MTEC Multi-Topic Request for Project Proposals: Military Medical Prototype Advancement (MTEC-26-04-MultiTopic)

Status: Open. Enhanced White Papers due October 30, 2026, 12:00 p.m. ET. Amendment 01 (October 9) added Focus Area 16.

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Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary

The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) has released its Fiscal Year 2026 Multi-Topic Request for Project Proposals (RPP), solicitation number MTEC-26-04-MultiTopic, under Other Transaction Agreement No. W81XWH-15-9-0001. This is the full solicitation, not a pre-announcement. The RPP was issued on August 6, 2026, Amendment 01 was issued on October 9, 2026, and Enhanced White Papers are due by October 30, 2026 at Noon Eastern Time.

The opportunity funds military-relevant medical prototype technologies, medical techniques, knowledge products, devices, drugs, and biologics across 16 Focus Areas spanning primary prevention, infectious disease, trauma and wound infection, sepsis, musculoskeletal injury, pain management, anesthesia, blast and blunt exposure monitoring, and clinical biomarkers for trauma-related lung and kidney failure. Amendment 01, issued October 9, 2026, added Focus Area 16 (Multisite Clinical Biomarker Platform for Trauma-Related Lung and Kidney Failure). The released RPP had already added Focus Area 15 (Blast and Blunt Sensors for Exposure Monitoring) to the 14 areas in the pre-announcement.

Each proposal must address one and only one Focus Area. Competition is expected to be highly competitive and uses a two-stage Enhanced White Paper process. Evaluations run on a rolling, first-in first-out basis, so early submission is an advantage. Only current MTEC members in good standing may submit as the prime.

Application deadline: October 30, 2026, Noon Eastern Time.

How much funding would I receive?

For most Focus Areas the funding amount, number of awards, and period of performance remain unspecified and are contingent upon the availability of federal funds. For informational purposes, MTEC states that the average size of MTEC awards for the initial period of performance is approximately $2.0M to $3.5M over a 2 to 3 year period of performance. These figures are historical averages and are not guaranteed award amounts.

The released RPP does specify funding for three sub areas. For Focus Area 10A, therapeutic interventions to accelerate recovery from musculoskeletal injury, the Government anticipates 1 to 2 awards of roughly $3M each, with a period of performance not to exceed 36 months. For Focus Area 10B, preservation of musculoskeletal health, the Government anticipates 2 to 3 awards of roughly $1.5M each, also with a period of performance not to exceed 36 months. For Focus Area 15, blast and blunt sensors for exposure monitoring, a total of $10.5M is available for 2 awards, one of which may be up to $7M, with a period of performance not to exceed 48 months and an expected FY27 start. For Focus Area 16, the multisite clinical biomarker platform for trauma-related lung and kidney failure added by Amendment 01, the Government anticipates having up to $635,000 for one award, with a period of performance not to exceed 21 months.

Focus Area 10 and Focus Area 15 awards are expected to begin in FY27. Awards from the RPP overall are expected to be made in FY 2027 and FY 2028.

For Focus Areas 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, and 14, the Government has chosen to keep funding availability unspecified given the wide range of prototype maturity that could be responsive. Offerors are encouraged to propose budgets and a period of performance commensurate with the nature, scope, and complexity of the proposed work, and to structure budgets around major deliverables so that Sponsors can more easily allocate available funding.

Awards may be structured incrementally and tied to completion of milestones and deliverables.

What could I use the funding for?

Each proposal must address only one Focus Area. Proposed solutions may include medical techniques, knowledge products, and materiel such as medical devices, drugs, and biologics. Military relevance is a key requirement.

Examples of work that could be included in the period of performance include non-GLP laboratory research, exploratory studies of candidate devices, drugs, or systems, evaluation in laboratory or animal models, prototype development and maturation, nonclinical and preclinical studies for a regulatory data package, preparation of regulatory submissions (IND, IDE), clinical feasibility and pivotal studies as needed, stability and shelf-life studies, GMP manufacturing establishment, and prototype delivery for military-relevant testing.

Focus Areas:

• Focus Area 1: Policies and practices for cross-cutting prevention

  The aim of this focus area is to develop and evaluate non-training interventions/activities that address risk and protective factors for harmful behaviors. Priority risk/protective factors to address include: morale, fairness, work-life balance, passive leadership, toxic leadership, and workplace hostility.

• Focus Area 2: Fostering Service member physical fitness through integrated primary prevention

  The aim of this focus area is to develop interventions or trainings to combat the key contributors to obesity and physical inactivity. This focus area encourages offerors to consider resource/environmental constraints and social and psychological barriers present for warfighters when developing solutions.

• Focus Area 3: Identify and reduce barriers to help-seeking

  The aim of this focus area is to identify and develop solutions against key drivers of help-seeking. Solutions should prioritize high-impact resources/services and Service member populations at elevated risk for harmful behaviors.

• Focus Area 4: Prophylactic Solutions to Prevent Battlefield and Complex Traumatic Wound Infections in Austere or Contested Environments

  The aim of this focus area is thedevelopment of solutions to prevent or delay wound infections (bacterial, fungal, and/or antimicrobial-resistant) following battlefield and complex traumatic wounds, including in austere or contested environments, for use at the point of injury and in prolonged care environments (Roles 1 and 2), without negatively impacting wound healing. High-priority pathogens include Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and invasive fungal infections.

• Focus Area 5: Pathogen Agnostic Countermeasures for the Treatment of Sepsis Caused by Wound Infection

  The aim of this focus area is the development of products, including immune modulators, novel drugs, immunotherapeutics, and other pathogen-agnostic and/or host-directed approaches, to treat sepsis following battlefield and complex traumatic wounds (excluding burn wounds), including in austere or contested environments.

• Focus Area 6: Knowledge Product Solutions for the Prevention of Infection in Traumatic Penetrating Wounds

  The aim of this focus area is the development of knowledge product solutions to optimize clinical practice guidelines for the prevention of infection in traumatic penetrating wounds.

• Focus Area 7: Bacterial Diarrhea Prevention

  The aim of this focus area is the development of solutions to prevent bacterial diarrhea resulting from high-priority pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni, enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, and Shigella) in operational settings.

• Focus Area 8: Dengue Fever Prevention and/or Treatment Solutions

  The aim of this focus area is the development of prophylactic drugs and vaccines, to prevent all four serotypes of Dengue Fever.

• Focus Area 9: Prevention and Treatment of Emerging Infectious Diseases

  The aim of this focus area is on developing pathogen-agnostic and/or broad-spectrum solutions for prevention or treatment of Lassa fever virus, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV), and various hantaviruses, which are high-consequence pathogens that pose distinct risks to the deployed Joint Force.

• Focus Area 10: Musculoskeletal Injury Treatment

  The aim of this focus area is the development of solutions for musculoskeletal injury interventions for the pre-hospital environment. Specifically, this focus area seeks (1) therapeutic interventions to accelerate recovery from musculoskeletal injury or (2) solutions for the preservation of musculoskeletal health.

• Focus Area 11: Operational Suitability of Existing Pain Treatments

  The aim of this focus area is for solutions that inform risk/benefit decisions and create evidence-based recommendations for the Joint Trauma System (JTS) to refine and optimize existing Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) and Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) protocols.

• Focus Area 12: Repurposing and Novel Delivery of Approved Compounds

  The aim of this focus area is to accelerate the development of safer, opioid-sparing analgesics by leveraging the FDA's 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway for repurposed drugs delivered via novel administration methods. The desired end-state is a candidate drug/device combination ready to enter Phase I clinical trials.

• Focus Area 13: Development of Novel Non-Addictive Analgesics

  The aim of this focus area is to advance the preclinical development of a novel, non-addictive analgesic compound with a mechanism of action suitable for treating acute, combat-related trauma. The desired end-state is a promising lead candidate with a data package sufficient to justify further investment in IND-enabling studies.

• Focus Area 14: Advanced Anesthesia and Procedural Pain Solutions

  The aim of this focus area is to develop and demonstrate a prototype system or therapeutic for the management of anesthesia and procedural pain in austere environments (Role 1 and 2). The goal is to produce a solution that reduces the cognitive burden on providers and can be used by non-specialists.

