Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer 

What is the SBIR Program? 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development that has the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive award process, SBIR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provides the incentive to profit from commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation’s research and development arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated, and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets its specific Research and Development (R&D) needs. 

What is the STTR Program? 

The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program expands funding opportunities in the federal innovation arena. Central to the program is the expansion of the public/private sector partnership to include joint venture opportunities between small businesses and nonprofit research institutions. The unique feature of the STTR program is the requirement for the small business to formally collaborate with a research institution in Phase I and Phase II. STTR’s most important role is to bridge the gap between performance of basic science and commercialization of resulting innovations. 

The mission of the SBIR program is to stimulate technology innovation by strengthening the role of innovative (Small Business Concerns) SBCs in Federal Research/ R&D. 

The program’s goals are four-fold: 

• Stimulate technological innovation. 
• Use small businesses to meet Federal R&D needs. 
• Foster and encourage participation in innovation and entrepreneurship by socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses. 
• Increase private-sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal R&D funding. 

Are you eligible for SBIR or STTR funding? 

You must be a Small Business Concern (SBC), defined as: 

• 500 employees or less, including any affiliates. 
• Legally established and organized for-profit located in the U.S. 
• Operated primarily in the U.S. or makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy. 
• Majority owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens. 

• Majority owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens. 

For the SBIR program, the Principal Investigator (PI) must be primarily employed by the SBC (equivalent to more than 50% of the PI’s work time), and precluding full-time employment with another organization. 

The STTR program permits employment of the PI by either the SBC or the Research Institution. The unique feature of the STTR program is the requirement for the small business to formally collaborate with a research institution in Phase I and Phase II. 

Learn more about SBIR/STTR here!