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Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I (SBIR) is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF SBIR program, known as America's Seed Fund, provides equity-free funding to small businesses for research and development (R&D) that will lead to the commercialization of innovative new products and services.
The program seeks innovative proposals that show promise of commercial and societal impact across almost any area of science and engineering (except drug development), including agricultural technologies, robotics, and precision agriculture.
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NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Programs (SBIR/STTR Phase I) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I Programs (SBIR/STTR Phase I) 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.
Updates to NSF Research Security Policies On July 10, 2025, NSF issued an Important Notice providing updates to the agency's research security policies, including a research security training requirement, Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program annual certification requirement, prohibition on Confucius institutes and an updated FFDR reporting and submission timeline.
Supports startups and small businesses to transform scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Phase I funding goes to build a proof-of-concept. Supports startups and small businesses to transform scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact.
Phase I funding goes to build a proof-of-concept. The NSF SBIR/STTR programs provide non-dilutive funds for use-inspired research and development (R&D) of unproven, leading-edge, technology innovations that address societal challenges.
By investing federal research and development funds into startups and small businesses, NSF helps build a strong national economy and stimulates the creation of novel products, services, and solutions in the private sector; strengthens the role of small business in meeting federal research and development needs; increases the commercial application of federally-supported research results; and develops and increases the U.S. workforce, especially by fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically-disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses.
NSF seeks unproven, leading-edge technology innovations that demonstrate the following characteristics: The innovations are underpinned and enabled by a new scientific discovery or meaningful engineering innovation. The innovations still require intensive technical research and development to be fully embedded in a reliable product or service.
The innovations have not yet been reduced to practice by anyone and it is not guaranteed, at present, that doing so is technically possible. The innovations provide a strong competitive advantage that are not easily replicable by competitors (even technically proficient ones).
Once reduced to practice, the innovations are expected to result in a product or service that would either be disruptive to existing markets or create new markets/new market segments. The NSF SBIR/STTR programs fund broadly across scientific and engineering disciplines and do not solicit specific technologies or procure goods and services from startups and small businesses. The funding provided is non-dilutive.
Any invention conceived or reduced to practice with the assistance of SBIR/STTR funding is subject to the Bayh-Dole Act. For more information, refer to the SBIR/STTR Frequently Asked Questions, #75 . NSF encourages input and participation from the full spectrum of diverse talent that society has to offer which includes underrepresented and underserved communities.
This program is governed by 15 U.S.C. 638 and the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended ( 42 U.S.C. 1861 et seq.
). The SBIR and STTR programs, initiated at NSF, were established in 1982 as part of the Small Business Innovation Development Act.
The NSF SBIR/STTR programs focus on stimulating technical innovation from diverse entrepreneurs and startups by translating new scientific and engineering discoveries emerging from the private sector, federal labs, and academia into products and services that can be scaled and commercialized into sustainable businesses with significant societal benefits.
The NSF SBIR/STTR programs are now part of the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) , which was recently launched to accelerate innovation and enhance economic competitiveness by catalyzing partnerships and investments that strengthen the links between fundamental research and technology development, deployment, and use.
June 26, 2025 - Office Hours: Preparing your NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I Proposal June 10, 2025 - Office Hours: Preparing your NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I Proposal May 6, 2025 - Office Hours: Intro to America’s Seed Fund at NSF March 18, 2025 - Office Hours: Intro to America’s Seed Fund at NSF February 27, 2025 - Office Hours: Preparing your NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I Proposal February 6, 2025 - Office Hours: Intro to America’s Seed Fund at NSF January 23, 2025 - Office Hours: Preparing your NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I Proposal January 16, 2025 - Office Hours: Intro to America’s Seed Fund at NSF December 5, 2024 - Office Hours: Preparing your Phase I Proposal for America’s… September 27, 2022 - Intro to NSF’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation and… Additional program resources NSF SBIR/STTR Seed Fund Site Awards made through this program Browse projects funded by this program Map of recent awards made through this program Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) Division of Translational Impacts (TIP/TI)
Key questions and narrative sections extracted from the solicitation.
Project description (10–15 pages addressing innovation, technical approach, and R&D plan)
Commercialization strategy
According to the current listing, eligibility includes: Small businesses (fewer than 500 employees) located in the United States. At least 50% of the company's equity must be owned by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The project's principal investigator must be legally employed at least 20 hours a week by the company. A Project Pitch must be submitted and an official invitation received to submit a full proposal. NSF does not fund companies that are majority-owned by multiple venture capital firms, private equity firms, or hedge funds to participate in SBIR and STTR. All funded work needs to take place in the United States. Confirm the full requirements in the official notice before applying.
The current listing shows up to $225,000 for Phase I. Verify award ceilings, matching requirements, and allowable costs in the official notice.
Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I (SBIR) is funded by National Science Foundation (NSF). Verify program details on the funder's official page before applying.
Yes — this listing is flagged as national in scope, so applicants across the U.S. may apply, subject to the sponsor's other eligibility criteria.
Applications go through the funder's official portal — the Apply Now link on this page goes there directly.
The solicitation lists 5 required documents: Project description (10–15 pages), Budget details, Biographical sketches, Commercialization strategy, and Intellectual property agreements (required for STTR; recommended for SBIR with subawards). Check the official notice for formatting and page-limit rules.
