NIH, CDC and FDA Small Business Innovation Research Grant (Parent SBIR [R43/R44] Clinical Trial Optional) - PA-27-100

Executive Summary:

The NIH, CDC, and FDA Parent SBIR program provides non-dilutive funding to U.S. small businesses developing innovative health, life sciences, biomedical, public health, and FDA-relevant technologies. This program supports projects from early-stage feasibility through later-stage R&D and commercialization activities through Phase I, Phase II, Direct to Phase II (NIH only), and Fast-Track (NIH only) awards.

This is one of the broadest health-focused SBIR opportunities available and is designed for companies whose technologies align with the mission of a participating NIH Institute, CDC Center, or FDA Center. Clinical trials are optional, although not all participating components accept clinical trial applications.

The first application deadline is September 05, 2026 by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. Additional deadlines occur on a recurring schedule through the expiration of the NOFO. No late applications will be accepted.

How much funding would I receive?

Funding depends on the participating Institute, Center, or Office (ICO), project phase, and project scope. Award amounts generally may not exceed SBA guidelines unless specifically allowed by the participating component.

Examples of NIH component budgets include:

Phase I

• Up to $700,000: NCI, NIA, NIAID, NIGMS, NIMH, NINDS, NCCIH

• Up to $400,000: NHLBI, NHGRI, NIAAA, NICHD, NIDCD, NIDDK, NIDA, NINR, and others

• SBA guideline budgets for certain Institutes and Offices

Phase II

• Up to $3,000,000: NHLBI, NIA, NIAID, NIDCD, NIDA, NIGMS, NIMH, NINDS

• Up to $2,500,000: NCI, NIAAA, NICHD, NIDDK, NINR, ORWH

• SBA guideline budgets for certain Institutes and Offices

Applicants should propose a budget that is reasonable and appropriate for completion of the project.

What could I use the funding for?

Funds may support research and development toward a commercially viable product or service aligned with the missions of NIH, CDC, or FDA (see below). Eligible costs include personnel, materials, prototypes, testing, IP protection, and other R&D expenses. Phase II and IIB funds may also be used for scale-up, validation, regulatory preparation, and commercialization efforts. Click below to see the various areas of interest:

• National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)

  NCATS supports research including, but not limited to, clinical technology, instruments, devices, and related methodologies that may have broad application to clinical research and better patient care. Our interests are in four main categories

  (1) Preclinical Drug Discovery and Development

  (2) Biomedical, Clinical and Health Research Informatics

  (3) Clinical, Dissemination and Implementation Research

  (4) Rare Diseases and Unmet Needs.

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Intestinal fibrosis

  • Cardiovascular disease / cardiac regeneration

  • Cancer (including cancer immunotherapy and solid tumors)

  • Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD)

  • Primary ciliary dyskinesia

  • Pulmonary fibrosis

  • Cystic fibrosis

  • Asthma

  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

  • Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis

  • Lung cancer

  • Huntington's disease (including prodromal Huntington's disease)

  • Heart failure

  • Hypertension

  • Cardiomyopathies

• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

  The NCCIH will support applications on the development of technologies and therapies relevant to complementary and integrative approaches.

  Complementary health approaches include a broad range of practices and interventions that can be classified by their primary therapeutic input, including:

  • nutritional and natural products (e.g., special diets, dietary supplements, botanicals, probiotics, and microbial-based therapies),

  • psychological (e.g., meditation, hypnosis, music-based interventions, relaxation therapies),

  • physical (e.g., acupuncture, massage, chiropractic manipulation, other force-based manipulations, or devices related to these approaches), or

  • a combination of psychological and physical (e.g., yoga, tai chi, or some forms of art therapies, such as music-based interventions) input.

  Additionally, NCCIH will support applications that explore the impact of complementary and integrative health approaches on health promotion, resilience, and whole person health.

  Overall, NCCIH will support applications that include complementary and integrative health approaches, including multicomponent interventions that combine two or more complementary and integrative health approaches, or one or more complementary approaches integrated with one or more conventional care interventions. 

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Anxiety disorders

  • Major depressive disorder / depression

  • Stress-related psychiatric disorders

  • Chronic inflammatory disorders

  • Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV)

  • Youth mental health / social isolation

• National Cancer Institute (NCI)

  NCI supports the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs by engaging domestic small business concerns in federal cancer research and development that has the potential for commercialization. 

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Skin cancer (melanoma and non-melanoma)

  • Lung cancer (including non-small cell lung cancer)

  • Liver cancer / hepatocellular carcinoma

  • Pancreatic cancer (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, including mutant KRAS/RAS)

  • Prostate cancer (including metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer)

  • Colorectal cancer (including microsatellite stable colorectal cancer)

  • Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)

  • Oral / oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

  • Breast cancer

  • Ovarian cancer

  • Cervical / gynecological cancer (dysplasia screening)

  • Glioblastoma / glioma / brain cancer

  • Melanoma (metastatic / Stage IV)

  • Cholangiocarcinoma

  • Multiple myeloma

  • Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (pediatric)

  • Acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

  • Lymphoma (including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma / relapsed-refractory B-cell malignancies)

  • Hereditary cancer syndromes (e.g., Lynch syndrome) / cancer previvors

  • Cancer-related fatigue and sleep disturbances (cancer survivorship)

  • Solid tumors / pan-cancer (general)

  • Diabetic foot ulcers and knee osteoarthritis (secondary indications)

  • Liver transplant ischemia-reperfusion injury / end-stage liver disease (secondary indication)

• National Eye Institute (NEI)

  NEI supports research including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Commercializable research and clinical innovations in ophthalmology and vision sciences

  • Commercializable therapeutics including drugs, biologics, devices, or combination therapeutics that prevent or reduce blindness or improve ocular health

  •  Market-ready technologies and diagnostic tools for predicting, identifying, or monitoring eye diseases and vision-related conditions

  • Commercializable devices and services that assist people with blindness or visual impairments to improve quality of life Commercial-grade devices and support services that help individuals with blindness or vision impairments to improve and enhance their daily living experience

  • Market-ready technologies that correct, enhance, or augment human vision

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Age-related macular degeneration (neovascular/wet AMD and dry AMD)

  • Dry eye disease (including Meibomian gland dysfunction)

  • Glaucoma (including post-trabeculectomy scarring and intraocular pressure management)

  • Diabetic retinopathy (including diabetic macular edema)

  • Retinitis pigmentosa / inherited retinal degeneration

  • Leber congenital amaurosis type 1 (LCA1)

  • Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)

  • Corneal endothelial disease / Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy

  • Corneal injuries and wounds (e.g., alkali burns)

  • Persistent corneal epithelial defects (PCED) / neurotrophic keratitis

  • Myopia (pediatric myopia and myopia progression)

  • Optic neuropathies / neuro-ophthalmic disease (including optic neuritis)

  • Visual impairment following traumatic brain injury (mTBI/concussion)

  • Refractive error / higher-order aberrations (contact lens correction)

  • Uveitis and ocular infections (secondary)

  • Blindness and low vision (assistive technology / accessibility focus)

• National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

  Interest Areas:

  • Significant innovations in genomic methods or technology development. This includes, but is not limited to, advancements in nucleic acid sequencing, synthetic nucleic acid synthesis, functional genomics, single cell genomic analysis, transcriptomics, multi-omics, instrumentation, or molecular kits. 

  • Tools and techniques that use genomics to improve patient health, such as approaches to incorporate genomic results into electronic medical records, clinical decision support tools, or genomic directed health care. 

  • Strategies to enhance ethical, legal, and social aspects of genomics research or translation of genomics into health care. 

  • Bioinformatics software or platforms for genomic, genetic, or sequence data processing or analysis, functional genomics, associations between genomic data and diseases or phenotypes, interpretation of variants, or genomic data integration into clinical decision making. 

  • Databases and data management platforms for genomics research and application including platforms for sequence, functional, or phenotypic data or annotation of variants. 

  • Development and application of methods for machine learning, pattern detection, or knowledge networks for genomics science or translation into health care. 

  • Informatics methods and platforms that adopt data standards, enhance data sharing with privacy, and improve data exchange in genomics science or translation of genomics into health care. 

  • Use of cloud and other computing models to improve scale, reproducibility, interoperability, cost-effectiveness, and utility of genomic and clinical data in genomics or translation into health care. 

  • Development of curriculum and educational opportunities that increase the genomics knowledge of participants at the undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, graduate, postdoctoral, or professional levels. 

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

  Interest Areas:

  The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is interested in supporting the development of novel therapeutics, devices, diagnostics, digital health technologies, research tools, and other innovative solutions for advancing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) diseases and disorders. 

  Topics of particular interest for the NHLBI SBIR/STTR program include, but are not limited to, the following topics: 

  • Technologies addressing HLBS complications relevant to maternal health and women’s health  

  • Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technologies to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HLBS diseases and disorders 

  • Precision medicine approaches to treating HLBS diseases and disorders 

  • New approach methodologies, tools, and point-of-care technologies to improve detection and therapeutic development for HLBS diseases and disorders

  Indications Of Interest:

  Lung / respiratory

  • Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) / interstitial lung disease

  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

  • Asthma

  • Cystic fibrosis and primary ciliary dyskinesia

  • Pulmonary hypertension

  • Sarcoidosis

  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) / acute lung injury

  • Radiation-induced lung injury (pneumonitis/fibrosis)

  • Respiratory failure (ECMO/mechanical ventilation context)

  • Empyema / parapneumonic effusion

  • Pulmonary embolism

  • End-stage lung disease (lung transplant)

  • Other fibroses noted: scleroderma skin fibrosis, kidney fibrosis (CKD), intestinal fibrosis (Crohn's)

  Heart / cardiovascular

  • Cardiovascular disease (general risk assessment)

  • Coronary artery disease / coronary heart disease

  • Myocardial infarction / ischemic heart disease (including reperfusion injury)

  • Heart failure (including HFrEF and chronic heart failure)

  • Coronary microvascular and vasomotor dysfunction (CMVD)

  • Ventricular tachycardia / arrhythmias

  • Cardiac arrest / ventricular fibrillation (including refractory)

  • Mitral regurgitation / mitral valve disease

  • Heart valve disease (transcatheter and surgical valves)

  • Hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathies (HCM/DCM)

  • Hypertension

  • Congenital heart disease (including hypoplastic left heart syndrome / single-ventricle / Fontan physiology, pulmonary valve defects)

  • Infantile hemangioma

  • Abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysm

  • Aortic dissection

  • Atrial fibrillation / stroke prevention

  • Peripheral artery disease / critical limb ischemia (CLTI)

  • Conduction system disorders / pacing (bradycardia, LV dysfunction)

  Blood / hematologic

  • Sickle cell disease / sickle cell anemia

  • Anemia

  • Hemophilia A

  • Thrombosis / clotting disorders (including catheter-related thrombosis)

  • Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)

  • Bleeding / hemostasis (antiplatelet reversal)

  • Hematologic malignancies / blood disorders (hematopoietic stem cell transplant)

  • Neutropenia

  • Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) / alloimmunization

  Sleep

  • Obstructive sleep apnea (infants, children, adults)

  • Central sleep apnea

  Other / cross-cutting

  • Organ transplantation (heart, lung, liver, kidney; xenotransplantation)

  • Perioperative / postoperative complications

  • Sepsis

  • PFAS exposure / cardiometabolic risk

• National Institute on Aging (NIA)

  The NIA is interested in proposals to develop and validate technologies that enhance the health and wellbeing of older adults. Areas of high interest include technologies intended to address unmet needs and have clear competitive advantages, development of commercialized solutions that are cost-effective and widely available, and small businesses that are new to SBIR/STTR funding.

  Scientific areas of interest include but are not limited to:

  Alzheimer's Disease (AD), AD-Related Dementias (ADRD), and Age-Related Cognitive Decline:

  Development of innovative tools, technologies, and interventions to prevent, diagnose, treat, monitor, or slow progression of AD/ADRD, cognitive decline, age-related sleep disorders, and delirium, including:

  • Biomarkers, research tools, diagnostics, imaging technologies, and AI/ML methods for early detection and monitoring.

  • Treatments, including cell and gene therapies, exosome-based therapeutics, behavioral and digital interventions as well as other novel approaches.

  Aging Biology and Age-Related Diseases:

  Development of technologies, therapeutics, biomarkers, and tools to measure, prevent, treat, or slow progression of age-related biobehavioral decline and conditions, including:

  • Therapeutics targeting aging biology mechanisms and personalized medicine approaches.

  • Research tools and data science technologies to understand aging and predict health outcomes.

  Aging in Place of Choice and Care Delivery:

  Development of technologies and interventions that promote healthy aging, support aging in place of choice, improve care delivery, or reduce caregiving burden, including: 

  • Assistive devices, robotics, sensors, digital health products, and technologies to enhance care.

