AASHTO Journal - ‘Ideas Challenge’ to Inform USDOT’s R&D Direction

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Infrastructure or ARPA-I program has launched a new “Ideas Challenge” to showcase innovative concepts that will help improve safety, lower costs, and enhance America’s transportation infrastructure.

[Above image by USDOT]

The agency said in a statement that the ARPA-I Ideas Challenge is open to American innovators across the public and private sectors, with the winners selected by USDOT leadership and a panel of judges from the private and public sector. The winners will then be invited for an in-depth discussion of their ideas and proposals, with the ultimate goal of informing the future research and development or R&D path forward for ARPA-I and USDOT.

The Ideas Challenge unfolds in two stages, USDOT noted. In the first stage, applicants will identify a critical transportation infrastructure challenge, outline a breakthrough solution that could transform transportation, and submit an R&D plan that lays out a path toward deployment and commercialization and metrics for success.

The agency said Stage 1 Concept Papers are due September 17 by 5:00 p.m. ET. The selected winners in Stage 1 will be invited to the Ideas Challenge Workshop to present their concept to USDOT leadership and stakeholders this fall.

The winning teams from Stage 1 will then be invited to submit a detailed proposal for Stage 2. Up to 10 finalists will be chosen to advance to the ARPA-I Ideas Challenge Final in early 2026, where they will present their project proposal to a distinguished panel of judges and audience members from the public and private sector to compete for Stage 2 prizes.

The total prize purse for all Stage 1 and 2 cash prizes awarded will be a maximum of $1 million.

For more information on the Ideas Challenge, visit https://www.transportation.gov/arpa-i/ideas-challenge or contact ideas.arpa-i@dot.gov.