Artificial Intelligence (AI) Topic – America's Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Topic – America's Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR) is sponsored by NSF. Supports startups and small businesses to translate research into AI products and services for the public good.

For proposal preparation and submission instructions, click here . The SBIR/STTR program looks forward to receiving the submission of new Project Pitches in response to the new solicitations beginning on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Please direct any questions to sbir@nsf.

gov . NSF-funded startups and small businesses saw around 300 exits and more than $20 billion in private investments during fiscal years 2016 to 2024. We fund almost all areas of technology Browse lists of our active Phase I and Phase II awardees, who are still completing the research outlined in their proposals, and see all of the awards we've made over the last 10 years.

Advanced Manufacturing: Sub-Topics Building and Infrastructure (M1) Carbon Sequestration (M2) Distributed Manufacturing (M4) Modeling and Simulation (M6) Natural Resources and Critical Minerals (M7) Quantum Device Manufacturing (M8) Sustainable Chemical Manufacturing (M9) Other Manufacturing Technologies (M10) Advanced Materials: Sub-Topics Advanced Engineering Materials (AM1) Coatings and Surface Modifications (AM2) Metals and Ceramics (AM3) Novel Advanced Materials-based Sensors (AM4) Structural and Infrastructural Materials (AM5) Other Advanced Materials Technologies (AM6) Advanced Systems for Scalable Analytics Advanced Systems for Scalable Analytics: Sub-Topics Building Analytical System for Learning from Dynamic Environments (AA1) Data Mining, Machine Learning (Non-deep learning-based), and Reinforcement Learning (AA2) Decision Support and Optimization (AA3) Knowledge and Data Management Technologies (AA4) Marketplaces for Data and Models (AA5) Novel Visualization Technologies (AA6) Software Technologies for Scalable Analytical Systems (AA7) Other Novel Technologies (AA8) Agricultural Technologies Agricultural Technologies: Sub-Topics Expanding Access to Farming (AG2) Food Waste Mitigation (AG3) Harvesting Complex Systems (AG4) Improved Resilience through Interspecies Interchange (AG5) Nature-based Solutions (AG6) Polyculture Systems (AG7) Precision Agriculture (AG8) Resilient Supply & Distribution (AG9) Other Agricultural Technologies (AG10) Artificial Intelligence: Sub-Topics Cognitive Science-based Technologies (AI1) Computer Vision Based AI Technologies (AI2) Conversational AI Technologies (AI3) Language-Based AI Technologies (AI4) Novel AI Hardware Technologies (e.g. Neuromorphic Computing, High-performance Technologies for AI, Smart and Secure Edge Devices, etc.) (AI5) Sustainable AI Technologies for Low Resource Environments (AI6) Technologies for Trustworthy AI (safe, fair, transparent, privacy-preserving, explainable, and/or secure) (AI7) Other Novel Technologies (AI8) Augmented Virtual and Mixed Reality Augmented Virtual and Mixed Reality: Sub-Topics Differentiated Hardware Technologies for AR/VR/MR (AV1) Differentiated Software Technologies for AR/VR/MR (AV2) UI/UX for Immersive AR/VR/MR (AV3) Advanced Analytics for Collaboration in AR/VR/MR (AV4) Other Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality Technologies (AV5) Biological Technologies: Sub-Topics Animal Biotechnology (BT1) Bio-Inspired Technologies (BT3) Bioinstruments and Biosensors (BT4) Cell and Tissue Engineering (BT5) Life Science Research Tools (BT7) Microbiome and Microbial Diversity (BT8) Plant Biotechnology (BT9) Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering (BT10) Other Biological Technologies (BT11) Biomedical Technologies: Sub-Topics Drug Delivery Methods (BM2) Materials for Biomedical Applications (BM3) Other Biomedical Technologies (BM6) Chemical Technologies: Sub-Topics Catalysts, Advanced Chemicals and Materials (CT2) Chemical and Environmental Sensing and Data (CT3) Food Processing, Chemicals and Agriculture (CT4) Green Chemicals and Chemical Alternatives (CT5) Separations and Water Treatment (CT6) Other Chemical Technologies (CT7) Cloud and High-Performance Computing Cloud and High-Performance Computing: Sub-Topics Algorithms and Applications (CH1) Computational Architecture (CH2) Convergence of AI and Cloud/HPC (CH3) Energy Efficiency and Sustainability (CH5) In-memory Processing (CH6) Performance Monitoring (CH9) Processing on Encrypted Data (CH10) Processor Architecture and Design (CH11) Resilience and Resource Management (CH12) Other Cloud and High-Performance Computing Technologies (CH13) Cybersecurity and Authentication Cybersecurity and Authentication: Sub-Topics Computation on Encrypted Data (CA1) Cryptography, including Post-quantum Cryptography (CA2) Data Privacy and Integrity (CA3) Device Authentication (CA4) Encryption, including Homomorphic Encryption (CA6) Network and Device Security (CA7) Personal Authentication (CA8) Secure and Trusted Computing (CA9) Secure Machine-to-Machine Communication (CA10) Security of Cloud and High Performance Computing (HPC) Platforms (CA11) Other Cybersecurity and Authentication Technologies (CA12) Digital Health: Sub-Topics Assistive, Enabling and Rehabilitative technologies (DH1) AI in healthcare and drug discovery (DH2) Healthcare Workflow, Economics and Delivery (DH3) Medical