Innovation Fund Round 4 (2026) AI Native Telecommunications
Round 4: AI-Native Telecommunications (Status: Open)
This section provides information on the Innovation Fund’s fourth Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), focused on accelerating the development and deployment of secure, AI native Radio Access Network (RAN) architectures. The goal of this round is to advance next generation telecommunications technologies that leverage artificial intelligence to strengthen U.S. competitiveness and support secure, open, interoperable wireless networks.
See below to learn more about the NOFO and explore application requirements, key dates, and upcoming engagement opportunities.
Key Focus Areas
This NOFO aims to support projects that:
- Develop and validate AI native architectures capable of running AI workloads alongside telecommunications workloads.
- Demonstrate real world field deployments that showcase commercially viable, export ready AI enabled services.
- Strengthen U.S. supply chain competitiveness for next generation wireless technologies.
- Advance secure, open, and interoperable network designs aligned with the Administration’s AI Action Plan.
Innovation Fund NOFO 4 Program Snapshot
For more detailed information on the Innovation Fund’s fourth round of funding and its objectives, download the NOFO 4 Snapshot or the full NOFO.
Funding Availability
NTIA will award up to $53,000,000 under NOFO 4. The amount of funding expected per project is:
- Up to $25,000,000 per award
A minimum 50% cost share is required.
Application Period
The application window opens July 14, 2026 and closes September 9, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
NTIA expects to make awards on a rolling basis beginning in Fall 2026.
Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov.
Eligible Use(s) of Funds
Grant recipients may use funds and required cost share to support allowable project activities as defined in the NOFO. Costs must be reasonable, necessary, allocable, and compliant with federal award requirements.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants include U.S.-based entities capable of developing and commercially deploying AI native RAN technologies. Additional eligibility requirements are detailed in Section 2.2 of the NOFO.
Industry Day - July 29, 2026
NTIA will host an Industry Day to provide an overview of NOFO 4, answer questions, and offer guidance to interested applicants.
Additional Resources
Contact the Innovation Fund team: [email protected].