NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH)

NIH Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH) is sponsored by National Institutes of Health. Supports nonprofit organizations in establishing hubs to advance biomedical discoveries into real-world products.

Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH) | Seed U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Learn if your company is eligible for NIH SBIR or STTR funding, how to apply , and what to expect during each step of the application process. Multiple registrations are required to prepare your application and apply for funding.

Small Business Program Basics Understanding SBIR and STTR Foreign Disclosure and Risk Management SBIR and STTR Grants (NOFO s ) SBIR Contract Solicitations Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs Navigate NIH's Research Areas Applicant Assistance Programs --> Transition Award (Coming Soon) Our team can help you maximize the benefits from NIH programs and resources which help you bring your innovations to life.

NIH's Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Concept to Clinic Commercializing Innovation (C3i) The NIH is actively turning discovery into health by helping small businesses develop innovative technologies that improve health and save lives. See how .

Small Business Portfolio Overview Active Small Business Awards Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH) Search Technologies from Academic Centers and Hubs Our team can help you maximize the benefits from NIH programs and resources which help you bring your innovations to life. We value biomedical innovation and strive to empower scientists and entrepreneurs to bring their discoveries to patients.

HHS Small Business Program Managers Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hubs (REACH) The REACH program supports academic innovators to convert promising scientific discoveries into medical products while training a diverse biomedical workforce that is globally competitive in technology development and entrepreneurship.

Early consideration of the healthcare impact and commercial viability of scientific discoveries, combined with milestone-driven product development plans, results in de-risked projects primed for startup company formation or licensing. This trans-NIH program implements the Phase 0 Proof of Concept Partnership pilot program authorized in the 2011 SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act (P. L.

112-81) and continued in the 2026 Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (P. L. 119-83).

In 2023, NIH committed $1 million per year for four years to five new REACH hubs (see the REACH Notice of Funding Opportunity ). Together, they will support academic innovators at over 75 institutions in 12 states. Innovators have access to education and training on topics such as market research, business strategy, regulatory and intellectual property planning, and fundraising through boot camps and hands-on programs.

Funding and Project Management Selected technology development projects receive funding tied to specific technical and business milestones. These product definition studies are supervised by industry-experienced project managers.

Innovators receive personalized feedback on their product development, intellectual property, regulatory, reimbursement, and fundraising strategies from local industry experts and federal partners (NIH, FDA, CMS, USPTO). Leveraging the Local Ecosystem Hubs leverage state government resources, local academic institutions, and industry partners to supplement funding and support from NIH.

University of Illinois at Chicago Loyola University Chicago Illinois Institute of Technology Rosalind Franklin University Discovery Partners Institute Northern Illinois University Texas A&M University Health Science Center University of Texas Medical Branch Texas Southern University Baylor College of Medicine Houston Methodist Research Institute MD Anderson Cancer Center University of Texas Health Science Center Christian Brothers University Middle Tennessee State University Tennessee Board of Regents – Community Colleges Tennessee State University Tennessee Technological University University of Tennessee Campuses Vanderbilt University Medical Center Mississippi State University University of Mississippi University of Southern Mississippi Eastern Kentucky University Kentucky Community & Technical College System Kentucky State University Morehead State University Northern Kentucky University Western Kentucky University Christopher Newport University University of Mary Washington Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Military Institute Virginia State University University of Alaska Anchorage Montana Technological University Flathead Valley Community College University of Maryland Baltimore University of Maryland School of Medicine University of Maryland Baltimore County University of Maryland College Park Maryland Innovation Initiative Butler et al.

(2025). Bridging the gap from academic research to commercialization: Lessons learned from WE-REACH. Technology and Innovation , 24(4), 265–276.

Bailey et al. (2025). Paths towards commercialization: Evidence from NIH proof of concept centers.

Journal of Technology Transfer , 50(6), 2509–2531. Anderson et al. (2021).

Insights from the evaluations of the NIH Centers for Accelerated Innovation and REACH programs. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science , 6(1), e7. Reizes et al.

(2021). New programs for translating research to patient care: Lessons learned at the NIH Center for Accelerated Innovations at Cleveland Clinic. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 5 (1), e176.

Antman et al. (2021). The Boston Biomedical Innovation Center experience: Process, progress, and outcomes.

Journal of Clinical and Translational Science , 5(1), e137. Antman et al. (2017).

NIH Centers for Accelerated Innovations Program: Principles, practices, successes and challenges. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery , 16(10), 663–664. Bates et al.

(2017). NIH program strives to turn more lab discoveries into real-world treatments. STAT.

Collins et al. (2016). Healthcare commercialization programs: Improving the efficiency of translating healthcare innovations from academia into practice.

IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine , 4, 1–7. National Institutes of Health Product Development Support Looking for the NIH SBIR & STTR site? The new seed.

nih. gov has everything you’re looking for about the NIH small business research and development programs (SBIR & STTR) . In addition, you can learn about other types of product development and commercialization support for NIH award recipients .

Questions? Check out About the NIH SEED Office or email us at [email protected] .