Diagnostics and Devices (DH4) Physical, Mental and Behavioral Health (DH5) Other Digital Health Technologies (DH6) Emerging Technologies: Sub-Topics Emerging Technologies (EM1) Energy Technologies: Sub-Topics Advanced Nuclear Energy Tech (EN1) CO2 and Methane Conversion, Petrochemicals, Oil and Gas (EN2) Energy Efficiencies and Data Technologies (EN5) Energy Production and Power Generation (EN6) Hydrogen Technologies (EN8) Other Energy Technologies (EN9) Environmental Technologies Environmental Technologies: Sub-Topics Conservation, Adaptation and Restoration (ET1) Digital Ecosystem for the Environment (ET2) Emission or Waste Reduction and the Circular Economy (ET3) Food, Regenerative Agriculture, and Energy (ET4) Sustainable Community Systems (ET7) Water Treatment, Resilience, and Sanitation (ET8) Other Environmental Technologies (ET9) Human-Computer Interaction Human-Computer Interaction: Sub-Topics Multimedia and Multimodal Interfaces (HC1) HC Computational Methods and Systems (HC2) Smart Integrated Systems (HC3) Human-to-Human Communication Systems via Technology (HC4) Other Human-Computer Interaction Technologies (HC5) Instrumentation and Hardware Systems Instrumentation and Hardware Systems: Sub-Topics Instrumentation or Hardware Systems for Actuation, Control, and Manipulation (IH1) Instrumentation or Hardware Systems for Detection and Characterization (IH2) Instrumentation or Hardware Systems for Imaging (IH3) Other Instrumentation or Hardware Systems Technologies (IH4) Internet of Things: Sub-Topics IoT Integrated Systems (I2) IoT Sensors and Actuators (I3) Other IoT Technologies (I5) Learning and Cognition Technologies Learning and Cognition Technologies: Sub-Topics Advanced Learning Technologies (LC1) Workforce Development and Upskilling (LC2) Advanced Analytics for Learning and Cognition (LC3) Innovative Approaches to Multimodal Learning (LC4) Other Learning and Cognition Technologies (LC5) Medical Devices: Sub-Topics Diagnostic Imaging or Monitoring (MD1) General Medical Devices (MD2) Manufacturing Processes or Prototyping Methods (MD4) Materials (non biological) (MD5) Procedural Technologies or Visualization (MD6) Traffic Congestion and Routing (MO1) Safety and Navigation (MO2) Disaster Resilience (MO3) Supply Chain Transparency and Security (MO5) Other Mobility Topics (MO8) Nanotechnology: Sub-Topics Pharmaceutical Technologies Pharmaceutical Technologies: Sub-Topics Pharmaceutical and Biologic Manufacturing (PT2) Other Pharmaceutical Technologies (PT3) Advanced Metrology and Sensors (PH1) Advanced Optical Components and Systems (PH2) Communications, Information, and Data Storage (PH3) Lighting and Displays (PH4) Photonic Energy Conversion (PH6) Photonic Metamaterials and Plasmonics (PH8) Quantum Optics and Nanophotonics (PH9) Silicon Photonics and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PH10) Other Photonics Technologies (PH11) Power Management: Sub-Topics Energy Harvesting Devices and Systems (PM1) Materials and Devices for Power Electronics (PM2) Materials and Devices for Thermal Management (PM3) Novel Power and Thermal Management Sensors (PM4) Power Electronics Circuits and Control Systems (PM5) Power Management Infrastructure and Smart Grid Systems (PM6) Systems for Thermal Management (PM7) Other Power Management Technologies (PM8) Quantum Information Technologies Quantum Information Technologies: Sub-Topics Quantum Communications (QT2) Quantum Sensing and Metrology (QT4) Other Quantum Information Technologies (QT6) Human Assistive Technologies and Bio-related Robotics (R1) Human-Machine Interfaces and Control/Architecture (R2) Robotic Applications (R3) Robotics in Agile Manufacturing, and Co-Robots (R4) Underground or Underwater Robotics for Low-Visibility, Poor-Connectivity or Hidden Topography (R5) Other Robotics Technologies (R6) Semiconductors: Sub-Topics Electronic Materials (S2) Integrated Circuit Design (S3) Microelectronics Packaging and Systems Integration (S4) Novel Semiconductor-based Sensors (S5) Processing and Metrology Technology (S6) Sustainable Semiconductor Manufacturing (S7) Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Materials (S8) Other Semiconductor Technologies (S9) Launch vehicles and propulsion (SP1) Satellite technology (SP2) Spaceflight infrastructure (SP3) Data and communication (SP4) In space services and production (SP5) Human viability and sustainability (SP6) Wireless Technologies: Sub-Topics Communication and Networking Technologies (W1) Networked Sensors and Sensing (W2) Wireless Devices and Components (W3) Other Wireless Technologies (W5) Download a searchable PDF of the full list of technology topic areas that also includes descriptions of the subtopics.

We’re not interested in innovation for innovation’s sake — we back technologies that promote the social good. View a few of our many success stories. New engine tech allows diesel engines to run on any fuel ClearFlame Engine Technologies .

Engineering bacteria to treat skin disease Squishy Robotics’ shape-shifting robots provide real-time data in disasters Bioo Scientific Corporation Jana (formerly Txteagle, Inc.) Persimmon Technologies Corporation The Echo Nest Corporation Bolt Threads (formerly Refactored Materials, Inc.) Blue River Technology Inc (*These figures were pulled from Pitchbook from 10/01/2015 to 09/30/2022 and include companies that received NSF funding prior to 2016.)