  Indications Of Interest:

  Cognitive / neurodegenerative (the dominant focus)

  • Alzheimer's disease (diagnosis, biomarkers, therapeutics — by far the largest area)

  • Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) / dementia generally

  • Mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

  • Lewy body disease / Lewy body pathology

  • Frontotemporal dementia (FTD)

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

  • Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE)

  • Agitation/aggression and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD)

  • Postoperative delirium / perioperative neurocognitive disorders (elderly)

  • Delirium (hospitalized elderly)

  • Vascular dysfunction in AD / amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA)

  Other aging-related conditions

  • Sarcopenia / age-related muscle loss (including GLP-1–associated)

  • Obesity (older adults)

  • Menopause / menopausal symptoms

  • Falls and fall-related injuries

  • Pressure ulcers / pressure injuries (including in darkly pigmented skin)

  • Urinary/fecal incontinence (in dementia)

  • Hearing loss (with co-occurring memory concerns)

  • Osteoporosis / vertebral compression fractures

  • Knee osteoarthritis (total knee arthroplasty)

  • Chronic low back pain / chronic pain

  • Obstructive sleep apnea

  • Insomnia

  • Social isolation / loneliness

  • Dysphagia / upper-extremity mobility impairment (self-feeding)

  • Sepsis and ARDS (geriatric)

  • Systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD)

  • Anticholinergic drug-induced cognitive impairment / polypharmacy adverse events

  • Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (Long COVID) neurocognitive deficits

  • General biological aging (epigenetic/senescence biomarkers, healthspan)

  • Conditions monitored via digital biomarkers: UTIs, C. difficile infection, GI bleeding, dehydration, constipation, colorectal cancer

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

  Interest Areas:

  NIAAA-specific SBIR and STTR interests are tailored toward commercializing technologies that address the unique physiological, social, and clinical challenges of alcohol misuse.

  The NIAAA specifically encourages small business applications in the following high-priority areas:

  • Biosensors and Wearables: Developing non-invasive, wearable devices for real-time alcohol monitoring (e.g., transdermal sensors) that provide more accurate data than self-reporting for research and clinical use.

  • Digital Health and Telehealth: Creating mobile applications, AI-driven platforms, and software for the remote delivery of evidence-based treatments, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or recovery support services.

  • Pharmacotherapy Development: Advancing the discovery and testing of new medications to treat Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), specifically focusing on those with commercial potential and lower side-effect profiles.

  • Diagnostic Tools and Biomarkers: Innovating point-of-care diagnostic tests and biological markers for early detection of alcohol-induced organ damage (liver, brain, heart) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

  • Advanced Data Analytics: Utilizing machine learning and big data tools to analyze large health datasets to predict relapse, identify high-risk drinking patterns, or personalize treatment plans.

  • Regulatory Support: Utilizing the Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) to fund late-stage R&D, such as IND-enabling studies, manufacturing scale-up, or clinical trial verification required for FDA clearance.

  • Behavioral Interventions: Developing tools designed to improve treatment adherence, reduce stigma, or provide prevention and therapies to treat alcohol use disorder

• National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

  Interest Areas:

  The NIAID Small Business portfolio supports product development and commercialization in the areas of: 

  • The immune system, microbe biology, and host-microbe interactions, 

  • Diagnostic and prevention strategies 

  • Treatment and cure strategies 

  Indications Of Interest:

  Bacterial infections / antimicrobial resistance

  • Tuberculosis (drug-susceptible, drug-resistant, and latent TB)

  • Nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (M. abscessus, M. avium complex)

  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections (including in bronchiectasis)

  • Bronchiectasis (with chronic respiratory infection)

  • Sexually transmitted infections (including multidrug-resistant N. gonorrhoeae)

  • Recurrent bacterial vaginosis

  • Burn wound and skin/soft-tissue infections (multidrug-resistant)

  • Healthcare-associated infections / surface biofilms (incl. C. difficile, Candida auris)

  • Acinetobacter baumannii (carbapenem-resistant) infections

  • Klebsiella pneumoniae infections

  • Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

  • Bloodstream infections

  • Surgical site / post-surgical infections (GI surgery)

  • Clostridioides difficile infection (including with IBD)

  • Cholera

  • Pertussis (whooping cough)

  • Q fever, leptospirosis

  • Secondary bacterial pneumonia (NTHi after influenza)

  Fungal infections

  • Invasive / drug-resistant fungal infections (Candida, C. auris, Aspergillus, Cryptococcus)

  • Invasive aspergillosis

  • Mucormycosis

  • Cutaneous fungal infections / ringworm (dermatophytes)

  • Onychomycosis

  • Pneumocystis (and other DHFR-target fungi)

  • Alcohol-associated hepatitis (fungal/Candida target)

  Viral infections

  • HIV (treatment, prevention, cure/reservoir)

  • SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19

  • Influenza (seasonal and pandemic)

  • Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

  • Human metapneumovirus

  • Chronic hepatitis B (including HIV/HBV co-infection)

  • Hepatitis A

  • Cytomegalovirus (drug-resistant, in transplant)

  • Neonatal herpes simplex virus

  • High-risk human papillomavirus (cervical cancer prevention)

  • Marburg and Ebola virus disease

  • Dengue

  • Powassan virus

  • Prion diseases / transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (CJD)

  Parasitic / vector-borne

  • Malaria

  • Babesiosis

  • Cryptosporidiosis

  • (Mosquito control for dengue, yellow fever, Zika)

  Autoimmune / immune-mediated and allergic diseases

  • Systemic lupus erythematosus / lupus nephritis

  • Sjögren's syndrome

  • Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)

  • Immune-mediated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP)

  • Type 1 diabetes

  • Celiac disease

  • Alopecia areata / autoimmune skin diseases

  • Multiple sclerosis

  • Severe allergic asthma

  • Food allergy / peanut allergy

  • Chronic urticaria

  Immunodeficiency / cellular-therapy targets

  • Primary immunodeficiencies / inborn errors of immunity (incl. ADA-SCID, CARD11 gain-of-function)

  • Common variable immune deficiency (CVID)

  • Enzymopathies (e.g., Mucopolysaccharidosis type I / Hurler syndrome)

  • Transplant rejection and graft-versus-host disease (kidney transplant, HSCT)

  Other / cross-cutting

  • Acute radiation syndrome (gastrointestinal ARS)

  • Cyanide poisoning (antidote)

  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)

  Interest Areas:

  The NIAMS small business program supports research and development of products and services for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic, musculoskeletal and skin diseases. The research topics include, but are not limited to, the following: 

  1. Rheumatic Diseases.  The NIAMS supports research on rheumatic and related diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), Lyme arthritis, viral arthritis, gout, calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPDD), spondyloarthropathies, and systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic scleroderma (SSc), and autoimmune myositis. 

  2. Musculoskeletal Diseases.  The musculoskeletal system is composed of the skeleton, the muscles, and connective tissues such as cartilage, tendon, and ligament. The NIAMS supports research aimed at improving the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system and its component tissues. The topics in this area include research on musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, muscular dystrophy, and osteogenesis imperfecta; tissue engineered products; orthopedic devices and implants; and sports medicine and fitness. 

  3. Skin Diseases. The NIAMS supports research on chronic inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis, rosacea, acnevulgaris, atopic dermatitis; autoimmune skin diseases such as pemphigus, vitiligo, and alopecia areata; skin repair and regeneration in treatment of chronic wounds and reducing scar formation; and skin cancer prevention such as products preventing skin cancer in early-stage development.

  Indications Of Interest:

  Muscle / muscular dystrophies

  • Duchenne muscular dystrophy / dystrophinopathies (including Becker)

  • Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1)

  • Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2B (LGMD2B) / dysferlinopathies

  • Skeletal muscle loss/trauma (regenerative reconstruction)

  Joints / bone / orthopedic

  • Rheumatoid arthritis

  • Osteoarthritis (including knee OA)

  • Meniscal injuries / post-meniscectomy syndrome / post-traumatic osteoarthritis

  • Arthrofibrosis

  • Distal femoral / traumatic fractures (nonunion)

  • Revision total knee arthroplasty (implant longevity)

  • Diabetic Charcot foot / Charcot osteoarthropathy and osteomyelitis

  • Lumbar interbody fusion / degenerative spine

  • Limb loss / amputation (skeletal prosthesis attachment)

  • Chronic / neuropathic joint pain (RA-associated)

  Skin

  • Psoriasis

  • Acne vulgaris

  • Allergic contact dermatitis

  • Wound healing / surgical flap reconstruction

• National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)

  Interest Areas:

  The NIBIB Small Business Program aims to translate cutting edge technologies into commercial products to address critical healthcare challenges. Through grants and contracts, the program supports the development of innovative biomedical technologies that improve human health. Areas of interest span biomedical imaging, medical devices, health informatics, diagnostic and therapeutic technologies, and related innovations at the intersection of biology and engineering. Projects should demonstrate strong commercial potential while addressing significant unmet clinical needs in biomedical imaging and bioengineering.

  Specific program guidance includes:

  • Technologies may be demonstrated using a specific indication or model system, but the core innovation must be broadly applicable without significant reengineering. 

  • Applications fall outside NIBIB's mission if the primary focus is

    • developing technologies to elucidate basic biological functions or disease mechanisms, or

    • applying and testing previously developed tools or technologies.

  • Per NOT-EB-21-005, NIBIB only supports early-stage clinical trials, i.e., feasibility, Phase I, first-in-human, safety, or other small clinical trials, that inform technology development. NIBIB will notsupport applications with efficacy, effectiveness, or a post-market concern as an outcome.

  • NIBIB may modify or decline funding applications for budgetary, administrative, or programmatic reasons. This includes reducing budgets, shortening award periods, or choosing not to fund applications.

  • Awardees are strongly encouraged to contact NIBIB's Small Business Team about the Concept to Clinic: Commercializing Innovation (C3i) Program, a mentored, entrepreneurial training course that provides innovators with essential business tools to assess the commercial viability and potential business opportunity for their product.

  Indications Of Interest:

  Traumatic internal hemorrhage / occult abdominal bleeding

  • CNS diseases requiring blood-brain-barrier crossing: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, glioblastoma, brain metastases

  • Adverse pregnancy outcomes (fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia)

  • Otitis media (pediatric acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion)

  • Critical-illness / surgical organ-function monitoring (and catheter-associated bloodstream infections)

  • Spinal surgery complications (dura / nerve root injury)

  • Bone marrow / hematologic sampling adequacy (diagnostic)

  Note: Several awards (surgical suturing trainer, X-ray detectors, small-animal imager, antibody purification) are general-purpose tools or manufacturing platforms with no specific disease indication.

• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

  Interest Areas:

  NICHD supports research that includes, but not limited to the following:

  • Reproductive health, including fertility, conception, contraception, and pregnancy

  • Health of women before, during, and after pregnancy, and fetal development and infant survival

  • Typical and atypical development and growth in children and adolescents, including experiences of trauma and critical illness 

  • Gynecologic health and disease; safe and effective therapeutics and devices for children and pregnant and lactating women; dynamics of human populations across the lifespan

  • Optimizing function in people with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities

  Indications Of Interest:

  Gynecologic / reproductive / contraception

  • Infertility (IVF, male infertility, tubal patency evaluation)

  • Endometriosis

  • Uterine fibroids (hysterectomy / myomectomy)

  • Vulvodynia / vestibulodynia and chronic pelvic pain

  • Pelvic floor disorders (vaginal stenosis, dyspareunia, vaginismus, vaginal atrophy)

  • Contraception (non-hormonal female, male, and multipurpose prevention against HIV/STIs)

  • Perimenopause / menopause

  • Vaginal cuff dehiscence (surgical complication)

  Maternal / pregnancy

  • Severe maternal morbidity and mortality

  • Maternal / postpartum hemorrhage

  • Preterm / impending labor prediction

  • Adverse pregnancy outcomes (fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia)

  • Labor induction/augmentation and postpartum uterine atony (oxytocin)

  Neonatal / pediatric

  • Preterm infant nutrition (NICU, total parenteral nutrition, human-milk fortification)

  • Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)

  • Pediatric injury prevention (side-impact head injury in child safety seats)

  Rare metabolic / genetic / neurodevelopmental disorders

  • Long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders (LCFAODs)

  • Urea cycle disorders / hyperammonemia

  • Homocystinuria

  • Rare monogenic neurodevelopmental disorders

  Disability / rehabilitation

  • Limb loss / amputation (pediatric and adult prosthetics)

  • Spinal cord injury / tetraplegia

  • Traumatic brain injury / concussion and chronic brain injury

  • Stroke (upper-extremity rehabilitation)

  • Pediatric neuromuscular conditions (mobility / standing wheelchair)

  • Intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD)

  Child development / behavioral / family

  • Child behavior problems / self-regulation and behavioral sleep problems

  • Effects of high-conflict divorce on children

  Other diagnostic targets

  • Muscle injury (rhabdomyolysis, muscular dystrophy), cardiac injury, and inflammatory myopathies (dermatomyositis, polymyositis) via CPK testing

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

  Interest Areas:

  Consistent with NIH and Presidential priorities, the NIDA Small Business Program supports research and development of innovative medical and non-medical products and services for substance use disorders (SUDs) and adverse health consequences related to non-disordered drug use. Proposed solutions should improve access, affordability, and coordinated care across prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. NIDA prioritizes scalable solutions deployable within integrated delivery networks across healthcare, criminal justice, workforce, education, housing, and social service systems. Specific areas include, but are not limited to:

  • Novel, mechanism-based treatments addressing the evolving overdose crisis (e.g., synthetic opioids, stimulants, polysubstance use)

  • Best-in-class opioid use disorder treatments that improve retention and outcomes for individuals not adequately served by existing medications

  • Innovative smoking cessation therapies that enhance adherence and long-term effectiveness

  • First-in-class pharmacotherapeutics and medical devices for stimulant and cannabis use disorders

  • Diagnostic tools for detection and quantification of drug exposure

  • Medical devices, including digital diagnostics and therapeutics, and clinical decision support systems supporting SUDs and comorbid mental health conditions, with particular attention to pediatric populations.

