Federal service · SBIR and STTR fit
Is SBIR or STTR worth your time?
Help deciding whether SBIR or STTR is worth pursuing for your small tech business, and support if it is.
Program status
Reauthorized through September 30, 2031.
The SBIR and STTR programs were reauthorized on April 13, 2026, through September 30, 2031, as stated by NIST and the Department of Energy. Topics are open again on SBIR.gov.
Agencies are still updating their program rules after reauthorization. Check each solicitation for the current requirements before you commit.
The basics
What the programs are.
- SBIR and STTR give competitive, non-dilutive federal funding to small businesses doing research and development that could lead to a product.
- Funding comes in phases. Phase I tests whether the idea works. Phase II builds and prototypes it. Phase III is commercialization, and no SBIR or STTR funding is awarded in Phase III.
- Each agency runs its own program and topics. Participating agencies include the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, War, Energy, Education, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security and Transportation, plus EPA, NASA and NSF.
- STTR is like SBIR, but the small business must formally partner with a U.S. nonprofit research institution, such as a nonprofit college or university, a nonprofit research organization or a federally funded R&D center.
Eligibility
Check these first.
- A for-profit business with a place of business in the United States.
- More than 50 percent (at least 51 percent) directly owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or by qualifying small businesses. Venture-backed ownership has extra rules.
- No more than 500 employees, including affiliates.
- For STTR: the small business performs at least 40 percent of the work and the research institution at least 30 percent.
Registration
Three registrations.
- 1
SAM.gov
Register your entity in SAM.gov.
- 2
Unique Entity ID
You must have a UEI from SAM.gov to receive an SBIR or STTR award.
- 3
SBIR.gov Company Registry
All applicants must register in the SBIR/STTR Company Registry, which issues the ID used on proposals.
Is it worth it?
Questions to answer honestly.
- Is there real research risk left in your technology, or is it ready to sell now?
- Does an open topic match what you already plan to build?
- Can you give the proposal the weeks of focused time it needs?
- For STTR, do you have, or can you get, a research institution partner?
- Do you have a path to sell the result after Phase II?
How we help
Three ways.
Fit review
A plain look at your eligibility, readiness and whether SBIR, STTR or neither suits you.
Solicitation scan
A search of open topics for ones that match your technology, with a short list worth reading.
Proposal prep support
Help organizing registrations, required documents and deadlines. The technical work and the proposal stay yours.
We have not won SBIR or STTR awards ourselves. We help with fit and preparation; we do not guarantee any award. Every program fact here comes from SBIR.gov or agency pages and should be confirmed against the current solicitation.
Quote-only
Request a quote or a free fit call.
Tell us about your technology and the topic you have in mind. We reply with a scoped approach and a quote. Email [email protected] or call 808-321-9578.
Request a quote Free 15-minute fit call
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