reverse-Ephemeris Terrestrial Navigation:This system can determine the position, attitude, and clock offset of a space object, such as a satellite or discarded booster rocket, after a single transmission pulse is returned from the object. There's already use for this technology on Earth and potentially a similar application on Earth's moon, making it an especially valuable space situational awareness opportunity.
This is just a sample of the technologies available for commercial evaluation. License applications for this pilot program are due by July 22, 2026. Click here or tap the button below to find the best fit for your company. We'll be with you every step of the way.