  • Digital health technologies addressing health-related social needs

  • Human-biology-based new approach methodologies and other commercial research tools

  • Forensic testing technologies identifying emerging drugs

  • FDA Drug Development Tools and Medical Device Development Tools

  NIDA strongly encourages applications that include early FDA engagement, consideration of regulatory pathways, payer engagement strategies, real-world evidence generation, and plans for sustainable adoption within integrated delivery networks and value-based care models.

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Opioid use disorder (OUD) — the dominant focus (medications, digital therapeutics, monitoring, diagnostics)

  • Substance use disorder (general / polysubstance)

  • Opioid overdose and opioid-induced respiratory depression

  • Opioid withdrawal syndrome

  • Cocaine use disorder

  • Methamphetamine / amphetamine / stimulant use disorder

  • Nicotine dependence / smoking cessation

  • Nicotine vaping dependence (vaping cessation)

  • Cannabis use (youth)

  • Anabolic androgenic steroid / performance-enhancing drug use

  • Xylazine intoxication (including fentanyl-xylazine)

  • Neonatal abstinence syndrome

  • Substance use disorder in co-occurring conditions (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, psychiatric comorbidity)

  Note: Many awards are fentanyl/xylazine detection tools, overdose-detection wearables, and digital therapeutics that all sit under the OUD/SUD umbrella above.

• National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)

  Interest Areas:

  NIDCD supports research including, but not limited to, the following:  

  • Novel technologies for studying, diagnosing, and treating hearing loss, tinnitus, or balance disorders.  

  • Novel diagnostic tools for testing human chemosensory function throughout the lifespan. 

  • Novel technologies for studying, diagnosing, and treating voice, speech, and language disorders such as laryngeal dystonia (spasmodic dysphonia), phonotrauma, stuttering, dysarthria, developmental language disorders, and aphasia.   

  • Innovative in vivo imaging capabilities that significantly advance visualization, diagnosis, and treatment of communication disorders in the clinic.  

  • Novel systems of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for individuals with motor speech impairment, including a brain-computer interface (BCI) prosthesis for communication. 

  • Novel assessments and interventions for late talking children or minimally verbal/ non-speaking individuals. 

  • Novel applications of machine learning / artificial intelligence algorithms in hearing aids, cochlear implants, AAC devices, or for the analysis of voice, speech, and language. 

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Hearing loss (sensorineural and severe-to-profound; cochlear implants and hearing aids)

  • Congenital / genetic hearing loss (e.g., TOMT- and otoferlin-linked)

  • Noise-induced hearing loss (occupational and recreational)

  • Age-related hearing loss / presbycusis

  • Tinnitus (including pulsatile tinnitus)

  • Otitis media with effusion (the leading cause of childhood hearing loss)

  • Newborn / pediatric hearing screening and diagnosis (auditory brainstem response)

  • Olfactory dysfunction / smell disorders

• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)

  Interest Areas:

  NIDCR supports small business–led development of technologies and products that translate dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) research into clinically actionable solutions across the lifespan. Emphasis is on feasibility, validation, regulatory readiness, and commercialization. Projects should align with NIDCR’s goal to rapidly translate oral health innovations toward clinical impact. Early engagement with program staff is encouraged to ensure alignment with mission and priorities. Scientific areas of interest include: 

  • Targeted DOC diagnostics and therapeutic platforms for tooth-related diseases and periodontal/peri-implant conditions

  • Orofacial pain assessment and management technologies, including clinical decision support

  • Oral microbiome-based diagnostics and therapeutic platforms for polymicrobial diseases

  • AI/ML-enabled predictive health and clinical decision support tools for DOC care

  • Advanced dental materials, restorative technologies, and digital manufacturing systems

  • Regenerative medicine technologies for craniofacial and dental tissue reconstruction

  • Immunomodulatory and precision therapeutic delivery systems for oral and craniofacial conditions

  • Digital behavioral and monitoring tools targeting DOC outcomes

  • Real-world evidence and patient outcome data platforms to support clinical adoption, evidence generation, and downstream coverage considerations

  • Implementation and dissemination technologies for priority-population oral health interventions

  • Integrated oral–systemic health assessment and intervention platforms

  • Regulatory and commercialization readiness tooling to support evidence generation, usability, and market adoption

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Dental caries / tooth decay (remineralization, caries arrest, diagnosis)

  • Periodontitis / periodontal disease (alveolar bone loss)

  • Xerostomia / dry mouth (radiation-induced, Sjögren's syndrome, medication-induced, age-related)

  • Radiation-induced oral and salivary gland fibrosis (head and neck cancer)

  • Oral cancer and oral lichenoid / premalignant lesions

  • Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV-related)

  • Acute and subacute oral/dental pain (opioid-free analgesia)

  • Pulp and dentin damage from decay or trauma (regeneration / endodontics)

  • Tooth loss / dental implants (osseointegration and bone-quality assessment)

  • Oral and craniomaxillofacial bone defects (guided bone regeneration)

  • Craniomaxillofacial reconstruction (congenital, acquired, post-traumatic, and oncologic defects; nasal reconstruction)

  • Infant cranial malformations (e.g., plagiocephaly / craniosynostosis)

  • Obstructive sleep apnea (oral-cavity-based screening)

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

  Interest Areas:

  NIDDK is interested in projects that include robust timelines for commercialization, requisite fundraising, and all required regulatory milestones.

  For those projects intended to support completion of research needed for an Investigational New Drug (IND) application, Investigational Device Exemption (IDE), or other regulatory clearance or approval, NIDDK is interested in projects that demonstrate how formal consultation with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has informed the research strategy.

  NIDDK is interested in Phase IIB and Commercialization Readiness Pilot projects that propose to continue the process of developing products that ultimately require clinical evaluation and approval by a Federal regulatory agency, and that position the projects for independence from NIH support after the project period. 

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Type 1 diabetes (monitoring, prevention/delay, bioartificial pancreas, therapeutic antibodies)

  • Type 2 diabetes / general diabetes management (continuous glucose and metabolic monitoring)

  • Obesity and associated metabolic disorders (insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, fatty liver disease)

  • Childhood nephrotic syndrome

  • Glycogen storage disease type 1b (with associated neutropenia and inflammatory bowel disease)

  • Lipodystrophy

  • Variceal bleeding / upper GI hemorrhage (in cirrhosis / portal hypertension)

• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

  Interest Areas:

  NIEHS SBIR/STTR grants help small businesses transform cutting-edge research into developing innovative and commercially viable products such as tools, technologies, assays, or services to translate and communicate environmental health research into improvements in human health. NIEHS SBIR/STTR program uses a combination of research & development, technology transfer, and communication strategies to aid the mission of NIEHS. 
  The institute’s scientific areas of emphasis include, but are not limited to, the following: 
  •    Tools/technologies such as sensors, computational methods, and exposomics approaches  for detecting and assessing human exposures to environmental hazards 
  •    Innovative and/or alternative high-throughput or high-content assays/model systems,  computational toxicology approaches, and other related new approach methodologies (NAMs) for toxicity testing and understanding effects on human health and disease
  •    Tools/methods/applications for evaluating environmental health and safety of engineered nanomaterials and micro/nanoplastics
  •    Biomonitoring technologies   such as point-of-care approaches for personal exposure assessment and exposure mediated biological response biomarkers.
  •    Intervention technologies and precision environmental health approaches to prevent or reduce human exposures or adverse health effects related to environmental stressors
  •    Educational materials to promote or support understanding of environmental health science
  The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (accepting SBIR applications only) focused on detection and remediation technologies for hazardous substances with relevance to Superfund and/or other contaminated sites

  The NIEHS Worker Training Program (accepting SBIR applications only) also participates

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Obesity / metabolic disorders (endocrine-disrupting chemical exposure)

  • Organophosphate/carbamate pesticide toxicity (cholinergic neurotoxicity)

  • PFAS-related health effects (thyroid dysfunction, cancer, developmental toxicity)

  • Particulate matter / air pollution effects on cardiovascular and respiratory health

  • Heavy-metal exposure (arsenic, lead) from mining dust

  • Harmful algal bloom (eutrophication)-related health risks

  • Chemical genotoxicity / cancer risk (susceptibility in sensitive populations)

• National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

  Interest Areas:

  NIGMS supports the development of technologies to address complex and interdisciplinary research questions in i) basic research, ii) clinical areas that impact multiple organs systems and iii) biomedical workforce development/training through educational activities, that may require additional resources.

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Burn injuries and wounds (severity assessment; relevant to infection and hypertrophic scarring)

  Note: The other two awards are general-purpose technologies — long-acting peptide drug delivery (microencapsulation) and lipid-nanoparticle manufacturing for nucleic-acid delivery — with no specific disease indication.

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  Interest Areas:

  To advance its mission, NIMH supports small businesses to develop technologies, including, but not limited to, the following: 

  • Neurotechnology development to enhance research on brain structure and function 

  • Central nervous system (CNS) drug discovery/development for treating mental disorders – novel drug screening assays, novel compounds and drug targets; Research & Development (R&D) ranging from compound synthesis up to early stage clinical trials 

  • Novel brain modulation methods/devices as potential therapeutics 

  • Biological markers for CNS dysregulation/function and mental illness - objective, measurable biological indicators of physiological or disease processes to further assess replicability, reproducibility, stability, etc. at the subject level 

  • Digital health technologies – as interventions or service delivery tools, to augment clinical care, and/or to enhance clinical research, and clinical trial design/implementation at the subject/patient level 

  • Technologies addressing basic, behavioral, and implementation science related to people living with HIV – including all areas listed above 

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Suicidal behavior / suicide risk and non-suicidal self-injury (including among juvenile-justice-involved youth)

  • Early childhood / child mental health problems (externalizing and internalizing symptoms)

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

  Interest Areas:

  NINDS utilizes the SBIR and STTR programs to enable the commercial development of tools and technologies that serve the NINDS mission space. Priority is given to proposals with the greatest potential to advance the NINDS mission. 

  NINDS is especially interested in the following, in no preferential order:

  1. Novel and innovative technologies that address significant unmet needs 

  2. Technologies in development for their first indication or initial market opportunity

  3. Technologies with a compelling need for federal support, such as those at a stage of development requiring de-risking to attract private investment, New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), and those addressing underserved markets including rare and pediatric disease indications

  4. Under-resourced technologies, indications, markets, and geographical regions within the NINDS SBIR/STTR portfolio and mission space

  5. New applicants pursuing their first SBIR/STTR-funded technology

  6. Applicants with a demonstrated track record of advancing technologies through commercialization milestones

  7. For continuation applications, applicants who have achieved intended outcomes under prior funding

  8. Applications demonstrating robust rigor in their approach and preliminary data

  Indications Of Interest:

  Neurodegenerative

  • Parkinson's disease (including deep brain stimulation programming)

  • Huntington's disease

  • Frontotemporal dementia / frontotemporal lobar degeneration

  • CLN1 Batten disease

  Cerebrovascular

  • Acute ischemic stroke (thrombolysis, cell therapy, and neurorehabilitation)

  Injury / trauma

  • Traumatic brain injury (recovery monitoring and therapeutics)

  • Spinal cord injury

  • Peripheral nerve injuries

  Seizure / pain / headache

  • Epilepsy (including treatment-resistant epilepsy)

  • Migraine (episodic and chronic)

  • Painful diabetic neuropathy / neuropathic pain

  Lysosomal storage / genetic

  • Mucopolysaccharidosis I (Hurler syndrome), IIIB, and IIIC

  Tumors / structural

  • Brain tumors (intraoperative surgical guidance)

  • Schwannoma / NF2-related schwannomatosis

  • Hydrocephalus (ventricular shunt monitoring)

  Note: A few awards are enabling neurosurgical/imaging tools (portable intraoperative MRI, real-time resting-state fMRI) applied broadly across brain disease rather than to a single indication.

• National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)

  Interest Areas:

  Areas of interest include innovative small business proposals as they relate to NINR research priority areas of intervening on the conditions of daily life that influence health, using multilevel or multi-sectoral approaches to prevent chronic conditions and improve the outcomes of those with chronic conditions, promoting healthy school environments, meaningful engagement of communities at all stages of the research process, and integrating technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI), to streamline and improve healthcare outcomes.

