Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I Solicitation FY-2012 (SBIR)

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program stimulates technological innovation in the private sector by strengthening the role of small business concerns in meeting Federal research and development needs, increasing the commercial application of federally supported research results, and fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses.

The SBIR program solicits proposals from the small business sector consistent with NSF's mission. The program is governed by Public Law 112-17. A main purpose of the legislation is to stimulate technological innovation and increase private sector commercialization. The NSF SBIR program is therefore in a unique position to meet both the goals of NSF and the purpose of the SBIR legislation by transforming scientific discovery into both social and economic benefit, and by emphasizing private sector commercialization. Accordingly, NSF has formulated broad solicitation topics for SBIR that conform to the high-technology investment sector's interests.

The four broad topics are:

• Biological and Chemical Technologies (BC)


• Education Applications (EA) 


• Electronics, Information and Communication Technologies (EI)


• Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials, and Manufacturing (NM)

For detailed description of the four topics reference section V. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions, A.10. Research Topic.