Independent Commercialization Generative Optogenetics DARPA-SN-26-27

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Generative Optogenetics (GO) program is seeking facilitators to establish and manage working groups dedicated to each of the following topic areas: (1) Biosecurity, (2) Regulatory Policy, and (3) Commercialization. GO represents a groundbreaking advancement in bioengineering, with the potential to revolutionize fields such as defense, agriculture, biomanufacturing, and space exploration. For the technologies emerging from GO to have maximal beneficial impact, there must be clear pathways to commercialization, which necessitates both capital investments and clear regulatory policy. However, the unprecedented capabilities of GO technology raise critical concerns of misuse, complex regulatory questions, and risks of adversarial capital. To address these challenges, DARPA plans to establish dedicated working groups that will inform responsible development, deployment, governance, and financing of technologies developed under the GO program.