Stacy L ChinFounder, KeepYourEquity · I get the government to write you checks

Unlock DoD Secrets: How to Connect and Understand Their Pain Points #shorts

4 Nov 2025 · 1 min

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0:32

In this YouTube short, Stacy Chin shares practical advice for startups seeking Department of Defense (DoD) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding. She emphasizes that the strongest applications are backed by (1) close relationships with the target defense agency, (2) personal military experience, or (3) technologies that directly address a specific DoD need. The core recommendation is to deeply understand the pain points of the relevant agency so the principal investigator (PI) can clearly articulate why their innovation is the optimal solution, giving the application a decisive advantage.

Chapters

And from my experience, startups with the strongest DoD SBIR applications either have close connections within the DoD from that particular defense agency, they have either worked in the military for many years, or they're developing technologies and solutions specifically for that DoD need. So at the end of the day, your goal is to make sure you thoroughly understand the pain points within the DoD for that particular defense agency. And that will give you a huge leg up in your application because that allows you as the PI to clearly articulate why your innovation will be the best solution to solve that particular DoD D need.