• Focus Area 15: Blast and Blunt Sensors for Exposure Monitoring

  This focus area seeks technologies that monitor blast and blunt impact exposure through one of two pathways: an advanced, sensor-integrated blast surrogate with software-enabled tunable structures that mimic human blast responses and automatically report blast overpressure injury risk, or a methodology and system for determining TBI incidence alongside neurocognitive performance assessment and tracking. The Government has a total of $10.5M available for 2 awards, one of which may be up to $7M, with a period of performance not to exceed 48 months starting in FY27. Animal studies are out of scope.

• Focus Area 16: Multisite Clinical Biomarker Platform for Trauma-Related Lung and Kidney Failure (added by Amendment 01)

  This focus area seeks the development and demonstration of a standardized, multisite clinical prototype linking serial HMGB1 and PDE4 pathway measurements with prospectively defined pulmonary, renal and multiple-organ-injury trajectories in major trauma survivors. The prototype should produce biomarker-based risk and trial-enrichment frameworks supporting later CX-01 and roflumilast interventional studies. The Government anticipates up to $635,000 for one award, with a period of performance not to exceed 21 months.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Potential additional benefits include:

• Potential award of one or more non-competitive follow-on tasks based on successful project performance and milestone progression, awarded to the original awardee.

• Access to MTEC member teaming resources, the Member Profiles directory, and M-Corps subject matter experts.

• Potential access to MTEC's consortium network and its relationships with the Defense Health Agency and other government agencies.

• Eligibility for the "basket" provision: proposals with technical merit that cannot be funded immediately remain eligible for funding for two years from the date of submission.

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

Key dates from the released RPP:

• RPP issued: August 6, 2026; Amendment 01 issued October 9, 2026 (added Focus Area 16)

• BIDS submission portal: open now

• Enhanced White Paper due: October 30, 2026, Noon Eastern Time

• Proposers Conference (Focus Areas 1 to 3): October 14, 2026, 2:00 p.m. ET (registration required)

• Teaming Connects: held September 15 to 18, 2026; recordings and slides are posted on the MTEC solicitation page

• Period of performance start: no sooner than 4 months after the submission deadline unless otherwise specified

• Awards expected: FY 2027 and FY 2028

The solicitation uses a two-stage Enhanced White Paper process. In Stage 1, current MTEC members submit Enhanced White Papers in the mandatory format. Selected offerors are invited to submit a full cost proposal in Stage 2. Evaluations and award recommendations are conducted on a rolling, first-in first-out basis, so submitting early in the open window is advantageous.

Application deadline: October 30, 2026, Noon Eastern Time.

Where does this funding come from?

The opportunity is released through the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC), a 501(c)(3) non profit. MTEC supports the Department of Defense and Department of War, the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, the Defense Health Agency, and other government agencies. MTEC operates under a renewable Other Transaction Agreement with a ten year term, Agreement No. W81XWH-15-9-0001, with the Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity, awarded under the authority of 10 U.S.C. § 4022.

Who is eligible to apply?

The prime performer must be an MTEC member in good standing at least three days prior to submission of the Enhanced White Paper. Subcontractors and lower tier subawardees do not need to be MTEC members. Proposed projects must fit MTEC's prototype definition and must not be exploratory, and a foundation of preliminary data is required. A minimum KRL or TRL of 3 at the time of submission is required unless a Focus Area specifies otherwise. Proposed solutions must not have been submitted to MTEC under RPPs within the past two years, including the 25-04-MultiTopic and 24-01-MPAI solicitations; substantially revised proposals that respond to prior Government feedback are allowed, but identical resubmissions are not. Each Enhanced White Paper must align to a single Focus Area.

Members who have not paid the MTEC Assessment Fee within 90 days of its due date are not considered members in good standing.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Selection is highly competitive and is based on technical merit, programmatic considerations including portfolio composition, and the availability of funds. The number of meaningful submissions normally exceeds what available funding can support.

The RPP now specifies three evaluation factors:

1. Programmatic Relevance, which covers alignment to the Focus Area, the clinical problem and research gap, and demonstration of the minimum requirements: military relevance, prototype fit, minimum KRL or TRL, new submission, and single Focus Area alignment.

2. Technical Approach, which covers the hypothesis and objectives, scientific rationale and preliminary data, experimental design and feasibility, the team's ability to execute including regulatory compliance, and the statement of work and budget.

3. Commercialization Readiness Advancement, which covers technical maturity advancement, the market and business model, and the development and regulatory strategy, or a plan to transition the technology to the government where commercialization does not apply.

Proposals are rated Outstanding, Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Unacceptable. High merit ratings do not guarantee funding, since decisions also weigh funding priorities and portfolio balance.

The projects best positioned are those that address exactly one Focus Area, demonstrate clear military relevance, meet the prototype definition, satisfy the minimum KRL or TRL, include supporting preliminary and preclinical data, address a clearly identified DoD medical need, and include the Focus Area's mandatory submission documents.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Each proposal must address only one Focus Area, and failure to align to a single Focus Area may result in an Unacceptable rating. Projects must not be exploratory and must have preliminary data. The minimum KRL or TRL is 3 at submission unless a Focus Area specifies higher. Solutions submitted to MTEC within the previous two years may not be resubmitted.

Several Focus Areas carry mandatory documentation at submission, for example preclinical efficacy data, toxicity data if the FDA requires it, and documented FDA engagement, and missing required documentation can result in an Unacceptable rating. Route of administration limits apply to Focus Areas 8 and 9, which allow oral, intramuscular, transdermal, or subcutaneous administration only and exclude intravenous. Animal studies are prohibited under Focus Area 10A and out of scope for Focus Area 15.

Research involving human subjects or animals requires review by the DHA R&D MRDC Office of Research and Regulatory Compliance, specifically the Office of Human Research Oversight for human subjects and the Animal Care and Use Review Office for animals, in addition to local IRB or IACUC review. Allow two to three months for the human subjects review and three to four months for the animal review, and build at least 30 days into the schedule for the compliance office review and authorization process.

The MTEC Assessment Fee of 2 percent of the total funded value is not allowable as a direct charge and must not be included in proposed direct costs. Do not submit classified information in the Enhanced White Paper.

What do I need to submit?

Stage 1 requires six documents for all Focus Areas, submitted separately through BIDS, each 5MB or lower: Enhanced White Paper, limited to ten pages including the cover page, using the mandatory template in Section 8. Warranties and Representations. Statement of Work and Milestone Payment Schedule. Current and Pending Support. Intellectual Property and Data Rights Assertions, signed. Technology or Knowledge Readiness Level Checklist. Additional documents are required or encouraged depending on the Focus Area, including Extramural Research Involving Human Subjects, Documentation of FDA Engagement, Letters of Support, Biographical Sketches, and a Published or Additional Data Addendum. Refer to Addendum 6 of the RPP for the matrix showing which documents apply to each Focus Area. The Enhanced White Paper must be in 12 point font or larger, single spaced, 8.5 by 11 inches, with margins of at least 0.5 inch. Full cost proposals are only required in Stage 2, for offerors recommended for funding. Submissions are made through BIDS at https://bids.mtec-sc.org/Hub/Portal.nsf/Start?ReadForm. It is the offeror's responsibility to ensure a timely and complete submission, so submit ahead of the deadline.

How is my application evaluated?

MTEC first conducts a preliminary screening for compliance. Enhanced White Papers that pass are forwarded to the Government for source selection against the three evaluation factors above, sometimes with external peer review. Favorably evaluated offerors may be invited to a dialogue with the Government. The outcomes are an overall recommendation of Award, placement in the basket, or non selection. Given the high submission volume and compressed rolling review cycles, feedback may be very brief.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The RPP does not specify a preparation time, but the ten page Enhanced White Paper, the six required documents, and the Focus Area specific data requirements, including preclinical data and FDA engagement documentation for several areas, mean preparation should begin now. Because evaluations follow a rolling process where the earliest complete submissions are reviewed first, submitting earlier in the open window improves the odds. Companies proposing human subjects or animal research should account for the additional regulatory review timelines noted above.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can help your team:

1. Assess fit against the 16 Focus Areas and confirm you are targeting exactly one.

2. Determine whether your technology satisfies MTEC's prototype definition and the minimum KRL or TRL 3 expectation, and complete the readiness level checklist accurately.

