Small Business Innovation Research Program

With SBIR & STTR, inventors and small businesses can:

Fund innovative, high risk, early stage projects to start or expand a business
Receive funding quickly -- in as little as 4 months from application
Apply for funding with very little paperwork, time or effort
Retain full ownership of their technology & intellectual property
Receive additional, active support for business planning, commercialization at NO COST
Establish a bid-advantaged, sole-source marketing position with the world's largest, ready-made customer
Gain credibility with their marketplace and their potential investors
Receive real cash revenues, usually paid in advance of the work required

Phase I
	Funds:	up to $150,000 (some less)
	Time:	6 months (some 9 months)
	Purpose:	demonstrate feasibility (can be on paper)
	Product::	report and Phase II Proposal (can us Phase I funds)
Phase II
	Funds:	up to $1,000,000 (some less)
	Time:	up to two years (or more)
	Purpose:	refine, test & evaluate the concept
	Product:	report and /or prototype
Phase III
	Funds:	unlimited (no SBIR funding BUT can market sole-source to US
	Time:	unlimited (no graduation, no size limit)
	Purpose:	commercialization of the concept
	Product:	product or service for sale

Participation Requirements	Project Should Offer
No more than 500 employees	Solution to agency's problem or enhancement to agency's mission
Organized as "for profit " firm	Early stage, innovative, technology-based idea/concept
Independently owned and operated	Actual research (needed to show feasibility --real possibility of failure)
51% owned by US citizens /resident aliens	Feasibility determined within the funds available ($50k - $100k)
Principal place of business in USA	Prototype evaluated with limited Phase II funds ($225k - $750k)
Principal investigator must be primarily (51%) employed by the proposing firm	A demonstrable business opportunity for the applicant