What it is

In-Q-Tel (IQT) is an independent, not-for-profit strategic investment firm established in 1999 by the CIA. It is a 501(c)(3) in the United States and states that it is not a government entity or part of the CIA. IQT began as a US-focused information technology investor and now invests across frontier areas including biotechnology, microelectronics, AI, energy and space systems. It lists offices in Tysons, VA; Menlo Park, CA; Cambridge, MA; London; Sydney; Singapore; and Munich.

What it offers founders

IQT invests in startups and then works to adapt and transfer their technology to government partners. According to its site, it typically takes a small equity stake and a board observer seat. Its two main deal types are:

  • Technology development agreements: typically $500,000 to $3 million, structured as development and licensing agreements aimed at national security needs.
  • Equity-only investments: typically $250,000 to $500,000, described as an entry point to future technology transfer.

IQT also describes a Government Platform Accelerator that provides white papers, webinars, training and coaching to help companies enter the public-sector market, and it helps portfolio companies navigate government procurement.

Who it is for

IQT says it wants to hear from companies that have venture backing and technology that is ready to launch or already on the market. It looks for founder-led startups with technology that can support government partners' mission needs, naming engineering biology, energy security and next-generation microelectronics among current focus areas. Its government partners include the CIA, NSA, NGA, NRO, DIA, DHS, several US combatant commands, the US Space Force, the US Army, the Department of the Navy, the National Nuclear Security Administration, and the UK and Australian intelligence communities.

How to engage

Founders can submit their company through the submit a business plan form, which asks for company details, technology description, target markets, current investors and current government customers. IQT states that if a company is a good fit it will be in touch. Important: submitted information may be shared with the CIA, the Intelligence Community and other parts of the US Government, so include only non-confidential material; proprietary markings are disregarded. General inquiries go to info@iqt.org. The mission page explains the IQT model of identify, evaluate and leverage, and the portfolio shows past and current investments.

Why it matters in the DMV ecosystem

With an office in Tysons, IQT is one of the most direct bridges between venture-backed startups and the national security community clustered in Northern Virginia, Maryland and DC. IQT reports meeting more than 1,000 companies a year and has backed companies such as Databricks, GitLab, Rocket Lab and Anduril. For a DMV founder building dual-use technology, an IQT relationship can mean both capital and a structured path to government customers, but it is not a fit for pre-product companies without existing venture backing.