2022 CNAS The Pitch: A Competition of Ideas

The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is hosting its third annual premier event to elevate emerging and diverse voices in national security: The Pitch: A Competition of New Ideas. Selected applicants will make their pitch for innovative policy ideas to meet new challenges in U.S. national security policy in front of a distinguished panel of judges.

This year, the Pitch will take place in two rounds. The first round will take place virtually on May 4, 2022. The grand finale will occur during a virtual session of the 2022 CNAS National Security Conference, which will take place between June 14–16. (The exact date and time of the final is to be determined.) Competitors in both rounds will also have their ideas featured in official CNAS products and social media.

Applicants should make their pitch for a new U.S. national security or foreign policy idea responding to one of the following prompts:

• Sharpening America's Innovation Toolkit: What new ideas in U.S. technology policy or economic statecraft can address growing national security challenges for the United States and strengthen the safety and prosperity of the American people?


• Reimagining Global Alliances: What new approaches should the United States pursue with regional partners to address specific foreign policy and security challenges?


• Safeguarding Against Threats to Democracy: What new approaches could the United States take to protect the country from threats – including cyber, disinformation, and violent extremism –  aiming to undermine and destabilize American democracy and threaten the homeland?


• Military Modernization: What new ideas, strategies, or reforms could the U.S. Department of Defense implement (across personnel, hardware, institutions, or processes) to better meet the challenges of the future? 

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Be between 25 and 35 years old, as of June 16, 2022.


• Be available to present their pitch virtually at the first round on May 4, 2022, and on June 14–16 for the final round, should they be selected.


• Be at least one of the following: a U.S. citizen, OR enrolled in a U.S. educational institution, OR reside in the United States.

Complete applications include:

• A résumé


• A 280-character (including spaces) summary of your idea


• A 30-second video pitch of why your idea should be selected
  
  
  
  • Please note that your application will be judged on the quality of your idea, not the video’s production quality. Videos do not need to be high quality and should be shot on a camera phone or comparable recorder. Please see our example videos from a past competition for reference.
  
  
  
  

If you have any questions about the application process, please see the FAQs or email [email protected].

Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM EST on Sunday, April 3, 2022. Decisions will be conveyed via email to all applicants in April.

If a prospective applicant is unable to submit the required video due to disability, please contact [email protected] at CNAS to obtain a reasonable accommodation.