3. Build a compelling military relevance narrative tied to the Joint Trauma System guidelines, Tactical Combat Casualty Care protocols, or other Department of War requirements documents.

4. Develop the Enhanced White Paper strategy and draft the full ten page paper plus the six required documents.

5. Assemble Focus Area specific requirements, including preclinical data packages, FDA engagement documentation, and letters of support.

6. Identify teaming partners through MTEC's Member Profiles directory and prepare for Teaming Connects.

7. Sequence your submission to take advantage of the rolling review.

8. Prepare the Stage 2 cost proposal and supporting materials if invited.

Review solicitation here.

Rapid Electromagnetic Warfare & Signals Intelligence (REWSI)

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The U.S. Army’s Project Manager Electromagnetic Warfare & Collection (PM EW&C) is seeking commercial Electromagnetic Warfare & Collection (EW&C) capabilities through the Rapid Electromagnetic Warfare & Signals Intelligence (REWSI) Call for Solutions under the Army Open Solicitation (AOS) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO). The Army intends to establish one or more commercial contracts and may also award prototype Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) to rapidly acquire and field electromagnetic spectrum operations (EMSO) capabilities.

This opportunity is designed for companies with mature commercial technologies or post-prototype capabilities that can help the Army sense, locate, attack, protect, and manage spectrum-dependent systems in denied, degraded, intermittent connectivity, or limited bandwidth (DDIL) environments.

Solution Brief Due Date/Time: 22 April 2027 1600 EST. Solution briefs received after this date and time will not be considered.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify award amounts, contract ceilings, minimum awards, maximum awards, or funding ranges.

Offerors are required to provide a notional pricing structure, including unit pricing, quantity discounts, and sustainment pricing, but no government funding amount is stated.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the production, sustainment, and associated services for EW&C capabilities aligned with the Army’s EMSO requirements.

Solutions should address one or more of the following areas:

• Electromagnetic Attack (EA)

• Electromagnetic Surveillance (ES) / Support

• Electromagnetic Protection (EP) / Protect

• Common Services supporting open architecture integration and data exchange standards

The Army is interested in capabilities that are:

• Resilient

• Adaptable

• Modular

• Scalable

• AI/ML-enabled

• Rapidly Deployable

• Secure

• Interoperable with Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) architectures

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Potential benefits include:

• Access to a streamlined acquisition pathway intended to accelerate delivery of capabilities to Army units.

• Consideration for one or more commercial contracts, including potential IDIQ awards.

• Consideration for prototype OTA awards for solutions requiring additional maturation.

• If not immediately selected, solutions may be retained in a government library for up to 12 months for future consideration.

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

The selection process consists of three stages:

1. Solution Brief Submission

2. Pitch Session / Vendor Technical Demonstration (PS/VTD)

3. Proposal Submission

Solution Brief Due Date/Time: 22 April 2027 1600 EST. Solution briefs received after this date and time will not be considered.

Additional timeline details:

• The Call will remain open for no more than 12 months from the original posting.

• Reviews may occur on an ongoing basis as submissions are received.

• There is no specified timeline for awards. Evaluation of submissions will continue throughout the open period.

The solicitation does not specify when funding, contracts, or OTA awards would be issued following selection.

Where does this funding come from?

The opportunity is sponsored by:

• Capability Program Executive Intelligence and Spectrum Warfare (CPE ISW)

• Project Manager Electromagnetic Warfare & Collection (PM EW&C)

The contracting activity is:

• Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG)

The solicitation is being issued under the Army Open Solicitation (AOS) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO).

Who is eligible to apply?

The solicitation invites submissions from parties with innovative solutions that address the EW&C requirements described in the Call.

The Government is specifically seeking:

• Commercially available EW&C capabilities

• Mature commercial solutions

• Post-prototype capabilities

• Solutions that may require additional development

• Fully commercialized and currently fielded technologies

The solicitation does not specify company size restrictions, small business requirements, geographic restrictions, ownership requirements, or other eligibility categories.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Based on the stated evaluation criteria, the strongest applicants will likely be companies that can demonstrate:

• Clear alignment with Army EMSO objectives.

• Solutions addressing EA, ES, EP, or Common Services requirements.

• Mature, technically credible capabilities with demonstrated performance potential.

• Open architecture approaches that support MOSA, SOSA, APIs, and NGC2 integration.

• AI/ML-enabled capabilities that improve sensing, geolocation, targeting, and decision-making.

• Demonstrated production capacity, sustainment planning, training support, and scalability.

• Strong operational readiness supported by testing, pilot programs, previous fieldings, or work with government entities.

The Government states that vendor selection will be based on:

• Relevance to EMSO requirements

• Maturity of the offering

• Demonstrated ability to produce and sustain capabilities

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Key restrictions and requirements include:

• Solution Briefs must clearly demonstrate relevance to EMSO requirements or they will not be considered.

• Solution Briefs are limited to a maximum of ten (10) pages or slides, excluding the coversheet or title page.

• Solution Briefs must be written in English.

• The period of performance for any Solution Brief or proposal should generally be no greater than twelve (12) months.

• Solution Briefs received after 22 April 2027 1600 EST will not be considered.

• Vendors must register on the VULCAN platform to submit solution briefs or proposals.

• Submitted materials may be reviewed by support contractors and Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) personnel operating under nondisclosure requirements.

The solicitation does not specify cost-share requirements.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation requires a Solution Brief of up to ten pages or slides addressing:

• Capability description

• Technical alignment

• Technical maturity or TRL

• Company experience and past performance

• Production and sustainment approach

• Pricing structure

The solicitation does not specify an expected proposal preparation time.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can support:

• Go/no-go assessment against the Army’s EMSO evaluation criteria

• Solution Brief development and narrative drafting

• Positioning around EMSO technical objectives, MOSA, SOSA, NGC2, and AI/ML requirements

• Pricing strategy development and ROM presentation

• Pitch Session and Vendor Technical Demonstration preparation

• Proposal and Statement of Work support for companies invited to Step 3

Review solicitation here.

National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research Program (NSF SBIR/STTR)

Updated October 2026: NSF has posted a new SBIR/STTR Phase I solicitation (NSF 26-510). Upcoming deadlines are November 4, 2026, March 4, 2027, and July 7, 2027. An invited Project Pitch is still required before you submit a full proposal.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The NSF SBIR/STTR program provides non-dilutive funding to U.S.-based startups and small businesses developing high-risk, high-impact technologies with strong commercial potential. NSF states it funds “nearly everything from biotechnology to wireless communications to quantum to semiconductors.” Companies begin by submitting a required Project Pitch to determine fit with the program before being invited to submit a full proposal.

NSF began accepting new Project Pitches under the current solicitations (NSF 26-510 and 26-511) on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Full proposal submission deadlines are:

• November 4 2026

• March 4 2027

• July 7 2027

Proposal submission is due by 5:00 PM submitter’s time on the specified due date. November 4, 2026 is also the last date NSF lists for two transition groups: companies with an unused Project Pitch invitation issued on or after July 3, 2025, and Phase I awardees whose award started on or after November 6, 2023 and who have not yet submitted a Phase II proposal.

NSF emphasizes that the program is intended for technologies requiring substantial high-risk R&D and not “straightforward engineering or incremental product development tasks.” The process is highly competitive, with historical NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I funding rates between 10% and 20%.

How much funding would I receive?

If your proposal is awarded, NSF states you may receive:

• Up to $305,000 for a Phase I award.

• Up to $1,250,000 over two years for a Phase II award.

NSF does not set award minimums, and voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Fast-Track awards, new at NSF, combine both phases for up to $1,555,555, including $400,000 for the Phase I portion. NSF 26-510 anticipates about $210 million in total, with roughly 180 SBIR and 50 STTR Phase I awards, 80 SBIR and 10 STTR Phase II awards, and 15 SBIR and 3 STTR Fast-Track awards. Each company can receive up to $2 million in NSF SBIR/STTR R&D funding, and NSF has no Direct-to-Phase II option.

What could I use the funding for?