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Adolescent and young adult cancer (and febrile neutropenia as the key treatment complication)

  • Work-related musculoskeletal back injuries (occupational injury prevention among direct care workers)

• National Library of Medicine (NLM)

  Interest Areas:

  The NLM Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program supports the development of biomedical informatics tools and methods which are best disseminated through commercialization.

  The program aims to encourage small businesses to develop innovative technologies, tools, methods, and software platforms that advance:

  • Trustworthy, reproducible, and rigorous biomedical AI

  • Biomedical data infrastructure at scale

  • Sustainable biomedical reference resources and platform science

  • Market innovative human-centered use and impact informed biomedical informatics tools and methods

  Applications which utilize, integrate, or build upon data, resources, and tools fostered by NLM and NIH supported communities are encouraged. 

  Indications Of Interest:

  • Obstructive lung disease (COPD and asthma) — detection and monitoring

• Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP)

  Interest Areas:

  ORIP supports research projects to develop technology including, but not limited to, the following: 

  • Create, characterize, or improve models of human disease; and develop new approach methodologies (NAMs) to complement or reduce the use of animal models in research. 

  • Preservation, revival and monitoring of cells, tissue, organs or gametes from model systems. 

  • Validate research models to enhance the rigor and reproducibility of pre-clinical studies. 

  • Devices and technologies required for development and maintenance of conventional and NAM biological model systems, including those for advancing the care, welfare, housing, and management of these models; or sensor and monitoring technologies for the surveillance of models or environmental factors that lead to improved rigor and reproducibility for studies using these models.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

In addition to funding, companies receive:

• Validation through a competitive federal peer-review process

• Support through the NIH, CDC, and FDA SBIR ecosystem

• Opportunity to advance toward commercialization

• Ability to retain SBIR/STTR data rights for up to 20 years after the award date, consistent with SBIR/STTR policy

The NIH Fast-Track mechanism allows eligible applicants to submit Phase I and Phase II together, potentially reducing the funding gap between phases.

NIH also allows Direct to Phase II applications for companies that have already demonstrated feasibility but did not previously receive a Phase I SBIR or STTR award for that project.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date): August 05, 2026.

Application Deadlines (all due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization):

• September 05, 2026

• January 05, 2027

• April 05, 2027

For the September 05, 2026 submission cycle:

• Scientific Merit Review: November 2026

• Advisory Council Review: January 2027

• Earliest Start Date: April 2027

For the January 05, 2027 submission cycle:

• Scientific Merit Review: March 2027

• Advisory Council Review: May 2027

• Earliest Start Date: July 2027

For the April 05, 2027 submission cycle:

• Scientific Merit Review: July 2027

• Advisory Council Review: August 2027

• Earliest Start Date: December 2027

The first application deadline is September 05, 2026 by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. No late applications will be accepted.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through participating organizations including:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The SBIR program is a congressionally mandated program that supports commercialization of innovative technologies developed by U.S. small businesses. NIH, CDC, and FDA set aside a portion of their extramural research budgets to fund SBIR awards.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants must be U.S. small business concerns (SBCs) that:

• Are organized for profit with a U.S. place of business.

• Have ≤ 500 employees including affiliates.

• Are > 50% owned by U.S. citizens or permanent residents, qualifying U.S. entities, or combinations thereof.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

The NOFO states that reviewers evaluate applications based on:

• Significance

• Investigator(s)

• Innovation

• Approach

• Environment

Strong applications are likely to:

• Address an important unmet health, scientific, or public health need

• Demonstrate strong scientific and technical merit

• Present a compelling commercialization opportunity

• Show a clear path toward product development and market adoption

• Align closely with the mission and priorities of the target NIH Institute, CDC Center, or FDA Center

• Be led by a qualified team with the expertise needed to execute the proposed work

For Phase II and Fast-Track applications, commercialization potential and market opportunity are specifically evaluated.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Key restrictions include:

• Only U.S. small businesses are eligible.

• Foreign organizations are not eligible.

• Applications involving foreign subawards or subcontracts will not be considered for funding.

• Clinical trials are not accepted by certain participating Institutes and Centers, including NIAMS, NIDCR, NCATS, ORIP, and all participating FDA Centers under this NOFO.

• Cost sharing is not required.

• Companies must satisfy applicable SBA performance benchmark requirements.

• Duplicate or highly overlapping applications are not permitted.

• Phase I projects generally require at least 67% of research effort to be performed by the small business.

• Phase II projects generally require at least 50% of research effort to be performed by the small business.

Additional national security, foreign relationship, and foreign ownership restrictions apply and may result in denial of award.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive submission will likely take 120–200 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can support applicants by:

• Evaluating program fit and Institute alignment

• Identifying the most appropriate NIH, CDC, or FDA component

• Developing the technical narrative

• Building commercialization strategy and positioning

• Preparing budgets and supporting documentation

• Managing submission through the federal application process

• Coordinating reviewer-focused proposal development and compliance review

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

DARPA Information Innovation Office (I2O) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

Executive Summary:

DARPA’s Information Innovation Office (I2O) Office-Wide BAA invites proposals for multiple awards to develop revolutionary information and computational technologies in areas such as transformative AI, resilient and secure software, cyber operations, and information-domain capabilities. Abstracts may be submitted on a rolling basis until November 1, 2026, and full proposals until November 30, 2026.

How much funding would I receive?

DARPA does not publish fixed award amounts for this BAA. I2O funds a limited number of proposals, and budgets are determined by the technical approach, the scope of work, and alignment with I2O priorities.

What could I use the funding for?

The Information Innovation Office (I2O) creates groundbreaking science and delivers future capabilities in the information and computational domains to surprise adversaries and maintain enduring advantage for national security. I2O efforts typically address one or more of the following key thrust areas:

• Transformative AI

  We seek to invest in trustworthy, disruptive artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and methodologies relevant to national security. We define trustworthy systems as ones that operate competently, interact appropriately with humans, and behave ethically and morally.

• Resilient, Adaptable, and Secure Software and Complex Systems

  We believe a world without software vulnerabilities is possible. We seek to use formal methods and third-wave AI to make it easier to understand, build, update, repair, and restore complex software and cyber-physical systems with multi-system-wide, securityrelevant correctness guarantees. We also seek methods to provide continuing operation of a system under duress. Techniques and tools are provided as open-source software for use by the research and software development communities, the defense industrial base (DIB), and the Department of Defense (DoD). Example systems are large scale manufacturing, financial systems, large scale infrastructure, and transportation systems.

• Offensive and Defensive Cyber Security and Privacy

  We're leveraging advances in state-of-the-art AI and secure and resilient tools and technologies to produce trustworthy cyber capabilities that operate beyond human capacity and speed. We seek capabilities to assure the privacy of users and user information and actions. Our efforts anticipate adversary countermeasures to create enduring capabilities.

• Fighting in the Information Domain

  We focus on measuring the health of and protecting and detecting attacks on the information domain, broadly construed. Our research portfolio spans many levels: 

  • Cognitive: Beliefs and attitudes 

  • Semantic: Knowledge that's specialized to particular domains, e.g., scientific discourse, the financial system, supply chains, and other areas 

  • Tracking: Recording the digital artifacts of interactions with the myriad digital devices required by modern life 

  • Transport: Delivery of electronic messages in many forms and with various gradations of observability

• Other

  I2O may also consider submissions outside these thrust areas if the proposal involves the development of novel capabilities having a promise to provide decisive information or computational advantage for the United States and its allies. I2O seeks unconventional approaches that are outside the mainstream, challenge accepted assumptions, and have the potential to change established practices radically. Proposed research should enable revolutionary advances in science, technology, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of the art.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the direct award, DARPA funding offers significant strategic advantages:

Government Validation and Credibility:
Receiving a DARPA award signals exceptional scientific and engineering merit, which accelerates engagement with primes, integrators, strategic partners, and investors.

Enhanced Visibility and Notoriety:
DARPA programs are frequently highlighted in federal communications, technical conferences, and defense media—boosting your company’s profile across the national security sector.

Ecosystem Access and Collaboration Opportunities:
Awardees gain access to DARPA program managers, government labs, test ranges, and a high-level innovation network—opening doors to future contracts and partnerships.

Stronger Exit and Acquisition Potential:
Nondilutive funding that matures breakthrough technology, combined with the DARPA “stamp,” often increases valuation and attractiveness to large defense, aerospace, semiconductor, and AI-focused acquirers.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Abstracts: May be submitted on a rolling basis until November 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

Full proposals: May be submitted on a rolling basis until November 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

The BAA does not specify dates for award decisions or when funding would be released; those depend on DARPA’s evaluation and negotiation timelines.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Defense through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), specifically the Information Innovation Office (I2O).

Who is eligible to apply?

The BAA does not restrict eligibility. Typical DARPA BAAs accept proposals from:

• U.S. businesses of any size

• Universities

• Nonprofits

• Federally-funded research and development centers (with limitations)

Foreign entities may be subject to additional restrictions depending on classification and export-control considerations.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

The evaluation criteria (in descending order of importance) are:

• Overall Scientific and Technical Merit

  • Innovative, feasible, and complete technical approach.

  • Team expertise and experience aligned with proposed tasks.

  • Clear deliverables and logical task sequence.

  • Identification and credible mitigation of key technical risks.

• Potential Contribution and Relevance to the DARPA Mission

  • Strengthens the national security technology base.

  • Supports DARPA’s mission to make pivotal early technology investments that create or prevent technological surprise.

• Plans to Implement Resilient Software (when applicable)

  • Clear capability to design, implement, and deliver resilient software.

  • Ensures interoperability, security, and ability to meet DoD/DARPA mission objectives.

  • Uses formal methods when appropriate to work toward eliminating software vulnerabilities.

• Cost Realism

  • Costs are realistic and consistent with the technical approach and Statement of Work.

  • Effort leverages relevant prior research to maximize benefit from available funding.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Abstract requirement: A proposal will not be reviewed unless an abstract has been submitted and DARPA has issued an invitation to propose.

• Scope of work: Proposers may not propose work that they have already completed or that has already received funding or a positive funding decision from DARPA or another Government agency.

• Revolutionary advances only: Research that primarily yields evolutionary improvements to existing state of the art is explicitly excluded.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive submission under this BAA will likely take 120–160 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth under Federal & State R&D Initiatives.

How much would BW&CO Charge?

Our full service support is available to submit an abstract for a flat fee of $5,000.

Fractional support is $300 per hour, with most DARPA proposal projects requiring 80–100 hours of expert support from strategy through submission of full proposal.

For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier grant consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.

Additional Resources

See solicitation on sam.gov

DARPA Strategic Technology Office-Wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

Executive Summary:

DARPA’s Strategic Technology Office (STO) BAA is soliciting breakthrough research concepts that create new mission-level capabilities beyond the current state of practice. The agency will fund a limited number of high-risk, high-reward proposals across a broad range of defense and national-security technical domains. Applications are due December 19, 2025.

How much funding would I receive?

DARPA does not publish fixed award amounts for this BAA. STO funds a limited number of proposals, and budgets are determined by the technical approach, the scope of work, and alignment with STO priorities.

What could I use the funding for?

DARPA's STO seeks innovative ideas and disruptive technologies that provide the U.S. military and national security leaders with trusted, disruptive capabilities across all physical domains (Air, Space, Sea, and Land) and across the spectrum of competition. STO programs deliver solutions at speed and scale for today's warfighters while developing the resilient "breakthrough" systems and technologies needed for future battlespaces. STO does not focus on one area of responsibility or phenomenology. Rather, STO programs capture the strategic, logistical, and tactical complexity of today's national security environments. STO is a "systems office" seeking to create new "proof-of-concept" mission systems. Its goals are to develop and demonstrate new capabilities that expand what is technically possible.

Research areas of current interest to STO include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

•  Acoustic communication and sensing

•  Adaptability

•  Advanced computing

•  Additive manufacturing

•  Architecture and advanced systems engineering

•  Artificial intelligence

•  Autonomy and control algorithms

•  "Big data" analytics

•  Combat identification

•  Command and control (C2)

•  Communications and networking, virtual and adaptive

•  Complexity management

•  Critical infrastructure defense

•  Decision aids and C2 technology

•  DevOps and novel software development and integration

•  Directed energy (DE)

•  Distributed autonomy and teaming (machine-machine, human-machine)

•  Economic security

•  Effects chain functions (disaggregated find, fix, finish, target, engage, assess)

•  Electro-optic/infrared sensors

•  Electromagnetic warfare (EW)

•  High-frequency (HF) communications and sensing

•  High voltage electric power systems and architecture

•  Human behavior modeling

•  Human-machine symbiosis

•  Industrial engineering

•  Integration and reliability technologies

•  Interoperability

•  Logistics

•  Modeling and simulation

•  Microwave and millimeter wave communications and sensing

•  Novel kinetic effects

•  Non-kinetic effects (EW, DE, cyber)

•  Optical technologies

•  Photonics

•  Radio technologies (especially software-defined and novel waveforms and processing)

•  Radar and adaptive arrays

•  Resilient systems

•  Robotics

•  Seekers and other expendable sensors and processing

•  Sensors and analytics

•  Signal processing

•  Space sensors, communications, autonomy, and architectures (especially supporting proliferated low earth orbit constellations)

•  Strategy analysis technology

•  Supply chain analytics

•  System of systems

•  Undersea and seabed technology

•  Tactics development technology

•  Testing and data collection

•  Very low earth orbit (VLEO) technology

•  Very low frequency (VLF) technology

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the direct award, DARPA funding offers significant strategic advantages:

Government Validation and Credibility:
Receiving a DARPA award signals exceptional scientific and engineering merit, which accelerates engagement with primes, integrators, strategic partners, and investors.

