Abstract collage of science-related imagery

Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I

Status: Archived

Archived funding opportunity

This document has been archived. See NSF 24-579 for the latest version.

Important information about NSF’s implementation of the revised 2 CFR

NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website. These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.

Important information for proposers

All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Synopsis

Introduction to the Program:

The NSF SBIR program focuses on transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial potential and/or societal benefit. Unlike fundamental or basic research activities that focus on scientific and engineering discovery itself, the NSF SBIR program supports the creation of opportunities to move fundamental science and engineering out of the lab and into the market or other use at scale, or startups and small businesses representing “deep technology ventures.”  

The NSF SBIR Program funds research and development. The program is designed to provide non-dilutive funding and entrepreneurial support at the earliest stages of company and technology development.

Synopsis of Program:

The SBIR program is intended to support scientific excellence and technological innovation that is moving from the lab to the market. By investing federal research and development funds into startups and small businesses, NSF hopes to build a strong national economy and stimulate the creation of novel products, services, and solutions in the private sector; strengthen the role of small business in meeting federal research and development needs; increase the commercial application of federally supported research results; and develop and increase the US workforce, especially by fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses.

The SBIR program at NSF solicits proposals based on groundbreaking scientific discoveries or significant engineering breakthroughs from the small businesses consistent with NSF's mission to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense.

The program is governed by Public Law 114-328 (SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2017). SBIR/STTR policy is provided by the Small Business Administration (SBA) through the SBIR Policy Directive.

The NSF SBIR/STTR program welcomes proposals from many topics and does not have a specific topical or procurement focus. The topics are detailed on the program website. The program is also open to proposals focusing on technical and market areas not explicitly noted in the aforementioned topics.

 

Program contacts

Name Email Phone Organization
Henry Ahn
Biomedical (BM) Technologies and Medical Devices (MD)
hahn@nsf.gov 703-292-7069 TIP/TI
Peter Atherton
Advanced Analytics (AA); Artificial Intelligence (AI); Cloud and High-Performance Computing (CH); Cybersecurity and Authentication (CA); and Quantum Information Technologies (QT)
patherto@nsf.gov 703-292-8772 TIP/TI
Anna Brady-Estevez
Chemical Technologies (CT); Energy Technologies (EN); and Distributed Ledger (DL)
abrady@nsf.gov 703-292-7077 TIP/TI
Kaitlin Bratlie
Pharmaceutical Technologies (PT)
kbratlie@nsf.gov (703) 292-2638
Diane Hickey
Augmented and Virtual Reality (AV); Learning and Cognition Technologies (LC); and Human-Computer Interaction (HC)
dhickey@nsf.gov (703) 292-8875
Steven Konsek
Advanced Materials (AM); Power Management (PM); Nanotechnology (N); Semiconductors (S); Photonics (PH); and Other Topics (OT)
skonsek@nsf.gov 703-292-7021
Rajesh Mehta
Environmental Technologies (ET)
rmehta@nsf.gov 703-292-2174 TIP/TI
Elizabeth Mirowski
Advanced Manufacturing (M) and Mobility (MO)
emirowsk@nsf.gov (703) 292-2936 TIP/TI
Alastair Monk
Digital Health (DH)
amonk@nsf.gov (703) 292-4392 TIP/TI
Muralidharan S. Nair
Internet of Things (I); Robotics (R); Space Technologies (SP); and Wireless Technologies (W)
mnair@nsf.gov 703-292-7059
Erik Pierstorff
Biological Technologies (BT)
epiersto@nsf.gov (703) 292-2165 TIP/TI
Benaiah D. Schrag
Instrumentation and Hardware Systems (IH)
bschrag@nsf.gov (703) 292-8323 TIP/TI

Awards made through this program

Browse projects funded by this program
Map of recent awards made through this program