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Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is sponsored by DARPA. This program provides funding for small businesses to develop advanced technologies for defense applications. DARPA actively seeks high-risk, high-reward AI technologies through its SBIR/STTR programs.
DARPA's AIxCC (AI Cyber Challenge) also offers prizes to small businesses to empower entrepreneurial innovation in designing novel AI systems to secure critical code.
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How to Participate in DARPA’s SBIR and STTR Programs Department of War organization. How To Participate In DARPA’s SBIR and STTR Programs How to Participate in DARPA’s SBIR and STTR Programs Our Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are competitive contracts managed by our Small Business Programs Office.
Step 1 – Determine eligibility Review eligibility requirements – See section 6 of the SBIR/STTR Policy Directive or review the Guide to SBIR and STTR Program Eligibility . Step 2 – Find a topic and review instructions Review open SBIR/STTR topics . Each topic announcement includes instructions for proposers.
Step 3 – Ask questions and monitor published Q&As Contact information is provided within each topic announcement. We strongly encourage direct communication during the pre-release period, including technical questions. Once the open period begins (i.e., when proposals can be submitted), direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed.
However, proposers may submit written questions via the email address listed in the topic instructions. We publish all questions and answers received during the open period on the topic announcement page. We recommend monitoring these pages during the open announcement period updates about topics of interest.
Step 4 – Prepare your proposal All proposals are initially screened to determine responsiveness with submission requirements as defined in the announcement, including DARPA-specific instructions. Proposals that do not comply with the requirements are considered non-responsive and are not evaluated.
Proposals that do comply with the requirements are evaluated by engineers and/or scientists to determine the most promising technical and scientific approaches. Step 5 – Submit your proposal All SBIR/STTR proposals must be prepared and submitted electronically through the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP) and in accordance with the program announcement.
Proposers can edit the cover sheet and proposal volumes at any time until the announcement closes (or due date for the Phase II proposal). Note: To submit, you must click "Submit Proposal." Otherwise, the status will remain “In Progress” and it is not considered submitted.
In the upper right corner, click “Login/Register” Follow the instructions and prompts to create a login. gov account. You will be redirected to DSIP to verify your DSIP account or to register as a new DSIP user.
For more information, see the DSIP training materials and FAQs . DoW Interactive Participation Guide SBIR. gov: America’s Seed Fund Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP) Transition & commercialization support RSS feed for Opportunities
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Small businesses eligible for SBIR/STTR programs. Applicants should review specific topic announcements for detailed requirements. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates Up to $1,000,000 (typical SBIR funding levels) Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is rolling deadlines or periodic funding windows. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
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Read articleDARPA BTO pre-released four FY26 SBIR/STTR topics on April 30, 2026, with proposals due June 3. Two topics — SWiFT and EXPOSITION — offer Direct-to-Phase-II awards up to $1.5M, bypassing the standard Phase I gate. Here is what each topic is actually solving, why the DP2 structure matters, and how small biotech, surgical robotics, and battlefield-medicine teams should decide whether to compete.
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