Enhanced Visibility and Notoriety:
DARPA programs are frequently highlighted in federal communications, technical conferences, and defense media—boosting your company’s profile across the national security sector.

Ecosystem Access and Collaboration Opportunities:
Awardees gain access to DARPA program managers, government labs, test ranges, and a high-level innovation network—opening doors to future contracts and partnerships.

Stronger Exit and Acquisition Potential:
Nondilutive funding that matures breakthrough technology, combined with the DARPA “stamp,” often increases valuation and attractiveness to large defense, aerospace, semiconductor, and AI-focused acquirers.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Applications are due December 19, 2025.

DARPA does not publish a fixed award timeline.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under the Strategic Technology Office (STO), a DoD organization responsible for advanced mission-level systems and emerging technologies.

Who is eligible to apply?

The BAA does not restrict eligibility. Typical DARPA BAAs accept proposals from:

• U.S. businesses of any size

• Universities

• Nonprofits

• Federally-funded research and development centers (with limitations)

Foreign entities may be subject to additional restrictions depending on classification and export-control considerations.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

DARPA will select proposals that score highly on scientific merit, mission relevance, and cost realism.

• High Scientific & Technical Merit: Innovative, feasible, and well-justified approaches with clear deliverables, identified risks and credible mitigations, and a team with the expertise to execute.

• Strong Contribution to DARPA’s Mission: Efforts that meaningfully advance U.S. national security capabilities, show a credible transition path to U.S. defense applications, and include an IP strategy that does not hinder government use.

• Realistic, Well-Substantiated Costs: Budgets that accurately reflect the level of effort, materials, labor, and technical scope—avoiding artificially low estimates and demonstrating efficient use of prior research and existing capabilities.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Proposals must not duplicate existing STO programs or other active STO BAAs.

• Research that yields incremental or “evolutionary” improvements is specifically excluded.

• Offerors are strongly encouraged to review current STO programs and speak with program managers before applying.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive submission under this BAA will likely take 120–160 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth under Federal & State R&D Initiatives.

How much would BW&CO Charge?

Our full service support is available for a flat fee of $15,000 Project + a 5% Success Fee.

Fractional support is $300 per hour, with most DARPA proposal projects requiring 80–100 hours of expert support from strategy through submission of full proposal.

For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier grant consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.

Additional Resources

See solicitation on sam.gov

CIRM DISC5 Awards: Funding Opportunity for Discovery Stage Research

Executive Summary:

CIRM’s DISC5 Awards fund up to $2.5 million per project for small, collaborative teams to run high-risk, exploratory discovery research in stem cell biology, genetic research, and regenerative medicine. Each project must be co-led by a California-based Principal Investigator and Co-Investigator from different labs, with human stem cells or genetic research central to the approach. Applications for the current cycle open November 14, 2025 and are due January 30, 2026 at 2:00 pm PT.

How much funding would I receive?

Each DISC5 award can request up to $2,500,000 in total project costs (including direct, facilities, and indirect costs) for a project lasting up to 3 years. Budgets at or above $900,000 in any single project year require additional justification and may be adjusted during review and negotiation.

What could I use the funding for?

The DISC5 Awards will support exploratory and innovative foundational research led by pairs of interdisciplinary investigators applying a range of technologies and approaches to address fundamental knowledge gaps or bottlenecks in stem cell biology and/or regenerative medicine. Proposals should aim to achieve one or more of the following outcomes:

• Advancing fundamental understanding of human stem and progenitor cells as they pertain to human health and disease.

• Advancing the use of stem cells to interrogate disease mechanisms to uncover biological insights thatcould enable therapeutic target and/or biomarker discovery.

• Gaining mechanistic insights to address key scientific or technical bottlenecks in stem cell, genetherapy, and/or other regenerative medicine approaches.

• Advancing applicability of stem cells, gene therapies, and/or other regenerative medicine approaches to all affected populations.

Proposals focused on validating or optimizing a therapeutic approach or candidate are not aligned with this program’s focus on foundational discovery.

Required Activities: Activities associated with managing, preserving, and sharing data and knowledge from the study

Allowable Activities:

• Any basic research activities that meet the DISC5 objective to address knowledge gaps or bottlenecks in stem cell biology with relevance to human biology and disease, where human stem cells or genetic research is part of the central approach or hypothesis, and that seek to achieve one or more of the outcomes listed in “Scope and Structure.”

• Partnering activities with patient-centered organizations or other project-relevant community groups.

• Travel and accommodation expenditures associated with attendance of CIRM organized meetings and conferences. See additional details in Discovery Program Meetings and Conferences, pg. 13.

• Activities to support outreach or communication of research plans or outcomes with the wider public.

• Engagement activities with trainees supported through CIRM’s EDUC or INFR programs

Unallowable Activities:

• Therapeutic or other commercial development activities including lead optimization, manufacturing, pre-clinical toxicology and pharmacology studies and other activities targeted by CIRM’s PDEV and CLIN programs.

• Costs of activities performed by a separate out-of-state organization that retains intellectual property or independent publication rights in any intellectual property (e.g., invention, technology, data) arising out of the CIRM-funded project.

• Costs incurred on or before the date of ICOC approval.

• Activities already budgeted or paid for under a prior, existing or pending CIRM award or which are already supported by another funder.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the direct funding, DISC5 awardees benefit from:

Visibility and credibility: CIRM is one of the nation’s most recognized regenerative medicine funders. A DISC5 award strengthens credibility with partners, investors, and follow-on funders.

Positioning for future non-dilutive funding: DISC5 supports early high-risk data generation, enabling teams to later apply for CIRM’s translational and clinical programs or alternative funding sources.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

For the current cycle:

• Application deadline: January 30, 2026 at 2:00 pm PT

• Grants Working Group (GWG) review: ~60–90 days after the deadline

• Board approval and Notice of Award: ~150 days after the deadline

• Project start: Must begin within 90 days of award approval

  Most awardees can expect to start work approximately 6–8 months after the application deadline.

Where does this funding come from?

The DISC5 Awards are funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), a voter-created state agency dedicated to accelerating stem cell, genetic, and regenerative medicine research. DISC5 is part of CIRM’s Discovery Program under its 2024 Strategic Allocation Framework.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible organizations:
Must be a California Organization (non-profit or for-profit) as defined by CIRM. More than 50% of W-2 employees must be full-time California residents paying CA income tax. The PI must be located in California. California subsidiaries must retain IP rights from the project.

Eligible teams:
• Exactly one PI and one Co-Investigator (Co-I).
• Both must be employed by California Organizations.
• Each must commit at least 5% effort.
• PI and Co-I must be from different labs.
• The team must include an experienced Data Project Manager.

Project requirements:
• Must include human stem cell and/or genetic research as a central component.
• Any non-human models must be strongly justified and validated with human models when possible.
• Applications must be complete, accurate, and non-duplicative across CIRM programs.

Application limits:
• An individual may serve as PI on only one DISC5 application per cycle.
• An individual may serve on no more than two DISC5 applications total per cycle (as PI or Co-I).
• Co-funding is not required.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

CIRM funds projects that score highly across five criteria:
• Significance: Advance foundational stem cell or regenerative medicine knowledge with broad impact.
• Innovation: Use novel approaches or cross-disciplinary methods.
• Rationale: Present a sound scientific basis and justified experimental models.
• Plan & Design: Offer a clear, feasible research plan with strong team coordination and realistic budgets/timelines.
• Population Impact: Consider genetic, environmental, and community factors to ensure findings apply across diverse California populations

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Key restrictions include:

• No therapeutic development (manufacturing, lead optimization, preclinical tox/pharm, IND-enabling studies).
• Out-of-state organizations cannot retain IP or publication rights for any CIRM-funded work.
• No costs incurred prior to ICOC approval.
• Applications must be complete, accurate, and not duplicative with other pending CIRM submissions.
• Projects must start within 90 days of award approval.
• Only one no-cost extension (max 6 months) may be requested—and approval is not guaranteed.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive proposal will likely take 120–200 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth.

How much would BW&CO Charge?

Our full service support is available for $13000 Initial Fee + a 5% Success Fee.

Fractional support is $300 per hour.

For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier grant consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.

Additional Resources

View the Funding Announcement Here.

ARPA-H Proactive Health Office (PHO) BAA

Executive Summary:

ARPA-H’s Proactive Health Office (PHO) has an open Innovative Solutions Opening (ISO) to fund high-impact R&D that improves health span and health outcomes before disease onset. The ISO accepts Solution Summaries now through March 5, 2029, with multiple awards anticipated under Other Transactions (OTs). Eligible proposers include for-profit companies, non-profits, and academia. Solutions must be novel (not incremental) and align with PHO interests in prevention, early detection, behavior change, and system-level innovations.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify dollar amounts or funding ceilings. Awards are made as Other Transaction (OT) agreements at the government’s discretion, with specific payment structures negotiated individually. As a rule of thumb, companies should request only what they need to reach a meaningful technical or commercialization milestone—a concrete point that clearly demonstrates feasibility, enables transition, or unlocks follow-on investment.

What could I use the funding for?

The Proactive Health Office (PHO), one of ARPA-H’s mission offices, is seeking solutions to improve the health spans and health outcomes of Americans prior to the onset of disease and/or the development of diminished quality of life from illness. Specifically, PHO hypothesizes that: 1) the development of novel early detection methods and prophylactic interventions could drastically improve the health of American throughout their lives; 2) population-level improvements in access to and uptake of disease increase prevention- and wellness-promoting behaviors; and 3) system-level innovations are required to deliver proactive health measures effectively.

Specific PHO interest areas include:

• Novel prevention, detection, and prophylactic treatment methods for disease, including:

  i. Prophylactic approaches to prevention of diseases and harmfuldisease outcomes.

  ii. Methods for continuous and widespread sensing of health-state, and early disease indicators that can be deployed at population-scales.

  iii. Novel and scalable methods for early detection of disease and illness that include the use of low/no-cost sensing modalities.

• Population-level approaches to increase the adoption of prevention- and wellness behaviors:

  i. Methods to inform and educate individuals about healthy behaviors, including lifestyle and preventative medical measures.

  ii. Methods that incentivize individuals to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors.

  iii. Novel approaches to increasing individual health spans and independence even in the absence of disease.

  iv. Early indicators of both disease- and pre-disease states, and measures associated with proactive health outcomes that are both inexpensive and effective. Low-cost, high-uptake mental health resiliency and mindfulness-building methods for individuals.

• System innovation for the delivery of proactive health outcomes:

  i. Novel, robust, and predictive surrogates for long-term health outcomes with associated epidemiological models.

  ii. Valuation models for long-term treatment effects for vaccination, screening, and other public health interventions.

  iii. New funding and delivery models for preventative interventions.

• Other Topics

  High-quality submissions that propose revolutionary technologies that meet the goals of PHO will be considered even if they do not address the areas of interest listed above.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, there are significant indirect benefits to receiving an ARPA-H Proactive Health Office (PHO) agreement:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected by ARPA-H—the nation’s newest high-impact biomedical research agency—signals exceptional scientific credibility and alignment with the federal government’s most forward-leaning health innovation priorities. This “ARPA-H validation” often accelerates partnerships with major healthcare systems, research institutions, and investors who recognize the rigor and selectivity of government-vetted innovation.

• Enhanced Market Visibility and Notoriety:
  Award recipients are frequently featured in ARPA-H announcements, federal health innovation communications, and national press coverage. This visibility positions your company as a recognized leader in translational health technology and attracts new collaborators, talent, and private-sector investment.

• Ecosystem Access and Collaboration Opportunities:
  ARPA-H performers gain access to a broad innovation ecosystem spanning federal health agencies, academic research centers, and industry partners. These relationships foster collaboration, facilitate regulatory readiness, and open pathways to follow-on contracts, pilot deployments, and commercialization opportunities within the U.S. health system.

• Nondilutive Growth and Strategic Leverage:
  Because funding is nondilutive, companies can scale and validate core technologies without giving up equity. This validation and maturity achieved under government sponsorship often lead to higher valuations and greater leverage in future fundraising or acquisition discussions.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Open period: now through March 5, 2029.

• Step 1 (required): Submit a Solution Summary via the ARPA-H Solution Submission Portal. ARPA-H strives to provide written feedback within 30 business days of submission.