Past winners and funding trends for this program
MPS Astronomical Sciences Research Programs (MPS Astro) is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). _large_image" /> window.a2a_config=window.a2a_config||{};a2a_config.callbacks=[];a2a_config.overlays=[];a2a_config.templates={}; NSF 26-522: MPS Astronomical Sciences Research Programs (MPS Astro) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation {"path":{"baseUrl":"\/","pathPrefix":"","currentPath":"node\/120974","currentPathIsAdmin":false,"isFront":false,"currentLanguage":"en"},"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"gtag":{"tagId":"","consentMode":false,"otherIds":[],"events":[],"additionalConfigInfo":[]},"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"eJyNkY1qBCEMhF9I10daomY9ezERo223T1_vuCv9ASnIMBk-44AQYxfg08HDbEcT7iYIEVTNniRcXZCG5ibTlSqM3HVjPfZ-wYLWAmHrK8A3hBjaKF7_idncsazYKGGUGdrMh6zAJK_WAzO2FZWZMqMl8EgrjiQtX6stz05z13VFNeyjse0yTzWhwceJKbmnMUkkEe4dkktTfs8bvMD7z7CYr_VOhXLIHXoW1m95lxEuVWZBNSohA-0FY4b9Vlfd32i73zN66vwM50HRDH2L6mIbFegx3PUTOlziQA","theme":"nsf_theme","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"gtm":{"tagId":null,"settings":{"data_layer":"dataLayer","include_classes":false,"allowlist_classes":"google\nnonGooglePixels\nnonGoogleScripts\nnonGoogleIframes","blocklist_classes":"customScripts\ncustomPixels","include_environment":true,"environment_id":"env-1","environment_token":"g18KstQIuISFV7R8jqLFKQ"},"tagIds":["GTM-WSDBJPS"]},"data":{"extlink":{"extTarget":false,"extTargetAppendNewWindowLabel":"(opens in a new window)","extTargetNoOverride":false,"extNofollow":true,"extTitleNoOverride":false,"extNoreferrer":false,"extFollowNoOverride":true,"extClass":"ext","extLabel":"(link is external)","extImgClass":false,"extSubdomains":true,"extExclude":"(.*\\.gov\\\/)|(.*\\.mil\\\/)|((public|service)\\.govdelivery\\.com\\\/)|(web\\\/)|(web:8443\\\/)|(.*\\.amazonaws\\.com\\\/)|(.*\\.akamaihd\\.net\\\/)|(nsf\\.widencollective\\.com\\\/)|(www\\.facebook\\.com\\\/)|(www\\.instagram\\.com\\\/)|(www\\.linkedin\\.com\\\/)|(www\\.twitter\\.com\\\/)|(www\\.youtube\\.com\\\/)","extInclude":"","extCssExclude":".extlink-extra-leaving, .no-extlink-icon, .twitter-tweet","extCssInclude":"","extCssExplicit":"","extAlert":false,"extAlertText":"This link will take you to an external web site. We are not responsible for their content.","extHideIcons":false,"mailtoClass":"0","telClass":"tel","mailtoLabel":"(link sends email)","telLabel":"(link is a phone number)","extUseFontAwesome":false,"extIconPlacement":"append","extPreventOrphan":false,"extFaLinkClasses":"fa fa-external-link","extFaMailtoClasses":"fa fa-envelope-o","extAdditionalLinkClasses":"","extAdditionalMailtoClasses":"","extAdditionalTelClasses":"","extFaTelClasses":"fa fa-phone","whitelistedDomains":[],"extExcludeNoreferrer":""}},"collapsiblock":{"active_pages":false,"slide_speed":200,"cookie_lifetime":null},"mediaFilter":{"nodeType":"solicitation"},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"ff22307b4df654f9cdf01d7093e0e48a64aefef2f5ead1bd8e5b02218cb1ae83"}} Skip to main content An official website of the United States government Here's how you know Here's how you know Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS. A lock ( Lock Locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. MPS Astronomical Sciences Research Programs (MPS Astro). NSF document number: NSF26-522.
Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI): Instrument Acquisition or Development is sponsored by National Science Foundation (NSF). The MRI Program increases access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and research training. It supports the acquisition of commercially available instruments or the development of instruments with new capabilities. Awards are expected to enhance research training of students who will become the next generation of instrument users, designers, and builders.
NSF's CICI program (NSF 25-531) funds 12-20 awards of up to $1.2M for securing scientific cyberinfrastructure. The next deadline is January 20, 2027. Here's how the four tracks compare.
Read articleNSF 27-500 replaces the MRI solicitation: no per-institution limit, no tracks, $50 million for about 60 awards, and a January 4–29, 2027 window. What changes for research offices.
Read articleOn October 28, 2026, NSF sent its revised Guidance on Financial Assistance to OMB after 3,277 public responses. The revision drops four provisions borrowed from OMB's unfinished 2 CFR 200 rewrite: no fixed-price awards, no publication costs, termination for convenience, and indirect costs subject to available funds. The final 30-day comment period runs through about November 27. Here is what changed, what didn't, and what research offices should do before the December 11 funding cliff.
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