NSF states funding is intended for:

• High-risk research and development

• Deep technologies

• Foundational science and engineering innovations

• New products, services, and scalable solutions

• Technologies with strong commercial potential and societal impact

The program specifically supports technologies that:

• Require substantial technical innovation

• Address significant societal or national problems

• Create sustainable competitive advantages

• Demonstrate meaningful market pull and scalability

NSF explicitly states it does not fund:

• Straightforward engineering

• Incremental product development tasks

Example Technology Areas (NSF funds nearly all technology areas and does not solicit specific technologies)

• Advanced Manufacturing (M)

  The Advanced Manufacturing topic aims to support emerging innovations in manufacturing with the potential to stimulate the nation’s manufacturing sector by improving efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability. Proposals should be driven by a foundational technology that significantly advances the way products are made. This can include, but is not exclusive to, technologies in new manufacturing processes, equipment, automation, modeling, and materials/minerals.

  Sub-Topics

  M1. Building and Infrastructure
  M2. Carbon Sequestration
  M3. Cybermanufacturing
  M4. Distributed Manufacturing
  M5. Ecomanufacturing
  M6. Modeling and Simulation
  M7. Natural Resources and Critical Minerals
  M8. Quantum Device Manufacturing
  M9. Sustainable Chemical Manufacturing
  M10. Other Manufacturing Technologies

• Advanced Materials (AM)

  The Advanced Materials topic addresses the development of new and improved materials for a wide variety of commercial and industrial applications. Proposals may focus on the creation of innovative material systems and/or on critical fabrication, processing or manufacturing challenges involved in the successful demonstration and commercialization of novel advanced materials. A broad range of applications areas will be considered as part of this topic.

  Sub-Topics

  AM1. Advanced Engineering Materials
  AM2. Coatings and Surface Modifications
  AM3. Metals and Ceramics
  AM4. Novel Advanced Materials-based Sensors
  AM5. Structural and Infrastructural Materials
  AM6. Other Advanced Materials Technologies

• Advanced Systems for Scalable Analytics (AA)

  The Advanced Systems for Scalable Analytics topic focuses on innovations needed for building systems that organize and process large and ever-increasing volumes of structured, semi-structured and unstructured data to reveal actionable new insights. It also includes innovative knowledge management and data mining technologies that complement deep learning. Sample topics include data and knowledge management technologies for data acquisition, integration, annotation, governance and provenance; hardware and software for addressing the performance needs of analytical systems; technologies for continual learning in dynamic environments; technologies in data mining, visualization and optimization; and marketplaces for data and models.
  
  These subtopics are only meant to serve as examples. All proposals focused on the development of a new high-risk technical innovation and significant potential commercial and societal impact are welcome to apply, regardless of subtopic.

  Sub-Topics

  AA1. Building Analytical System for Learning from Dynamic Environments
  AA2. Data Mining, Machine Learning (Non-deep learning-based), and Reinforcement Learning
  AA3. Decision Support and Optimization
  AA4. Knowledge and Data Management Technologies
  AA5. Marketplaces for Data and Models
  AA6. Novel Visualization Technologies
  AA7. Software Technologies for Scalable Analytical Systems
  AA8. Other Novel Technologies

• Agricultural Technologies (AG)

  The Agricultural Technologies topic supports innovations enabling farm production ecosystems that support the proper utilization of natural resources. Such technologies may encompass systems-level and multidisciplinary solutions to enable complex agricultural practices that support increased biodiversity balanced with yield production.

  Sub-Topics

  AG1. Agroforestry
  AG2. Expanding Access to Farming
  AG3. Food Waste Mitigation
  AG4. Harvesting Complex Systems
  AG5. Improved Resilience through Interspecies Interchange
  AG6. Nature-based Solutions
  AG7. Polyculture Systems
  AG8. Precision Agriculture
  AG9. Resilient Supply & Distribution
  AG10. Other Agricultural Technologies

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

  The Artificial Intelligence topic focuses on cutting-edge technologies in the field of deep learning-based AI systems and AI-based hardware. The recent successes in computer vision, machine translation, natural-language processing and speech recognition have led to widespread use of learning-based systems in production and an unprecedented growth in AI systems that interact frequently with and/or on behalf of humans in highly personalized contexts. This topic especially emphasizes next-generation AI technologies that are not only safe and reliable but also fair, robust against sophisticated adversaries, privacy preserving, and efficient in terms of computational resources, energy, training data size, etc. It also includes cutting-edge hardware technologies needed for sustainable AI (i.e., novel devices and architectures to support the tremendous processing power needed by AI technologies), edge devices (i.e., intelligent systems on a chip for applications such as voice assistants) and AI technologies that lead to better hardware systems.
  
  These subtopics are only meant to serve as examples. All proposals that are focused on developing a new high-risk technical innovation and that have significant potential commercial and societal impact are welcome to apply, regardless of subtopic.  

  Sub-Topics

  AI1. Cognitive Science-based Technologies
  AI2. Computer Vision Based AI Technologies
  AI3. Conversational AI Technologies
  AI4. Language-Based AI Technologies
  AI5. Novel AI Hardware Technologies (e.g. Neuromorphic Computing, High-performance Technologies for AI, Smart and Secure Edge Devices, etc.)
  AI6. Sustainable AI Technologies for Low Resource Environments
  AI7. Technologies for Trustworthy AI (safe, fair, transparent, privacy-preserving, explainable, and/or secure)
  AI8. Other Novel Technologies

• Augmented Virtual and Mixed Reality (AV/VR/MR)

  The Augmented, Virtual and Mixed Reality (AR/VR/MR) topic aims to support entrepreneurs and startups at the earliest stages of development of innovative, differentiated and novel hardware/software that can create shared experiences to translate research-based insights into commercializable opportunities for scalable, real-world application.
  
  Technologies in this portfolio include those applying AI in education or workforce development, training tools, upskilling an aging workforce, improving health and wellbeing, as well as technologies as an enabling platform to deliver shared experiences, virtual collaboration, and experiential learning.

  Sub-Topics

  AV1. Differentiated Hardware Technologies for AR/VR/MR
  AV2. Differentiated Software Technologies for AR/VR/MR
  AV3. UI/UX for Immersive AR/VR/MR
  AV4. Advanced Analytics for Collaboration in AR/VR/MR
  AV5. Other Augmented, Virtual, and Mixed Reality Technologies

• Biological Technologies (BT)

  The Biological Technologies topic covers a wide range of technology areas to advance engineering and science innovation across the biological spectrum. Biological technologies have disrupted decades-old chemical, agricultural and medical products and services, producing a new bioeconomy. Potential breakthroughs in this space are on course to make major socioeconomic contributions by boosting productivity in industrial and agricultural processes, improving human health, and making advances toward environmental sustainability.
  
  Proposed projects should be focused on using or modifying living organisms, systems or biological processes to develop new technologies to produce biochemicals and medical and agricultural products. They may involve bioengineering to improve function in molecules, cells and tissues in humans, plants, animals and microbes. NSF also encourages proposals for enabling new technologies, such as new tools for genomics, proteomics and drug discovery; instruments for biological applications; computational and bioinformatic tools; and new manufacturing technologies for cells, tissues, organs and biologics (with the exception of clinical trials and schedule I substances).
  
  Subtopics are not aimed at supporting or conducting clinical trials, clinical efficacy or safety studies, the development pre-clinical or clinical-stage drug candidates or medical devices, or work performed primarily for regulatory purposes. Limited studies with human subjects may be acceptable to the extent that they are performed in support of feasibility, such as proof-of-concept studies of early-stage technologies. Proposals that request support for clinical studies will be deemed noncompliant with the SBIR/STTR solicitations and returned without review.

  Sub-Topics

  BT1. Animal Biotechnology
  BT2. Aquaculture
  BT3. Bio-Inspired Technologies
  BT4. Bioinstruments and Biosensors
  BT5. Cell and Tissue Engineering
  BT6. Fermentation
  BT7. Life Science Research Tools
  BT8. Microbiome and Microbial Diversity
  BT9. Plant Biotechnology
  BT10. Synthetic Biology and Metabolic Engineering
  BT11. Other Biological Technologies

• Biomedical Technologies (BM)

  The Biomedical Technologies topic aims to support the early-stage development of novel products, processes or services that will enable the delivery of high-quality, economically efficient healthcare.
  