• Step 2: If encouraged, you’ll generally have 45 calendar days from feedback to submit a full proposal (unless ARPA-H specifies otherwise).

• Review cadence: ARPA-H reviews proposals on a rolling basis and strives to issue a decision within 60 calendar days of receiving a full proposal.

• Award timing: After selection, final negotiations for an Other Transaction (OT) award are completed rapidly, and invoicing is handled through Payment Management Services.

Because of this streamlined process, most ARPA-H applicants move from initial Solution Summary to award decision in approximately 4–5 months—making ARPA-H one of the fastest federal funders for high-impact health innovation projects.

Where does this funding come from?

The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), a federal R&D agency within HHS, issuing awards under the authority of 42 U.S.C. § 290c(g)(1)(D) via OT agreements.

Who is eligible to apply?

Academia, non-profit organizations, for-profit entities, hospitals, community health centers, and non-federal research centers. Non-U.S. entities may participate if compliant with all applicable laws.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Reviewers assess (in descending importance):

1. Scientific/technical merit—innovative, complete plans with clear deliverables, risks, and mitigations;

2. Contribution & relevance to ARPA-H’s mission—transformative potential, unmet need, commercialization/transition thinking, and IP/software approaches that enable adoption (preference for open standards/OSS where appropriate);

3. Team capabilities/experience—track record delivering similar efforts on budget/schedule;

4. Cost/budget alignment with the technical approach. ARPA-H encourages proposing the best technical solution over low-risk/minimal-uncertainty concepts.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Standards & IP: strong preference for open, consensus-based standards (e.g., FHIR/TEFCA, DICOM) and commercial-friendly open-source licenses when feasible; proposals must justify any deviations/standard extensions and may need a pre-submission meeting for exceptions. Provide good-faith IP rights representations; pre-publication review may be required when sensitive info could be disclosed.

• Compliance: Human Subjects (IRB), Animal Subjects (IACUC), NIH Genomic Data Sharing (if applicable), CUI handling, research security disclosures (including CHIPS/NPSM-33 requirements), and OCI disclosures/mitigation.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive full proposal under this BAA will likely take 120–160 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth under Federal & State R&D Initiatives.

How much would BW&CO Charge?

Our full service support is available for a flat fee of $4,000 to submit a solution summary.

Fractional support is $300 per hour.

For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier grant consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.

Continuing Enabling, Enhancing, Restoring and Sustaining (CHEERS) Multiple Authority Announcement (MAA)

Executive Summary:

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Human Effectiveness Directorate (AFRL/RH) and the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM) are awarding up to $1 billion in total funding under the CHEERS Multiple Authority Announcement (MAA) to support U.S. companies, universities, and research partners advancing technologies that enhance human performance, resilience, and health in aerospace and defense environments.

White papers are accepted through September 30, 2027, and proposal invitations are issued on a rolling basis. Companies should submit white papers as soon as possible in order to have the highest likelihood of funding.

How much funding would I receive?

Funding is project-dependent and determined by the technical approach propose. Typical awards will range from $300,000 to $5,000,000.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding can used for the full range of R&D activities from basic and applied R&D to prototype and experimental testing. See a list of focus areas below:

• Airman Systems Directorate (RH)

  Activities within the 711HPW are organized into research areas which are categorized based on the technology readiness level (TRL). Product lines focus on advanced technology development and identifying paths for technology transition while the CTC’s and CRA’s focus on basic research through early applied research. Each division further breaks down the research into Lines of Effort (LoE) or Product Area (PA) for each CTC or PL, respectively. Descriptors of PL, CTC and CRA are provided below:

  • Product Line (PL): An organizational construct within the Airman Systems Directorate for engineering and transition of technology to the Department of the Air Force and Department of Defense. A Product Line organizes and manages inter-related technology demonstrations and transition paths for Airman Systems Directorate technologies at late applied and advanced technology development stages. The product line may integrate research and engineering tasks across several CTCs within AFRL.

  • Core Technical Competency (CTC): CTCs represent the technical foundation that is difficult to duplicate and allows AFRL to provide unique technical leadership. They span basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development encompassing the people, information, facilities, equipment, and programs allowing AFRL to solve critical AF and national security problems.

  • Core Research Area (CRA): A subset of the Core Technical Competencies within the Airman Systems Directorate. CRAs represent a focused group of basic and early applied research, focused on investigating revolutionary, higher risk concepts. The CRAs mature new foundational technologies and transition promising research to product lines of the organization.

  Airman Biosciences (RHB)

  • Aerospace & Operational Medicine PL1: Matures and transitions aeromedical knowledge, technology, and materiel solutions in force health protection, human health and performance, and aeromedical evacuation & enroute care in order to enable, sustain, enhance, and restore operational and aeromedical health and human performance for Airmen executing Air Force missions across all operational domains. Objectives focus on generating high performance Airmen and Guardians through medical availability, enhancing joint combatant commander capabilities, and maximizing human capital and strategic resources by aligning resources to strategic and workforce development. The goal is to transition products that address validated AF/AFMS requirements by focusing on stakeholder engagement to ensure clear demand signals and to create and maintain extensive partnership network to ensure rapid execution and flexibility.

    • Air & Space Austere Environment Patient Transport (En Route Care) PA1: Advances combat casualty care in the air through biomedical research into interventional strategies and technologies that mitigate the risks for additional insult due to aeromedical evacuation. Transitions promising Science and Technology (S&T) into knowledge and material products that promote the recovery and return to duty of injured or ill service members, from point of injury back to definitive care. Research within this program includes but is not limited to ground medical operations in agile combat employment, autonomous care of patient movement, and optimization of patient movement.

    • Air & Space Force Health Protection (FHP) PA2: Medical development and biomedical technology investments seek to deliver an improved FHP capability across the full spectrum of operations with research that prevents injury/ illness through improved identification and control of health risks. Under FHP, subproject areas include Occupational Hazard Exposure (Includes Flight Hazards and Integrated Risk), Targeted Risk Identification, Mitigation and Treatment (Formerly Pathogen ID and Novel Therapeutics and includes Big Data), FHP Technologies Development and Assessment (Assay and disease detection), and Health Surveillance, Infection, Injury & Immunity. FHP also includes Innovations and Personalized Medicine. Operational medicine is focused on in garrison care – our next most critical issue post OIF/OEF – and how to care for the whole patient and consideration of comorbidities in treatment of wounded warriors and dependents.

  • Biotechnology for Performance, Research, and Demonstration PL2: Develops and delivers capabilities to enhance human performance in near-peer conflict. Objectives focus on modular systems that integrate with warfighting platforms and maintaining and enhancing end-user engagement to ensure relevance and realism all while working in close sync with DoD and external partners to deliver high value solutions. The goal is to build momentum for Wearable technology, continue to develop and advocate for human assessment & tracking, strategically plan for product usage in austere environments, and expand on current platform products to develop and connect capabilities with operational challenges.

    • Airman Sensing & Assessment PA1: Develop and demonstrate advanced prototype products that integrate physiological, cognitive, behavioral, and environmental sensing capabilities with validated analytics, assessments, and intervention capabilities to sustain and enhance air and space operator performance.

    • Human Performance Augmentation & Development PA2: Develop and deliver capabilities to enhance human performance in near-peer conflict by focusing on modular systems that integrate with warfighting platforms. Working in close sync with DoD and external partners to deliver high value solutions to maintain and enhance end-user engagement to ensure relevance and realism.

    • Air & Space Physiology, Medicine, and Human Performance (HP) PA3: Enables, sustains, and optimizes performance of Airmen through elevation and alleviation of health effects associated with AF operational missions. Addresses operational environments such as the mitigation of stress in AF personnel, to include aircrew, care providers, aircraft maintainers, intelligence, surveillance and cyber operators, as well as remote piloted aircraft operators. Research within this project includes but is not limited to airman performance and readiness, advancing air and space medicine, and medical operator performance digital engineering. Advanced technology development to enable, sustain, and optimize cognitive, behavior and physiologic performance in highpriority career fields for the United States Air Force (USAF) and in multidomain operations. The sub-project areas include cognitive and physiologic performance under operational and environmental stressors, detection and improvement of physiological performance, and safety via sensor systems and targeted conditioning, which includes training techniques for optimal performance. This project also develops and demonstrates technologies which ingest health status monitoring data to provide scalable situational awareness of individual, unit, and group medical readiness in support of command and control and develops strategies to mitigate performance limitations through physical, pharmacological/non-pharmacological, or behavioral medical interventions and/or technological augmentation.

  • Medical and Operational Biosciences CTC1: Develops, validates, and enhances medical and operational biosciences and emergent biotechnologies for transition into advanced development products in the Air and Space operational environment to lead to a highly resilient and medically ready force. These products can sense, assess, sustain, and segment warfighter physiological-cognitive performance in multi-domain operations. Deliverables will be enhancing and researching new technologies and concepts to sustain, augment, and restore the multi-domain Airman & Guardian Health and Performance. Customers, end-users, and stakeholders include the DHP and DAF 6.3 programs and product lines: Human Performance/Medical Readiness, Force Health Protection, and En Route Care as some of the primary users.

    • Biotechnology for Health and Performance CRA1: The Biotechnology for Health and Performance CRA utilizes multivariant, systems biology approaches to provide advanced science and technology solutions to understand the warfighter’s biologic state and the underlying mechanism of responses with the goal of enabling, enhancing, and sustaining the human's ability to dominate air, space and cyberspace.

    • Applied Cognitive Neurosciences CRA2: Develops and validates technologies in cognitive neuroscience and physical performance to sustain, augment, and recover operator performance and determine medical attributes/metrics for optimal career field alignment.

    • Health and Performance Sensing and Assessment CRA3: Develops sensing technologies in a variety of form factors to identify, validate and monitor human signatures related to Airmen's and Guardians’ health, exposures and physical/cognitive performance in their associated environments. The research from this CRA will develop sensing solutions optimized for real-time, noninvasive and autonomous sensing and assessing capabilities to enhance and protect Airmen and Guardians in a variety of operational environments.

    • Biomedical Impact of Air and Space CRA4: Conducts research investigating Airman and Guardian performance degradation resulting from exposure to air and space environments and seek understanding the fundamental mechanisms driving environmental and operational risks. Develop technologies to mitigate or eliminate the root physiologic causes of these degradations and to ultimately optimize Airman and Guardian performance resulting in the capability to fly faster, higher, and longer than our adversaries.

  Bioeffects (RHD)

  • Bioeffects PL: Creates and demonstrates developmental technology & tools to generate products/applications. These products provide optimized design requirements for weapon systems & personal protection device developers, risk and collateral hazard assessments for directed energy systems, and analysis libraries for the representation of humans as part of model-based systems engineering approaches and within engineering-level models of system performance, informing overall system performance impacts and adding fidelity to concepts in wargames. Approaches include the integration of components in engagement and mission-level simulation tools within USAF and DoD software architectures, and model-based systems engineering artifacts to enable future integration and technology transition. Key technologies include directed energy bioeffects systems characterization and risk assessment, directed energy bioeffects components of modeling and simulation tools, and human representation in digital engineering.

  • Bioeffects CTC1: The Bioeffects CTC will conduct research to enable the maximum safe exploitation of the electromagnetic spectrum for nation defense by protecting personnel & communities and assessing weapons applications. CTC research will focus on characterizing fundamental bioeffects, optimizing the safety/effectiveness of directed Energy systems, developing/assessing dosimetry tools, modeling & simulation of products/applications, protecting device development and providing science-based information to national & international safety standards.

    • Directed Energy Bioeffects Modeling, Simulation, & Analysis CRA1: The directed energy bioeffects modeling, simulation, & analysis core research area emphasizes research that focuses on new modeling, simulation, and analysis techniques which represent and optimize concepts of directed energy systems employment from the bioeffect standpoint, develops capabilities for studies and means of measuring of effectiveness and suitability for directed energy systems to include direct, scalable, and collateral effects. Research areas include highperformance/ high-fidelity multi-physics simulations, advanced electromagnetic dosimetry models, mechanistic theories & models of injury, thermal/thermoregulatory response models, physics-to-physiology color vision theory, component models of human response to directed energy, statistical approaches for risk assessment, near-real-time numerical approaches and surrogating complexity through machine learning.

      • Directed Energy Bioeffects Modeling Simulation & Analysis LOE1: Develop and mature physics & engineering-level models for directed energy dosimetry & the resulting biological effects; create algorithms encapsulating empirical datasets & physics-level models of directed energy dose response; supports directed energy modernization campaign and enables the Directed Energy Weapons Review and Approval (DEWRAP) process.

      • Directed Energy Bioeffects Dosimetry LOE3: Develop novel dosimetry to better understand directed energy interactions and injury to inform software approaches enabling simulation of dynamic scenarios; supports directed energy modernization.

