NIST Awards $3.2M to Eight Small Businesses in AI, Quantum, and Biotech
March 11, 2026 · 2 min read
Claire Cummings
Eight small businesses across seven states have received a combined $3.19 million in Phase II SBIR awards from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, funding 24-month development sprints in technologies ranging from quantum photonics to PFAS exposure monitoring.
The awards announced in February reflect NIST's expanding technology priorities and offer a roadmap for where the agency sees commercial potential in its measurement science mission.
Who Got Funded
The eight recipients span a striking range of deep-tech domains:
- Icarus Quantum (Boulder, CO, $400K) — semiconductor quantum dot single-photon sources
- ObjectSecurity (San Diego, CA, $400K) — cybersecurity evaluation tools
- AMAG Consulting (Schenectady, NY, $400K) — electron microscope simulation software
- Applied Imaging Solutions (Quincy, MA, $400K) — infrared imaging for biopharmaceutical cell cultures
- Calimetrix (Madison, WI, $400K) — medical imaging test objects for MRI and CT
- HighRI Optics (Oakland, CA, $400K) — optical image enhancement systems
- MyExposome (Philadelphia, PA, $396K) — PFAS chemical exposure monitoring via silicone wristbands
- Universal Schedule and Booking (Harpers Ferry, WV, $400K) — residential energy optimization
The Path to Phase III
Phase II SBIR awards fund prototyping and development over two years. The real payoff comes at Phase III, where successful projects transition to production using non-SBIR funding sources — including federal procurement contracts, private investment, or commercial sales.
What SBIR Applicants Should Know
NIST's SBIR program is smaller than DoD's or NIH's, but that cuts both ways: less competition and closer alignment with NIST's measurement and standards mission. Small businesses with technologies that improve measurement precision, testing accuracy, or standards compliance are well-positioned for future solicitations.
Small businesses exploring SBIR opportunities can track open solicitations and match eligibility at grantedai.com. In-depth analysis of this story is available on the Granted blog.