April 7, 2026 — Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has released its 2025 Internal Research & Development (IR&D) Annual Report, a yearly showcase of internally funded projects conducted by the Institute in 2025.
SwRI’s IR&D program provides staff with funding to encourage scientific discovery, address clients’ future needs and fulfill the Institute’s mission of benefiting humanity. It provides SwRI scientists and engineers with the freedom to explore innovative, unproven concepts to tackle emerging industry challenges, transforming novel and innovative ideas into new technical discoveries, developments and applications.
In fiscal year 2025, SwRI invested more than $13 million to fund IR&D projects that pioneer new technologies, expand institutional knowledge and capabilities, and encourage the professional growth of its staff.
“Southwest Research Institute’s IR&D Program represents a significant investment of time and financial resources to explore new ideas for the mutual benefit of the Institute and its clients,” said Walter D. Downing, SwRI executive vice president emeritus and administrator of the 2025 Advisory Committee for Research, which oversees the program. “SwRI’s IR&D program demonstrates the viability of innovative technologies in potential applications using real results. The IR&D program is frequently cited as a key enabling factor leading to new projects, new clients and new program areas within the Institute.”
SwRI staff initiated 141 new IR&D projects in 2025. An additional 108 previously funded projects continued throughout the year, totaling 249 active internally funded projects. The projects represent a wide swath of research disciplines, industries and market segments, including automotive and transportation, Earth and space, defense and security, and biomedical and health research. IR&D developments frequently result in peer-reviewed papers, findings shared at technical meetings and new client-funded work.
The 2025 IR&D Annual Report is now available online. An archive of previous annual reports since 2020 is also available.
For more information, visit Internal Research & Development, or contact Jesús Chávez at +1 210 522 2258, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166.