    • Directed Energy Bioeffects & Mechanisms CRA2: The directed energy bioeffects & mechanisms CRA provides fundamental knowledge of mechanisms of interaction of directed energy with molecules, cells, tissues, and organs in support of military directed energy systems and enables future weapon systems with scalable, disruptive, and ultra-precise effects. Research areas include: discovery science for understanding mechanisms, neurobiological & behavioral response to directed energy, hardening of biological targets to directed energy, mechanistic response of human vision to directed energy, epigenetic response to directed energy exposure, membrane and ion channel response to rapid onset exposures, supra-threshold response – severity of effects, and human factors in technologies for protection.

      • Research in Directed Energy Multi-Interaction Systems LOE2: Develop and deliver an integrated modeling environment and studies to address critical national defense interests & prevent technological surprises. Study radio frequency, combined or synergistic responses, and their interaction with biology.

      • Directed Energy Hazard & Protection Assessment LOE4: Feedback & expertise for DoD to optimize safety/performance trades for directed energy systems; evaluation of dose-response of directed energy exposures to achieve specific endpoint; understand human vision response to optical radiation and related protective devices; elucidate margin of effectiveness and safety to meet DoD mission success. Assure no technology surprise.

      • Directed Energy Weapon Effects LOE5: Feedback & expertise for DoD to optimize safety/performance trades for directed energy systems & provide scientific basis for risk criteria definitions; Allows directed energy weapon modernization & enables review and approval processes for weapons systems.

  Warfighter Interactions & Readiness (RHW)

  • Airman-Machine Integration PL1: Delivers advanced, situationally-adaptive and scalable interface technologies and decision aiding tools. S&T is focused on ABMS compliant, intuitive user interfaces, and intelligent aided decision support to provide rapid, accurate battlefield awareness, maximized distributed human-machine team performance and decision superiority. Operator-centric interfaces increase human combat capabilities while managing human cognitive workload in complex, degraded environments. Key technologies include human-autonomy collaboration and trust in autonomy, development of successful distributed, heterogeneous teams with metrics of team performance, exploitation of human perception and enhancement of operational communication. These efforts address the critical needs for ABMS and JADC2 with optimal human-machine teams ready to operate.

  • Readiness PL2: Develops and extends technologies and tools for improving the cognitive effectiveness, performance and proficiency of airmen in current and potential future operational mission contexts. Aims to deliver operationally relevant, unobtrusive, integrated metrics, software, & hardware to assess proficiency & readiness in real-time. Develops methodologies to create models & algorithms for performance prediction, training support, & automated instruction. Key technologies include the ability to support multi-capable airmen resilience and mission performance in austere deployed contexts and develop standards for sharable scenario content, data, models, & metrics.

  • Analytics PL3: Identifies & matures software that streamlines workflow & enables cognition at the scale of war, enabling airmen effectiveness in the air, space, & cyberspace domains for effective C2ISR in Multi-Domain Operations. Develops analytic tools that optimize human cognition with the power of machine computation, thereby enabling consumers to better visualize, interpret, and act on information. Aims to deliver software that is open-architecture, modular, networked, and distributed; able to leverage statistics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence; and focuses on speed, accuracy, insight, and action.

  • Warfighter Interfaces and Teaming CTC1: The Warfighter Interfaces and Teaming CTC will conduct research to enable robust decision superiority across our Air and Space Forces by dynamically optimizing the integration of Warfighter cognition with increasingly complex and intelligent machines/systems, creating maximally effective and resilient warfighting teams. CTC research will focus on discovering, developing, evaluating, and transitioning advanced adaptive warfighter interface technology, mission-optimized distributed team performance enhancements, communication management processes, and context-tailored intelligent decision aids/analytics in order to achieve and maintain decision superiority in uncertain environments against peer threats.

    • Distributed Teaming and Communication CRA1: The Distributed Teaming & Communication CRA emphasizes research that explores the rapid formation, real-time assessment, and dynamically optimized performance of distributed heterogeneous teams of warfighters as well as human-machine teams in order to enable rapid, agile & robust mission operations. Research areas will include: methods to enable the rapid formation of mission-effective heterogeneous teams, dynamic monitoring / assessment of team performance via optimal assemblage of novel and existing metrics, adaptive tactics for recovery from real or predicted team performance degradations, and novel distributed communication & collaboration tools, technologies and management methods that are responsive to variable network environments.

      • Dynamic Team Performance Assessment LOE1: Enable the rapid formation, real-time assessment, and dynamically optimized performance of distributed heterogeneous teams of warfighters as well as human-machine teams in order to enable rapid, agile & robust mission operations. Research areas include methods to support the rapid formation of mission-effective heterogeneous teams, dynamic monitoring of team performance via optimal assemblage of novel and existing metrics, and real-time contextual aids from team communication.

      • Team Optimization and Recovery LOE2: Design, develop, and evaluate team optimization and recovery technologies to enhance communication, coordination, and improve decision making among distributed teams. Research areas include interfaces to support joint tasking and team shared awareness (SA) across multiple domains as well as conversational AI technologies to enable high bandwidth natural communications.

    • Human Machine Interactions CRA2: The Human-Machine Interactions CRA emphasizes research to identify principles of human interaction with highly complex systems, including advanced automation & increasingly intelligent AI enabled machines. The goal of this research is to achieve and sustain decision superiority across complex & uncertain mission environments. Research areas include identifying, characterizing and overcoming key challenges to warfighter interactions with complex and intelligent systems such as situationally-adaptive interface design and usability, knowledge representation across sensory modalities, system observability & transparency, directability, joint cognitive decision making, and maintaining calibrated trust across changing conditions.

      • Rapid Joint-Cognitive Awareness LOE1: To develop human-centric interfaces and interaction strategies for improved AI/automation transparency, closed-loop adaptive systems that are responsive to warfighter state, and advanced techniques for effectively visualizing large, complex data sets.

      • HMI-enabled Decision Superiority LOE2: To develop capabilities for continuous planning for C2, next generation interfaces for complex intelligent platforms, and interfaces tailored for emerging Cognitive Warfare (CogWar) concepts.

  • Human Learning and Cognition (HLC) CTC2: The Human Learning and Cognition CTC enables more lethal Air and Space Forces through research on human multisensory perception, learning, information processing, and action. The research seeks to maximize mission effectiveness by (1) Establishing a persistent, global training and test ecosystem that creates the foundation for personalized, proficiency-based readiness for multi-capable Airmen and Guardians in joint all-domain operations, (2) Creating capabilities that allow teams of humans and machines to adapt and learn together in real time in training and operational settings, & (3) Advancing considerations of human performance in system development and operational planning with digital models of perception, cognition, & action.

    • Digital Model of Cognition CRA1: The Digital Models of Cognition Core Research Area emphasizes research to identify computational and mathematical mechanisms to represent human perception, information processing, and behavior, including the integration of models that reflect the role of internal and external factors that modulate performance efficiency and effectiveness. The goal is to develop holistic models that support quantitative understanding and prediction of mission effectiveness across domains and at different levels of abstraction for improved systems engineering, wargaming, and operational planning.

      • Holistic Models for Decision-Making LOE1: Develop models of cognitive systems that support quantitative understanding and prediction of mission effectiveness for decision superiority.

      • Information Mastery in Cognitive Warfare LOE2: Analytic methods, models, and tradecraft that enables operators to improve Information-Related Capability (IRC).

    • Learning and Operational Training CRA2: The Learning and Operational Training Core Research Area emphasizes learning and understanding in the context of evolving technology. This includes research to establish an ecosystem that maximizes mission effectiveness while minimizing costs by matching technologies to learning and performance needs; supporting high resolution human and system measurement and quantitative, proficiency-centric readiness assessment and prediction at the individual and team levels; and exploring how to enable human and machine co-learning to support mutual adaptation and understanding in human-machine teams.

      • Warfighter Learning Technologies LOE1: Research, demonstrate, & transition learning technologies, methods, & infrastructure for personalized, proficiency-based readiness.

      • Co-Learning for Adaptive Human and Machine Teams LOE2: Establish the foundation for interactive learning and collaborative training of humans and AI-enabled machines to enable uniquely effective human-autonomy teams.

• United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM)

  Aerospace Medicine and Physiology

  • Aerospace Physiology: Solutions relating to physiologic assessment of aircrew in high altitude Fighters/Trainers.

    • Assessments of the physiologic response to exposures and stressors from the fighter/trainer environment; can cover any of the following: including effects of fluctuating pressure, high O2, air quality, breathing resistance, thermal burden, dehydration, rest/sleep (physical fatigue), cognitive fatigue, Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE) integration (how AFE impacts in-flight physiology, and how AFE components interact with each other to impact physiology and aircrew performance), and combined stressors on performance and decision making in ground-based testing and operational environments, including the analysis of potential countermeasures to optimize pilot performance and eliminate sources of risk.

    • Solutions to sustain Aircrew performance in extreme environments.

    • Conduct comprehensive technology assessments of the current military health system simulators that can monitor and track physiologic responses from training student pilots.

    • There is a strong demand for wearables that are cross compatible across multiple systems to collect physiologic data, that are reliable and validated in the operational environment. Offerors are to conduct a comprehensive technology assessment of commercial off the shelf products, including their suitability for use in the operational environment and their validated measurement capabilities, to help aid aircrew and decision makers on what can be flown in the aircraft and what can be accurately collected from those sensors.

    • Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention and Treatment for Aircrew and Maintainers: Neck and back pain is a known occupational hazard for the high-performance aircraft community. The government seeks solutions, including tools to prevent, reduce, screen and diagnose musculoskeletal condition as well as alternative/integrative medicine approaches, for prevention or treatment of musculoskeletal injuries. Proposed solutions shall focus on providing reliable measurements to determine platform-specific neck/back dysfunction and improvements due to embedded care.

    • Gender-specific operational aircrew considerations

    • Assessment, modeling, detection, and/or mitigation Aircrew and Operator fatigue

  • Precision Medicine and Medical Standards: Development of solutions relating to the following areas:

    • Surveillance of conditions, indications, clinical practice guideline adherence, and outcomes to support cost benefit analyses for Air Force population.

    • Genomics for mishap investigations (gene expression, subtracting human and molecular autopsy).

    • Studies providing data to support evidence-based aerospace medicine standards and waivers.

    • Psychological Performance and Mental Health (solutions should relate to at least one of the following areas)

      • Mental health and psychological disorders amongst airmen and potential influence on readiness and retention.

      • Neurocognitive diversity; cognitive testing and correlates with mental health and other outcomes.

      • Assessment of the feasibility of integrating the use of personality data and wearable technology to facilitate adjustment and success during career specific training. Personality assessments and wearables both as tools to facilitate readiness via positive change, wellbeing, and performance by increasing self-awareness.

  Public Health and Preventative Medicine

  • Development, optimization, and validation of pathogen detection methodologies

  • Cancer analysis in the Air Force population

    • Development and evaluation of prototypes that can identify carcinogenic toxins or hazardous materials associated with military flight operations from shipboard or land bases or facilities.

    • Development and evaluation of prototypes that can identify exposures to ionizing radiation and nonionizing radiation from which airmen could have received increased radiation amounts.

    • Establishment of guidelines for carcinogen exposure as it relates to demographics for each airman to include duty stations, duties and aircraft flow.

    • Establishment of guidelines that outline the duties and potential exposures of airmen that are associated with higher incidence of cancer.

    • Development and evaluation of screening tools and/or methods that relate to carcinogen exposure to airmen.

  • Assess methodologies to prevent wound infection.

  • Assess infectious disease conditions in Air Force populations.

  Occupational Medicine and Bioenvironmental Engineering

  • Enhancement of capabilities to detect, measure, and assess occupational and environmental health hazard contaminants and extreme environmental conditions.

    • Assess technologies to enhance capabilities to detect and identify chemical, biological, toxins, radiological, directed energy, poisons and physical hazards on surfaces (including soil and powder), in liquids and in the air in near real-time at the detector's point of operation and notify end user of risk.

    • Assessment of Aviation-Specific Exposures

    • Develop, test and evaluate real-time health threat surveillance and reporting system inclusive of all available health information/databases to identify risks/outbreaks and provide decision support to operational commanders.

  • Evaluation/development of mitigation technology capable of reducing or eliminating occupational and environmental health hazard risks.

  En Route Care/Expeditionary Medicine/Prolonged Field Care: Needs in this area include medical capabilities to support in route care to/from remote, austere settings, and in extreme environments.

  • Training methodologies to improve operational readiness for individuals and teams responsible for delivering basic and advanced en route care capabilities within the aeromedical evacuation system.

  • Technology assessment/development to support the Air Force Surgeon General’s medical modernization priorities with a focus on modernizing outdated technologies and techniques to promote en route care growth/preparation for future peer/near-peer conflicts involving mass casualty care.

  Education and training technologies and methodologies to support efforts to generate, develop, and maintain skillsets across the AOME.

  Applications of data science to analyze medical and operational data and outcomes across the AOME, which may include implementation of AI and machine learning to answer operationally relevant questions.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond direct funding, CHEERS participation offers significant indirect advantages for growth and strategic positioning:

Government Validation and Credibility:
Selection under AFRL’s CHEERS program signals strong technical merit and alignment with Department of the Air Force human performance priorities—an endorsement that enhances your credibility with defense primes, OEMs, and investors.