  Subtopics are not aimed at supporting or conducting clinical trials, clinical efficacy or safety studies, the development pre-clinical or clinical-stage drug candidates or medical devices, or work performed primarily for regulatory purposes. Limited studies with human subjects may be acceptable to the extent that they are performed in support of feasibility, such as proof-of-concept studies of early-stage technologies. Proposals that request support for clinical studies will be deemed noncompliant with the SBIR/STTR solicitations and returned without review.
  

  Sub-Topics

  BM1. Diagnostics
  BM2. Drug Delivery Methods
  BM3. Materials for Biomedical Applications
  BM4. Medical Imaging
  BM5. Monitoring Devices
  BM6. Other Biomedical Technologies

• Chemical Technologies (CT)

  The Chemical Technologies topic covers a wide range of technology areas of current and emerging commercial significance to many areas, including the broad chemical industry; food processing and technology; agrochemicals; chemical alternatives and organics; green chemicals; water treatment and separations; advanced catalysts and materials; and biochemicals. Sensing, data and advanced analytics technologies relevant to these fields are also appropriate for this topic area. Beyond improvement on technical specifications, it is important to also clearly identify the competitive landscape of what is currently possible and why the proposed innovation will have an impact commercially and/or from a societal benefit standpoint.

  Sub-Topics

  CT1. Biochemicals
  CT2. Catalysts, Advanced Chemicals and Materials
  CT3. Chemical and Environmental Sensing and Data
  CT4. Food Processing, Chemicals and Agriculture
  CT5. Green Chemicals and Chemical Alternatives
  CT6. Separations and Water Treatment
  CT7. Other Chemical Technologies

• Cloud and High-Performance Computing (CH)

  The Cloud and High-Performance Computing (HPC) topic focuses on innovations that result in substantial improvements to cloud computing or high-performance computing platforms. These improvements may be to computing power and efficiency, energy management, data storage, latency, data integrity and availability, cost, or any other factor of importance in such platforms, and may result from software- or hardware-based innovations. These subtopic areas are meant to serve as examples; all proposals with technical innovation and significant commercial potential are welcome, regardless of the specific area of focus of the project.

  Sub-Topics

  CH1. Algorithms and Applications
  CH2. Computational Architecture
  CH3. Convergence of AI and Cloud/HPC
  CH4. Edge Computing
  CH5. Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
  CH6. In-memory Processing
  CH7. Interconnects
  CH8. Middleware
  CH9. Performance Monitoring
  CH10. Processing on Encrypted Data
  CH11. Processor Architecture and Design
  CH12. Resilience and Resource Management
  CH13. Other Cloud and High-Performance Computing Technologies

• Cybersecurity and Authentication (CA)

  The Cybersecurity and Authentication topic focuses on innovations related to the security and integrity of data and data processing and the authentication of people and devices. These subtopic areas are meant to serve as examples; all proposals with technical innovation and significant commercial potential are welcome, regardless of the specific area of focus of the project.

  Sub-Topics

  CA1. Computation on Encrypted Data
  CA2. Cryptography, including Post-quantum Cryptography
  CA3. Data Privacy and Integrity
  CA4. Device Authentication
  CA5. Distributed Ledger
  CA6. Encryption, including Homomorphic Encryption
  CA7. Network and Device Security
  CA8. Personal Authentication
  CA9. Secure and Trusted Computing
  CA10. Secure Machine-to-Machine Communication
  CA11. Security of Cloud and High Performance Computing (HPC) Platforms
  CA12. Other Cybersecurity and Authentication Technologies

• Digital Health (DH)

  The Digital Health topic aims to support entrepreneurs and startups at the earliest-stages of development of innovative, differentiated and novel technologies that aim to improve physical or mental wellbeing or health, enable or assist individuals to increase or regain independence and quality of life and improve the delivery of healthcare including efficiency, reducing cost or improving outcomes.
  
  Technologies in this portfolio include those applying AI in healthcare or general wellness (medical image analysis, personalized medicine, EHR/EMR, Clinical decision support, Computer aided diagnostics, support or therapy, smart/connected medical devices) as well as technologies that enable or provide assistance to aging or disabled populations and individuals undergoing rehabilitation.

  Sub-Topics

  DH1. Assistive, Enabling and Rehabilitative technologies
  DH2. AI in healthcare and drug discovery
  DH3. Healthcare Workflow, Economics and Delivery
  DH4. Medical Diagnostics and Devices
  DH5. Physical, Mental and Behavioral Health
  DH6. Other Digital Health Technologies

• Emerging Technologies (EM)

  Breakthroughs at the edge of science and engineering are reshaping industries, redefining human capabilities, and creating new market spaces. The Emerging Technologies topic within the NSF Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer program is designed for startups working on transformative innovations that defy conventional classifications — pioneering discoveries that could set the stage for the next technological revolution.
  

  This topic is for radical, high-risk ideas that leverage deep science and engineering to push beyond existing limitations. Proposals should introduce disruptive, category-defining solutions that may not fit within traditional NSF topic areas but have the potential to create entirely new industries or fundamentally alter how we interact with the world.
  

  Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Post-Silicon Computation & Intelligent Systems: Quantum logic, molecular computing or bio-inspired artificial intelligence architectures

  • Matter & Machines at the Extreme: Self-assembling nanostructures, programmable materials, or biohybrid robotic systems that blur the lines between biology and engineering

  • Living Technologies & Engineered Evolution: Synthetic biology innovations that harness evolution to create self-improving therapeutics, biocomputers, or sustainable biomaterials

  • Radical Energy & Resilient Earth Innovations: Zero-point energy exploration, deep-space resource utilization, or engineered photosynthesis for planetary-scale impact

  • Cognition & Human Augmentation: Direct brain-machine integration, digital telepathy, or neuroplasticity-enhancing interfaces that redefine intelligence

  • Unconventional Sensing & Interaction: Quantum sensors, femtosecond imaging, or technologies enabling new dimensions of perception If your startup is pioneering a new technological paradigm, building something that did not exist before, and pushing the limits of what's possible, the Emerging Technologies topic is your opportunity to secure early-stage funding for world-changing innovation.

  Sub-Topics

  EM1. Emerging Technologies

• Environmental Technologies (ET)

  Environmental Technologies covers a variety of areas of current and emerging commercial significance including environmental sensing, data, and advanced analytics. Please highlight any aspects of the proposed technology or approach that address a problem without a current solution, or one which is underdeveloped.

  Sub-Topics

  ET1. Conservation, Adaptation and Restoration
  ET2. Digital Ecosystem for the Environment
  ET3. Emission or Waste Reduction and the Circular Economy
  ET4. Food, Regenerative Agriculture, and Energy
  ET5. Measurement
  ET6. Resiliency
  ET7. Sustainable Community Systems
  ET8. Water Treatment, Resilience, and Sanitation
  ET9. Other Environmental Technologies

• Human-Computer Interaction (HC)

  The Human-Computer Interaction (HC) topic aims to support entrepreneurs and startups at the earliest stages of development of innovative, differentiated and novel HCI in the context of domains, such as health, education, families, or work to design new computing systems to amplify humans’ physical, cognitive, and social capabilities which translate research-based insights into commercializable opportunities for scalable, real-world application.
  
  Technologies in this portfolio include multimedia and multimodal interfaces, such as haptic, tangible, gestural, spatial, and wearable; brain-computer interfaces; intelligent and interactive user interfaces; affective computing; human state estimation involving interaction; and methods for interaction with artificial intelligence. This topic includes commercialization of computational methods and systems for creating and authoring video, audio, textual, visual, and multimedia forms in support of creative expression and ideation and includes technology-supported human-to-human communication and systems which foster innovation and dismantle barriers to scientific progress in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and the development of information, interaction, networks, systems, and other forms of computation in response to human needs, desires, and intentions.

  Sub-Topics

  HC1. Multimedia and Multimodal Interfaces
  HC2. HC Computational Methods and Systems
  HC3. Smart Integrated Systems
  HC4. Human-to-Human Communication Systems via Technology
  HC5. Other Human-Computer Interaction Technologies

• Instrumentation and Hardware Systems (IH)

  The Instrumentation and Hardware Systems topic addresses the research and development of new and improved instrumentation and related systems for a wide variety of commercial and industrial applications. Proposals in this topic may deal with new instruments for use in scientific, industrial, engineering or manufacturing environments, among others. Systems and tools designed for the purposes of detection, manipulation, characterization, measurement, processing, control or monitoring will be considered. A wide variety of applications areas will be considered as part of this topic.

