Streamlining Federal Contracting with DoW

Vertx Partners helps businesses, academics, and non-profits develop, transition, and deliver their tech into the hands of the warfighter. Stop navigating a complex market alone. Let's build your bridge to partnership and funding.

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You need a personal guide in the confusing federal ecosystem. Vertx Partners exists to plug national security gaps with America’s most promising innovations.

$

480

M+

Value of Awards Facilitated

215

+

Total Awards Secured

300

+

Portfolio Businesses, Research Institutions, and Investors

+

Successful Technology Transitions

Demystifying Federal Contracting

Discovery & Assessment

It starts with a conversation. We get to know your business, your technology, and your goals. Our team then assesses your capabilities against the landscape of federal R&D priorities to find your strategic point of entry.

Strategy & Opportunity Matching

Let’s map it out together. We identify specific, relevant funding opportunities and potential partners that align with your mission. Our connections run deep, from academic institutions, prime contractors, and venture capital.

Connection & Guidance

With a strategy in place, Vertx makes the introduction. We facilitate the partnerships and provide the coaching you need to navigate the complexities of proposals, compliance, and networking, ensuring success.

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WIN

The Warfighting Integration Network

The Warfighting Integration Network (WIN) is a Department of War-funded program designed to accelerate tech transition and get dual-use technology into the hands of the warfighter. That’s exactly what Vertx Partners specializes in, and many of our personalized services are provided through the WIN program.

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The Warfighting Integration Network is powered by Parallax Advanced Research and Vertx Partners. Together, we help WIN serve innovators across industry and academia, providing no-cost coaching, acquisition guidance, and matchmaking with mission owners inside the Department of War. Your capability requires a team that has navigated both sides of the contracting equation and knows what it takes to transition your technology. WIN was built to solve that problem at scale.

Testimonials

See what our clients are saying

Don't take our word for it. Hear it from the companies that we've launched into the DoW ecosystem.

Explore Our Impact

"[Vertx] has given us situational awareness that we don’t have time to develop. If I have an idea or a topic, they have a person to connect me with on the other side. So, our win-rate has gone up on proposals and our wasted effort has gone down. Vertx and [WIN] are helping us go after these $10 million per year type opportunities, which is bigger than KEF by itself."

Fraser Kitchell

KEF Robotics

Co-founder and CEO

"We would not have this [SBIR] award if it were not for the help from Vertx Partners. They have coached us in terms of developing our proposal, but more importantly in how to present our solution to the Department of War and connecting us with prime contractors who are already in the supply chain."

Greg Henthorn

AmeriCarbon

Chief Business Officer

"Vertx is this springboard that turns into a force multiplier for small businesses like NextGen. Up until this point, it’s the Lockheeds or the large companies out there that are looking to subcontract NextGen. The future is NextGen taking that step to be that prime contractor and lead those programs."

JP Lapps

NextGen Federal Systems

Senior Vice President

"Vertx has helped us expand our network effectively. I think of them as matchmakers, matching people who have technology with people who might have an application for it. It was a strategic partnership that actually, through Vertx, allowed us to work with [a] company to get our foot in the door at the U.S. Space Command. Now we've applied to be a university partner with the Space Command."

Dr. Ben Malphrus

Morehead State University

Executive Director, Space Science Center

"Navigating the government contracting process is unintuitive, difficult, and challenging, especially if you’ve never spent time in this space. Vertx is awesome because you have a bunch of former operators, people who’ve dealt with the process, who help companies like Whisper get to real wins."

Ian Villa

Whisper Aero

Co-founder and COO

"Vertx is helping us expand capability, increase visibility within the government, and find application partners. If you’re starting a hard-tech company with technology the DoD may be interested in, having a conversation with Vertx Partners would be valuable. Our goal is development and commercialization, and Vertx is certainly looking forward to helping us achieve that in the next two to five years."

Dr. Philip Stuckey

FC Renew

CEO

"Phase III can take several months to get to an award, and it’s not the government’s business to train us in that process. Vertx is explicitly set up to help companies at all levels – Phase I, II, and III – in that process. It has been awesome working with and leveraging [Vertx SBIR/STTR Advisor] Chris Ford’s wealth of experience. He is helping us develop innovative approaches to transition our multiple SBIR-developed technologies to warfight."

Chetan Desai

NextGen Federal Systems

Chief Operating Officer

"[Vertx is] an invaluable service, and the more we interact with them, the more it’s clear they have a lot of connectivity and expertise in that domain because it really is its own ecosystem and culture. Vertx is happy to help people and especially to help the state of West Virginia."

Dave Berry

AmeriCarbon

CEO

"The process can be very difficult working within the government sector. [Vertx Founder & President] Sean and his experience knowing how to navigate those waters is really important to us. Vertx is really pivotal and game-changing to a company like mine."

Jeremiah Leiter

Acoustic Research Systems

CEO

"It’s not easy to make those connections. When it comes to an outfit like Vertx to connect with those types of people, they’re usually at relatively high levels."

Dr. Rudy Olson

CONSOL Innovations

Director of New Technology

Guides

Resources

Our practical guides strip away the jargon, helping you to better understand the federal contracting ecosystem with actionable next steps.

All Guides

Federal Contracting

Demystifying DoW Accounting: Why It's Easier Than You Think

The Department of Defense budget is a blueprint for maximizing contract wins. This article explains how to use that blueprint to your advantage.

Federal Contracting

Maximizing Contract Wins: Leveraging DAF’s POM & Operational Imperatives

The Department of Defense budget is a blueprint for maximizing contract wins. This article explains how to use that blueprint to your advantage.

Technology Transition/Phase III

Sole-Source Funding: What Makes SBIR/STTR Phase III so Valuable?

The option of sole-source funding is a unique right for Phase III SBIR/STTR dealings. This article explains why that’s useful for your business and for commercialization.

Featured

West Virginia SBIR/STTR Matching Fund

Learn how your West Virginia small business can successfully secure state matching funds so you’re fully prepared when the application window reopens in January 2027.

Open Guide

Updates

News & Press

Stay up to date on the latest event announcements, news, press releases and company success stories

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Events

Mark Your Calendar

Join us, meet in person, and network with industry innovators.

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Aug 2026

Space & Missile Defense Symposium

In-Person

Huntsville, AL

The Space & Missile Defense Symposium connects global leaders for education, networking, and business.

Aug 2026

WIN Summit Series: KY

Vertx Team Attending

In-Person & Virtual

Louisville, KY

Participate in targeted panel discussions, engage in direct Q&A with government decision-makers, and learn how to navigate funding opportunities and technology transfer.

Sep 2026

Air, Space & Cyber Conference