Innovation showcase
We are excited to bring back the Innovation Showcase, where selected early-stage companies can demonstrate their cutting-edge technologies and national security solutions to an audience of over 1,200+ executives, senior government officials, investors, and students.
Five standout finalists will pitch their startups in front of the entire conference and a panel of judges to win a first-place prize of a $100K SAFE investment as well as non-dilutive grants for first ($5k), second ($3k), third place ($1k), and crowd favorite($1k).
Past Innovation Showcase winners include Vulcan Elements, which subsequently raised over $1B in federal and private capital, and Rehydrate, a defense tech startup building next-generation solutions for logistics, sustainment, and operational resilience in contested environments.
Companies selected for the Innovation Showcase will receive two complimentary conference tickets for the event on April 4, 2026, at MIT Sloan School of Management.
To be eligible, startups must meet the following criteria:
- Pre-Seed to Seed startup at the time of conference date (April 3-4)
- Focused on national security, defense, and other real-world operational challenges
If you are an eligible startup interested in participating in the Innovation Showcase, please apply here.
The deadline to submit your application is February 27, 2026 at 5 pm ET on.
Finalists will be notified by March 6, 2026.
Costanoa, a leading early-stage venture capital firm, is sponsoring the 2026 Innovation Showcase pitch competition at the fifth annual MIT–Harvard Technology and National Security Conference taking place on April 3-4, 2026
As part of its sponsorship, Costanoa will award a $100,000 SAFE investment to the winning startup, recognizing exceptional early-stage companies developing technologies critical to national security, defense, and global resilience.
Additional non-dilutive grants will be awarded from Common Mission Project:
- First place - $5K
- Second place - $3K
- Third place - $1K
- Crowd favorite - $1K
Selected startups will also receive two complimentary tickets to the conference.
Costanoa exists to elevate founders building companies of consequence. We lead investments from formation through Series A in Applied AI, AI Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, National Security, and Fintech. With $2.5B AUM, we're boutique by design—making fewer investments to deliver deeper expertise and operational support when it matters most: the early, defining stages of growth. We have been recognized as one of America’s Top Venture Capital Firms by TIME and named to a top 4 Seed-Stage firm on Inc.’s Founder-Friendly Investors list.
For more information, please visit www.costanoa.vc