  Sub-Topics

  IH1. Instrumentation or Hardware Systems for Actuation, Control, and Manipulation
  IH2. Instrumentation or Hardware Systems for Detection and Characterization
  IH3. Instrumentation or Hardware Systems for Imaging
  IH4. Other Instrumentation or Hardware Systems Technologies

• Internet of Things (I)

  The Internet of Things (IoT) is a rapidly evolving field that involves the interconnection and interaction of smart objects (objects or devices with embedded sensors, onboard data processing capability, and a means of communication) to provide automated services that would otherwise not be possible. IoT is not a single technology, but rather involves the convergence of sensor, actuator, information and communication technologies. Emerging IoT implementations will use smaller and more energy-efficient embedded sensor technologies, more sophisticated actuators, enhanced communications and advanced data analytics to collect and aggregate information. These new tools will enable intelligent systems that understand context, track and manage complex interactions and anticipate requirements. Market verticals that are potentially impacted by innovations in this area include connected cities and homes, smart transportation, smart agriculture, industrial IoT, and retail IoT.

  Sub-Topics

  I1. IoT Communications
  I2. IoT Integrated Systems
  I3. IoT Sensors and Actuators
  I4. Networking
  I5. Other IoT Technologies

• Learning and Cognition Technologies (LC)

  The Learning and Cognitions Technologies topic aims to support entrepreneurs and startups at the earliest stages of development of innovative, differentiated and novel innovations which disrupt educational norms, challenge conventional methods of content delivery and workforce development with measurable results while remaining firmly anchored in foundational research. They equip individuals for success in emerging industries and undefined roles, bridging the gap between established curricula and the swiftly evolving knowledge landscape.
  
  Technologies in this portfolio include those applying AI in education or workforce development, training tools, upskilling an aging workforce, improving health and wellbeing, as well as technologies as an enabling platform to deliver innovative approaches to learning and cognition development which leverage groundbreaking technological advancements rooted in research.
  
  Limited studies with human subjects may be acceptable to the extent that they are performed in support of feasibility, such as proof-of-concept studies of early-stage technologies. Proposals that request support for clinical studies will be deemed noncompliant with the SBIR/STTR solicitations and returned without review.

  Sub-Topics

  LC1. Advanced Learning Technologies
  LC2. Workforce Development and Upskilling
  LC3. Advanced Analytics for Learning and Cognition
  LC4. Innovative Approaches to Multimodal Learning
  LC5. Other Learning and Cognition Technologies

• Medical Devices (MD)

  The Medical Devices topic aims to develop novel medical device platforms, introduce innovative medical technologies or translate emerging scientific principles into health practice. Proposals should be considered leading edge innovations, typically based on a discovery, new approach or new scientific principle to medical devices or technologies.
  
  Limited human subject clinical studies may be acceptable if they are performed in support of feasibility or proof-of-concept objectives. The program does not support proposals to conduct clinical trials for sample size calculations, statistically demonstrate safety or efficacy or the development of pre-clinical or clinical-stage drug candidates. Clinical work performed primarily for regulatory purposes or post market surveillance are also not allowed. Proposals requesting support for clinical trials are noncompliant with the SBIR/STTR solicitation and returned without review.

  Sub-Topics

  MD1. Diagnostic Imaging or Monitoring
  MD2. General Medical Devices
  MD3. Implantable
  MD4. Manufacturing Processes or Prototyping Methods
  MD5. Materials (non biological)
  MD6. Procedural Technologies or Visualization
  MD7. Rehabilitation
  MD8. Wearables
  MD9. Women's Health

• Mobility (MO)

  The Mobility topic encourages novel innovations in the land, air, and sea-based movement of goods and people that improve sustainability and resiliency. Proposals responsive to this topic may include technical breakthroughs that address infrastructure and flow issues in global, urban and rural environments. Interdisciplinary and collaborative innovations to address multiple mobility grand challenges are welcome. All proposed innovations must be capable of a sustainable business model.

  Sub-Topics

  MO1. Traffic Congestion and Routing
  MO2. Safety and Navigation
  MO3. Disaster Resilience 
  MO4. Efficiency
  MO5. Supply Chain Transparency and Security
  MO6. Labor Shortages
  MO7. Accessibility
  MO8. Other Mobility Topics

• Nanotechnology (N)

  The Nanotechnology topic addresses the creation and manipulation of functional materials, devices and systems with novel properties that are achieved through the control of matter at a submicroscopic scale (from a fraction of nanometer to about 100 nanometers). This includes, but is not limited to, innovative hierarchical nanostructures, nanolayered structures, nanowires, nanotubes, quantum dots, nanoparticles, nanofibers and other nanomaterials and biomaterials and their composite structures.

  Sub-Topics

  N1. Nanomanufacturing

• Other Topics (OT)

  For projects that do not seem to fit into one of the other technology topic areas, but still meet the NSF SBIR/STTR goals of supporting research and development of deep technology with commercial viability and the potential to benefit society, please pick Other Topics and subtopic OT1. Project pitches and proposals submitted to Other Topics are typically transferred and reviewed in the topic area that best matches the underlying technical innovation. The program does not reject Project Pitches or proposals based on a non-ideal choice of topic areas. The program routinely moves Project Pitches or proposals internally among topic areas that seem to best describe the underlying technical innovation and to ensure the right program officer and reviewer panel sees the project.

  Sub-Topics

  OT1. Other Topics

• Pharmaceutical Technologies (PT)

  The Pharmaceutical Technologies topic covers a wide range of technology areas that advance the discovery, formulation, and manufacture of novel drugs, moieties, compounds, products, processes, platforms or services that will improve the selection, quality or price of pharmaceutical and biologic therapies.
  
  The Pharmaceutical Technologies topic is not aimed at supporting or conducting clinical trials, clinical efficacy and safety studies, the development of pre-clinical or clinical-stage drug candidates, work on medical devices or schedule I substances, or work performed primarily for regulatory purposes. Limited studies with human subjects may be acceptable if they are performed in support of feasibility, proof-of-concept studies of early-stage technologies and must follow NSF policies on research on human subjects. Proposals that request support for clinical studies are noncompliant with the SBIR/STTR solicitations and returned without review.
  
  The NSF SBIR/STTR program no longer supports the development of specific therapeutic molecules. Drug Discovery and Manufacturing are still supported by the program.
  
  Subtopics are not aimed at supporting clinical trials, the clinical validation of information technologies, or medical devices or studies performed primarily for regulatory purposes. Limited studies with human subjects may be acceptable to the extent that they are performed in support of feasibility, such as proof-of-concept studies of early-stage technologies. Proposals that request support for clinical studies will be deemed noncompliant with the SBIR/STTR solicitations and returned without review.

  Sub-Topics

  PT1. Drug Discovery
  PT2. Pharmaceutical and Biologic Manufacturing
  PT3. Other Pharmaceutical Technologies

• Photonics (PH)

  The Photonics topic addresses the research and development of new materials, devices, components, and systems that have the potential for revolutionary change in the optics and photonics industries. Photonic technologies can include anything generally operating in or using photons in the electromagnetic spectrum, from gamma rays down to long radio waves. Examples include lasers, various light emitting diode technologies (LED, OLED, QLED), radiation detectors, photonic integrated circuits, optical systems and novel communications technologies.

  Sub-Topics

  PH1. Advanced Metrology and Sensors
  PH2. Advanced Optical Components and Systems
  PH3. Communications, Information, and Data Storage
  PH4. Lighting and Displays
  PH5. Photonic Devices
  PH6. Photonic Energy Conversion
  PH7. Photonic Materials
  PH8. Photonic Metamaterials and Plasmonics
  PH9. Quantum Optics and Nanophotonics
  PH10. Silicon Photonics and Photonic Integrated Circuits
  PH11. Other Photonics Technologies

• Power Management (PM)

  The Power Management topic address the development of novel technologies that enable new power and thermal management solutions. Innovations supported could range from device-scale breakthroughs to embedded or standalone systems or grid-scale technologies.

