Our field is full of extremely creative people who have a lot to offer the industry. But often we lose focus because we are working for a company that has their own goals and competing priorities. This leads to long hours of work, a declining quality of life, and various other troubles. In this talk I focus on the tidal wave of DOD-related opportunities that exist to fund novel research and cutting edge technology, all while allowing autonomy of the individual. I’ve personally used these sources to transition to running my own company and have helped a lot of folks in the industry do the same. I’ll discuss why people should consider this as a career path, where to find these resources, and walk through exactly how to apply.