Enhanced Market Visibility and Notoriety:
Awardees benefit from exposure in federal announcements, AFRL communications, and defense industry press—raising visibility and positioning your company as a trusted innovation partner in the human-performance and aerospace ecosystem.

Ecosystem Access and Collaboration Opportunities:
CHEERS projects operate within a national network that includes top-tier military researchers, AFRL directorates, and medical readiness centers. This access often leads to future R&D partnerships and contracting opportunities.

Stronger Exit and Acquisition Potential:
By advancing your technology with nondilutive support and demonstrating government-backed validation, companies can increase valuation and strengthen their position for acquisition or strategic investment by defense and medical technology leaders.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

• White Paper Deadline: Rolling through September 30, 2027. This means applicants should apply as soon as possible before funds are fully expended.

• Review Period: Technically 180 days for AFRL to review white papers - but it could also be reviewed faster.

• Proposal Invitation: AFRL will invite full proposals only from offerors whose white papers align with Air Force needs.

• Proposal Deadline: Defined in each Request for Proposal (RFP).

• Award Timing: Awards are issued once funds become available; no awards are made until funding is confirmed.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding is issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) under the following authorities:

• Open Period 1: 10 U.S.C. 4001 / FAR 35.016 (Broad Agency Announcement).

• Open Period 2: 10 U.S.C. 4023 (Procurement for Experimental Purposes).

These authorities allow AFRL to fund both research contracts and prototype agreements, depending on project maturity and experimental needs.

Who is eligible to apply?

1. Open to U.S. companies, universities, and research organizations.

2. Foreign participation is allowed subject to export and security controls.

3. Cost sharing is not required.

4. Offerors may submit multiple white papers, provided each represents a distinct technical approach.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Offer innovative, defense-relevant solutions that measurably enhance warfighter performance, medical readiness, or operational resilience.

1. Demonstrate clear technical feasibility, transition potential, and sound risk mitigation.

2. Show strong alignment with AFRL’s human effectiveness and medical research priorities.

3. Have experienced teams capable of performing under experimental or prototype authorities.

Evaluation criteria (in descending order of importance):

1. Uniqueness and innovation.

2. Understanding of scope and technical approach.

3. Technical soundness and team qualifications.

4. Transition potential.

5. Cost realism and value.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Export Control: Some projects may require U.S. or Canada Joint Certification (DD 2345).

• Human/Animal Subjects & Hazardous Materials: Approval requirements vary by project and will be outlined in each solicitation.

• S&T Protection: AFRL’s Science and Technology protection and OPSEC rules apply.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive white paper + full proposal will likely take 120–200 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth.

How much would BW&CO Charge?

Our full service support is available for the White Paper for $3000. Full proposal quoted upon invitation.

Fractional support is $300 per hour.

For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier grant consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.

Additional Resources

View the Funding Announcements:

• Continuing Human Enabling Enhancing Restoring and Sustaining (Master Announcement)

• CHEERS Open Period 1 - All Technical Areas

• CHEERS Open Period 2 - All Technical Areas

DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) Broad Agency Announcement

Executive Summary:

DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is accepting rolling proposals to fund transformative biology-enabled capabilities for national security. An abstract is required before a full proposal, and both abstracts and proposals are accepted until September 30, 2026. For selected proposals ≤$2,000,000 that opt into the accelerated path, awards can be made within 30 days of selection. Companies targeting this BAA should submit an abstract as soon as possible as they are reviewed on a rolling basis.

How much funding would I receive?

Funding levels are not pre-set; BTO anticipates multiple awards across topics. An optional accelerated award path is available for selected proposals not exceeding $2,000,000 total, using model agreements tailored for small and large businesses.

What could I use the funding for?

Research & Development proposals that leverage biological properties and processes to revolutionize our ability to protect the nation’s warfighters. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

• General Topics

  • Biological and/or chemical technology topic areas that fit the national security scope of BTO’s mission.

  • Research into market opportunities, constraints, and communities affecting financing and commercialization of bioindustrial and biomedical technologies.

• Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  • Developing and advancing our understanding of the impact and principles underlying biological data generation, assessment and incorporation into the biological foundation models, or mixed-mode foundation models. This includes taking theoretical approaches as well as understanding the scaling laws of these data for various types of models.

  • Advancing the capabilities of broad or narrow biological and/or chemical or mixed-mode foundation models far beyond the state of the art.

  • Developing and proving non-experimental models or hybrid experimental/non-experimental assessment strategies for biological foundation model assessment.

  • Exponentially accelerating the time scale of biological system simulation from the subcellular through multicellular, organismal and environmental systems, including for threat prediction, impact assessment, and attribution modeling.

  • Developing ML and AI-enabled technologies to improve the accuracy, precision, and efficiency of warfighter decision-making in complex and dynamic environments (e.g., on and off the battlefield), including for real-time threat assessment and response planning.

  • The development of virtual testbeds, digital twins, and/or synthetic data to accelerate or improve the predictive modeling of human performance.

• Combat Casualty Care

  • Developing novel diagnostic, prophylactic, and therapeutic approaches for warfighter injury that can be provided even in austere settings and extreme conditions.

  • Developing capabilities and technologies that enhance the ability of non-skilled service members to perform essential medical tasks closer to the point of injury, reducing dependence on highly trained personnel through assistive devices.

  • Developing decision support tools that algorithmically optimize the alignment of medical requirements and resources in complex, data-constrained mass casualty scenarios to enhance near-real-time situational awareness and command and control (C2) planning and execution.

  • Development of capabilities and technologies that enhance the ability of non-skilled service members to perform essential medical tasks closer to the point of injury, reducing dependence on highly trained personnel through assistive devices.

• Human Performance

  • Understanding and improving treatment of and resilience in neurological health, transformative neural processing, fatigue, cognition, and optimized human performance and teaming, including in extreme stress conditions.

  • Discovering interventions that utilize biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular biology, microbiology, neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, social and behavioral science, and related disciplines to assess and optimize human performance and teaming.

  • Developing and leveraging technologies to advance continuous or near-continuous monitoring of physiology to elucidate mechanisms of human readiness, cognitive status, and resilience.

  • Understanding and improving interfaces between the biological and physical world to enable seamless biohybrid systems and devices.

  • Developing approaches to enhance physiological resilience, performance, and survivability in extreme conditions (e.g., cold weather, extreme heat, high altitude).

  • Identifying technologies and tactics to increase or accelerate the impact of training regimens while reducing the risk of injury.

• Materials, Sensors, Processing

  • Designing novel materials, sensors, or processes that mimic or are inspired by biological systems.

  • Creating tools such as foundation models or prediction engines to understand the underlying rules defining biomolecular and biomaterial or hybrid biotic/abiotic material structure/function properties (individual properties or groups of properties) in order to predict desired outcomes for novel material development. Importantly, these predictions should hold from the molecular scale to the macro scale.

  • Developing new computational and experimental tools and predictive capabilities for engineering of biological systems, such as cells, tissues, organs, organisms, and complex communities, to both develop new products and functional systems, as well as to gain new insights into underlying mechanisms.

  • Developing technologies to leverage biological systems and enhance the acquisition and maintenance of critical and strategic organic and inorganic materials.

  • Understanding and leveraging complex biological systems into underlying functional rules and processes to provide models that govern interactions of biological systems from biofilms to organs or ecosystems.

  • Developing new platform technologies that integrate, automate, and miniaturize the collection, processing, and analysis via direct or indirect interrogation of biological and chemical samples.

  • Developing hybrid biological/engineered systems that integrate biological organisms, components, biologically-encoded circuitry, biogenic materials, or exploit biological phenomena to surpass capabilities of abiotic equivalents.

  • Developing novel biological sensor platforms with reduced size, weight, and power requirements of equivalent electro-optical or electro-mechanical systems with orders of magnitude increase in equivalent performance.

• Security, Safety, and Surveillance

  • Developing new technologies and approaches to ensure the biosafety and biosecurity of biological hardware and data. Ensuring the safety and security of AI technologies that accelerate biological research and development processes.

  • Developing innovative technologies to detect, characterize, treat, prevent, and forecast the effects of novel, engineered, or natural emerging pathogens that have the potential to cause significant health, economic, and social burdens, to prevent their spread and enable understanding of their origin.

  • Developing ML, AI approaches, and advanced data analytics for the rapid analysis, interpretation, identification, attribution, and origin tracing of large-scale, disparate biological and environmental surveillance data streams, enabling anomaly detection, pattern recognition, scalable detection, and predictive analytics to identify emerging threats or anomalous events and provide early warning and anticipatory action against natural or manmade biological threats.

  • Advancing technologies for determination and attribution along with data provenance analysis at chemical, isotopic, genetic, and community structure levels.

  • Developing novel sensing, surveillance, and processing technologies (including in-situ and remote modalities) to detect, identify, monitor, and analyze weak biological signals of emerging pathogens (novel, engineered, or natural) at all scales, including their secondary effects on the environment.

  • Developing new technologies and data analytics to support next-generation surveillance, detection, identification, and attribution of human and agricultural pathogens at scale and in near real-time.

  • Developing novel in-situ or remote sensing and surveillance technologies at the global, regional, and local scale that detect and identify novel, engineered, and/or natural emerging pathogens to prevent their spread or understand their origin.

• Biomedical & Biodefense

  • Developing new technologies for rapid, automated, and resilient manufacturing, delivery, and distribution of critical molecules for applications in therapeutics, chemical, and biological defense.

  • Developing new technologies to support next-generation cellular therapeutic applications.

  • Developing new platform technologies for targeted, effective, spatiotemporally controlled delivery of large and small molecules and biologics.

  • Leveraging biotechnology to create new platform solutions that combat antimicrobial resistance, generate novel drug and cell-based therapeutics, and treat warfighter injury and illness.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal award, there are significant indirect benefits to receiving a DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) contract or agreement:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected by DARPA—the Department of Defense’s premier innovation agency—signals extraordinary technical credibility and alignment with national security priorities. This “DARPA validation” often accelerates partnerships with primes, OEMs, and investors who trust government-vetted innovation.

• Enhanced Market Visibility and Notoriety:
  Award recipients frequently receive public recognition through DARPA announcements, defense innovation conferences, and press coverage. This visibility helps position your company as a cutting-edge player in defense biotech and deeptech, attracting further investment and talent.

• Ecosystem Access and Collaboration Opportunities:
  DARPA performers gain access to the BTO’s extensive network, including technical advisors, transition partners, and resources. These programs support contractor readiness, compliance, and downstream transition—opening doors to additional government and industry contracts.

• Nondilutive Growth and Strategic Leverage:
  Because funding is nondilutive, companies can scale and validate core technologies without giving up equity. This validation and maturity achieved under government sponsorship often lead to higher valuations and greater leverage in future fundraising or acquisition discussions.

• Faster Execution and Credible Track Record:
  With DARPA’s accelerated contracting path, companies can move from selection to award in as little as 30 days—establishing a record of execution under one of the most selective R&D programs in the world, which strengthens competitiveness for future federal or dual-use opportunities.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Abstracts are accepted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2026, 4:00 PM ET (abstract and DARPA invitation are required before any full proposal).

Full proposals are accepted on a rolling basis until September 30, 2026, 4:00 PM ET.

Accelerated option (≤$2M) awards may be issued within 30 days of selection notification if you submit the required election/attestations and use the model agreement.

Where does this funding come from?

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Biological Technologies Office

Who is eligible to apply?

All responsible sources—U.S. and non-U.S.—may submit, except FFRDCs, UARCs, and Government entities (incl. National Labs), which are not eligible as prime proposers. NAICS: 541714 (biotech R&D). Submissions must comply with U.S. security, export control, and related laws.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

The scoring criteria reward proposals that:

1. Present a bold, high-impact technical approach. Proposals that merely increment the state of practice are explicitly out-of-scope;

2. Directly advance DARPA’s national-security mission; and

3. Show credible cost/schedule realism with clear deliverables and risk-mitigation. Prior experience executing similar efforts and leveraging relevant prior research strengthen competitiveness.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Abstract is mandatory; DARPA must invite a proposal before it will be reviewed.

• Compliance areas include CUI handling, cyber (e.g., NIST SP 800-171 assessments), export controls, and human/animal research approvals where applicable.

• Certain entities/equipment (e.g., Kaspersky, certain telecom/DRONE restrictions, ByteDance apps) are prohibited by clause.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive submission under this BAA will likely take 120–160 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth under Federal & State R&D Initiatives.

How much would BW&CO Charge?

Our full service support is available for a flat fee of $15,000 Project + a 5% Success Fee.

Fractional support is $300 per hour, with most DARPA proposal projects requiring 80–100 hours of expert support from strategy through submission of full proposal.

For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier grant consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.

Additional Resources

• Webinar - New Biotech Funding: $2M from the DARPA BTO Office

• See solicitation on Grants.Gov