  Sub-Topics

  PM1. Energy Harvesting Devices and Systems
  PM2. Materials and Devices for Power Electronics
  PM3. Materials and Devices for Thermal Management
  PM4. Novel Power and Thermal Management Sensors
  PM5. Power Electronics Circuits and Control Systems
  PM6. Power Management Infrastructure and Smart Grid Systems
  PM7. Systems for Thermal Management
  PM8. Other Power Management Technologies

• Quantum Information Technologies (QT)

  This topic focuses on innovations in information and communications technologies that rely fundamentally on quantum mechanical properties and interactions. Typically, such innovations will involve the generation, detection, or manipulation of quantum states to provide faster, more efficient or more secure information processing and communications. Proposals may include innovations at the component, sub-system or system level that result in substantial and usable improvements in the generation, transmission, detection, storage or processing of information, or the security and privacy of information. Proposed innovations must offer the potential for robustness, reliability, scalability and operation at temperatures that are practical within the constraints of the intended application. Innovations at the component and sub-system level should aim for compactness and energy efficiency, consistent with the requirements of the application.
  
  Examples of technology innovations in the quantum computing subtopic could include qubit generation and detection, development of computational models (quantum circuits, etc.), error correction, software, hardware sub-systems and systems and Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) computers. Examples of technology innovations in the quantum communications subtopic could include components such as sources, memories, repeaters, detectors, hardware sub-systems and systems, networks, cryptography and key distribution.

  Sub-Topics

  QT1. Quantum Algorithms
  QT2. Quantum Communications
  QT3. Quantum Computing
  QT4. Quantum Sensing and Metrology
  QT5. Quantum Simulation
  QT6. Other Quantum Information Technologies

• Robotics (R)

  The Robotics topic covers robot intelligence and experiential learning, particularly in the areas of high-performance processors or hardware that provides situational awareness and improved artificial intelligence. Innovations in voice, obstacle and image recognition, emotional response and hand-eye coordination are encouraged. We encourage proposals describing projects that borrow features from other animal nervous systems and include biologists, neuroscientists and psychologists on their team to exploit new knowledge in the study of the brain and behavior.
  
  NSF also seeks proposals that address next-generation automation; the flexible and rapid reconfiguration of assembly lines allowing mass customization; the use of advanced control, scheduling, modularization, and decentralization with agile, mobile robotic systems that can enable the cost-effective manufacture of small lot-size products; and on-demand parts manufacturing.
  
  Proposals to support the physical and educational needs of individuals with disabilities (e.g., vision, hearing, cognitive, motor related) are sought. Robotic applications in healthcare, smart drones and drone networks are appropriate. Medical devices focused on providing new capabilities to doctors including surgery; robotic exoskeletons to enhance human strength; personal robots with an emphasis on human-centered end use and interaction, personal caregiving and increased autonomy; future of work; flying taxis; reverse engineering the human brain; robot sense, motion, thought, and emotion; human-robot art; and robots of augmentation are welcome.
  
  Subtopics are not aimed at supporting or conducting clinical trials, clinical efficacy or safety studies, the development pre-clinical or clinical-stage drug candidates or medical devices, or work performed primarily for regulatory purposes. Limited studies with human subjects may be acceptable to the extent that they are performed in support of feasibility, such as proof-of-concept studies of early-stage technologies. Proposals that request support for clinical studies will be deemed noncompliant with the SBIR/STTR solicitations and returned without review.

  Sub-Topics

  R1. Human Assistive Technologies and Bio-related Robotics
  R2. Human-Machine Interfaces and Control/Architecture
  R3. Robotic Applications
  R4. Robotics in Agile Manufacturing, and Co-Robots
  R5. Underground or Underwater Robotics for Low-Visibility, Poor-Connectivity or Hidden Topography
  R6. Other Robotics Technologies

• Semiconductors (S)

  The Semiconductors topic addresses the research and development of new designs, materials, devices and manufacturing systems that have the potential for impactful change in the semiconductor and microelectronics industry.

  Sub-Topics

  S1. Electronic Devices
  S2. Electronic Materials
  S3. Integrated Circuit Design
  S4. Microelectronics Packaging and Systems Integration
  S5. Novel Semiconductor-based Sensors
  S6. Processing and Metrology Technology
  S7. Sustainable Semiconductor Manufacturing
  S8. Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Materials
  S9. Other Semiconductor Technologies

• Space (SP)

  The Space topic seeks transformative technologies to create solutions for sustainable space exploration, habitation or industrialization that could also have a positive impact on human lives.
  
  Applicants should address known capability gaps for enabling technologies for the space or terrestrial industries. Proposals in this area may focus upon launch vehicles or satellite and vehicle propulsion systems, in-space research or manufacturing systems and services, human sustainability, spaceflight or exploration infrastructure, data processing and communication technologies, orbital servicing, asteroid mining and microgravity applications.

  Sub-Topics

  SP1. Launch vehicles and propulsion
  SP2. Satellite technology
  SP3. Spaceflight infrastructure
  SP4. Data and communication
  SP5. In space services and production
  SP6. Human viability and sustainability

• Wireless Technologies (W)

  The Wireless topic involves next-generation wireless communication technologies requiring systems with high data rates, low costs and that support a wide variety of applications and services while maintaining full mobility, minimum latency, and long battery life. Devices and subsystems that increase data throughput rates via cell density; increased spectrum; multiple input, multiple output (MIMO); and new “antenna” concepts are encouraged. NSF welcomes proposals involving modulation and demodulation techniques for signal generation and reception through spectral efficiency, noise immunity, jamming immunity, and power efficiency; radio frequency (RF) pollution: devices and circuits; processing algorithms/3D spatial control; and high efficiency devices such as micro-TWT (traveling-wave tube), smart dust and inductive couplers. NSF seeks proposals in the areas of spectrum-related research and development activities that improve the efficiency by which the radio spectrum is used, and the ability of all members of the public to access spectrum-related services. Mobile and automotive radar, smart solar panels, on-panel DC-AC converters, openRAN (Radio Access Networks)-related devices and applications and self-testing and self-networking devices are also of interest.

  Sub-Topics

  W1. Communication and Networking Technologies
  W2. Networked Sensors and Sensing
  W3. Wireless Devices and Components
  W4. Wireless Systems
  W5. Other Wireless Technologies

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Additional benefits described in the solicitation materials include:

• Access to external technical and commercialization reviewers

• Feedback from NSF experts and review panels

• Eligibility for supplemental funding opportunities after Phase II

• Ability to apply for additional NSF funding after successful Phase I progress

NSF also notes that access to most Phase I award funds occurs at the time of award notification.

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

Application process timeline:

1. Complete the Project Pitch Assessment

2. Submit a required Project Pitch

3. Receive a response from NSF in approximately 1–2 months

4. If invited, submit a full proposal

5. Undergo proposal review and due diligence

6. Receive funding decision approximately 5–7 months after proposal submission deadline

Full proposal submission deadlines are:

• November 4 2026

• March 4 2027

• July 7 2027

Proposal submission is due by 5:00 PM submitter’s time on the specified due date.

NSF states:

• Proposal review occurs approximately 1–3 months after submission

• Additional due diligence may occur approximately 3–5 months after submission

• Funding decisions occur approximately 5–7 months after submission

Where does this funding come from?

The funding comes from:

• The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)

• America’s Seed Fund

• NSF SBIR/STTR programs

The solicitation references:

• NSF 26-510: Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs SBIR/STTR: Developing Deep Technologies that Advance U.S. Competitiveness and Security

• NSF 26-511: Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs: A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation

Who is eligible to apply?

To be eligible, companies must:

• Be a small business with 500 or fewer employees, including affiliates

• Be located in the United States

• Be at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents

• Perform all funded work in the United States

• Employ the Principal Investigator (PI) more than 50% at the company (outside employment above 19.6 hours a week is a conflict)

• Have the PI commit at least one month of work per six months of project duration (three months per six months for Fast-Track)

NSF states it does not fund:

• Companies majority-owned by one or more venture capital operating companies

• Companies majority-owned by private equity firms

• Companies majority-owned by hedge funds

The PI does not need advanced degrees.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

NSF states it looks for companies and projects with:

• Strong technological innovation

• High-risk, unproven R&D

• Significant societal or national impact

• Sustainable competitive advantages

• Commercial potential and market pull

• Scalable business opportunities

• Technically qualified and commercially motivated teams

NSF specifically evaluates:

• Intellectual Merit

• Broader Impacts

• Commercial Impact

The solicitation materials state that proposals are reviewed by external technical and commercialization experts in addition to NSF program staff.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Important restrictions and requirements include:

• Each company may submit one Project Pitch per submission window, have one under review at a time, submit at most two in any 12-month period and three total for the same project. An invitation is valid for the next two full-proposal deadlines, and each company may submit one full proposal per deadline.

• Companies with a pending Project Pitch, Open Invitation, or proposal under review must wait before submitting another Project Pitch

• All funded work, including consultant and contractor work, must occur in the United States

• SAM registration is required before proposal submission

• SAM registration can take up to three weeks to complete

• Proposal submission is due by 5:00 PM submitter’s time on the specified due date

NSF also notes that:

• An invitation to submit a proposal does not guarantee funding

• Historical Phase I funding rates have been between 10% and 20%

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation materials do not specify a required preparation timeline.

However, NSF states:

• Writing a full proposal requires a “significant investment of time and effort”

• Companies should begin registration processes “as soon as possible”

• SAM registration can take up to three weeks

• Research.gov registration can take up to 48 hours

The application process includes:

• Completing a Project Pitch

• Receiving NSF feedback

• Preparing a full proposal if invited

• Completing multiple federal registrations

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can help companies:

• Assess fit with NSF SBIR/STTR evaluation criteria

• Develop a compelling Project Pitch

• Position the technical innovation and commercial potential clearly

• Draft and manage the full NSF proposal process

• Prepare commercialization and market positioning content

• Coordinate registrations and submission workflows

• Improve competitiveness against NSF review criteria

How much would BW&CO Charge?

Our full service support is available for a flat fee of $9,000 + 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

Learn more about the program here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Biomarker Discovery and Validation for Alcohol-Related Cardiovascular Diseases

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through May 22, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on discovering and validating biomarkers for alcohol-related cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVD). This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary projects designed to improve early detection, risk prediction, disease phenotyping, prognosis, and mechanistic understanding of how alcohol exposure contributes to cardiovascular injury and disease progression.

NIH recognizes that alcohol-related cardiovascular disease is frequently underdiagnosed because current clinical assessments, imaging approaches, and commonly used biomarkers lack specificity for alcohol-associated pathology. The initiative is particularly interested in projects that distinguish alcohol-related disease mechanisms from non-alcohol-related or mixed etiologies using advanced biomarker strategies, AI-enabled analytics, multimodal datasets, and longitudinal population studies.

Companies developing cardiovascular biomarker platforms, AI-powered diagnostic systems, digital health monitoring technologies, predictive analytics tools, imaging technologies, EHR-integrated clinical analytics systems, or precision medicine platforms may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include alcohol-associated hypertension, atrial fibrillation, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, multimodal biomarker discovery, molecular phenotyping, digital biomarkers, imaging biomarkers, causal inference modeling, and sex-specific disease susceptibility analysis. NIH is also encouraging projects leveraging longitudinal cohorts, electronic health records (EHRs), Mendelian randomization, machine learning, and integrated multi-omics datasets to improve cardiovascular disease characterization and clinical translation.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported primarily by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which is seeking transformative innovations that improve alcohol-related cardiovascular disease detection, biomarker science, precision diagnostics, risk stratification, and individualized prevention and treatment strategies.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of cardiovascular biomarker technologies, AI analytics systems, precision diagnostics, digital monitoring tools, and translational cardiovascular research platforms related to alcohol-associated cardiovascular disease.

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for alcohol-related cardiovascular disease risk prediction

• Biomarker discovery and validation technologies for alcohol-associated cardiovascular injury

• Multi-omics and systems biology analytics platforms

• Digital biomarker and wearable cardiovascular monitoring systems

• Imaging biomarkers and advanced cardiovascular imaging technologies

• EHR-integrated cardiovascular analytics and phenotyping platforms

• Precision diagnostics distinguishing alcohol-related versus non-alcohol-related CVD

• Predictive analytics for ischemic stroke, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, and cardiomyopathy

• Longitudinal cohort analysis and causal inference modeling systems

• Mendelian randomization and population health analytics technologies

• Sex-specific cardiovascular disease susceptibility and progression research platforms

• Prognostic biomarker development for disease progression and treatment response

• Clinical decision support systems for cardiovascular risk management

• Remote patient monitoring and cardiovascular digital health technologies

• Molecular pathway analysis and translational cardiovascular therapeutics research

• Integrated imaging, molecular, physiological, and digital biomarker platforms

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, laboratory testing, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, cardiovascular imaging research, bioinformatics analysis, longitudinal cohort analytics, clinical trial preparation, wearable integration, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable cardiovascular or digital health solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Postnatal Human Developmental Stages and Transitions: Relationships to Aging Changes and Outcomes over the Life Course

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through May 22, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on understanding how postnatal developmental stages and biological transitions influence health, resilience, disease risk, and aging outcomes across the lifespan. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary projects investigating how physiological, metabolic, immune, neurobehavioral, and regenerative processes during childhood, adolescence, and maturation shape long-term functional capacity, chronic disease susceptibility, and healthy aging trajectories.

NIH is particularly interested in projects exploring how developmental timing, stage transitions, and biological plasticity influence protective phenotypes, stress responses, tissue repair, cognitive health, immune function, and metabolic regulation. Companies developing AI-enabled developmental analytics platforms, biomarker discovery systems, digital health monitoring tools, longitudinal health modeling technologies, neurodevelopmental assessment systems, precision aging platforms, or resilience-focused therapeutics may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include immune and endocrine maturation, neurodevelopment, metabolic programming, stress-response systems, regenerative biology, developmental biomarkers, sex differences, resilience mechanisms, cancer and aging interactions, complementary and integrative health approaches, nutritional influences, and translational interventions capable of sustaining or mimicking favorable developmental phenotypes into adulthood and aging. NIH is also encouraging projects using longitudinal cohort data, computational biology, multi-omics technologies, digital phenotyping, and translational model systems to improve understanding of life-course health trajectories.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by multiple NIH Institutes and Offices including NIA, NCCIH, NCI, ECHO, OBSSR, and ONR, all of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve developmental health research, resilience science, aging biology, neurodevelopment, disease prevention, and life-course precision health strategies.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of developmental health technologies, biomarker systems, AI analytics platforms, longitudinal monitoring tools, resilience-focused interventions, and precision aging solutions.

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for developmental trajectory and aging-risk prediction

• Biomarker discovery and validation systems for maturational transitions and resilience

• Longitudinal developmental and life-course health analytics platforms

• Neurodevelopmental, cognitive, and behavioral assessment technologies

• Immune, endocrine, and metabolic maturation monitoring systems

• Regenerative biology and tissue-repair research technologies

• Digital phenotyping and wearable monitoring systems for youth and aging populations

• Precision health and resilience-focused intervention platforms

• Computational biology and systems modeling for developmental and aging research

• Sex-specific developmental and disease-risk analytics technologies

• Nutritional status and developmental metabolism assessment platforms

• Complementary and integrative health intervention technologies for emotional resilience

• Cancer survivorship and treatment-related aging trajectory monitoring systems

• Stress-response and psychophysiological regulation analytics platforms

• Multi-omics, exposome, and environmental influence modeling technologies

• Translational therapeutics designed to sustain or mimic favorable developmental phenotypes

• Prototype development, translational studies, and longitudinal validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and implementation scaling activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, bioinformatics analysis, wearable integration, longitudinal cohort analysis, clinical research, biomarker testing, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable developmental health or precision aging solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Advancing the Science of Prenatal Dietary Supplements

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through May 21, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on advancing the science of prenatal dietary supplements to improve maternal health, fetal development, and long-term child health outcomes. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary projects designed to generate pregnancy-specific evidence for nutrient requirements, biomarker development, supplement formulation, bioavailability, and maternal-child health optimization across pregnancy and early life.

NIH recognizes that many pregnant women experience nutrient deficiencies while others may exceed safe nutrient levels due to inconsistent prenatal supplement formulations and limited pregnancy-specific evidence. The initiative is particularly interested in projects that modernize prenatal nutrition science through biomarker innovation, metabolomics, computational modeling, clinical nutrition studies, and translational supplement formulation research.

Companies developing prenatal nutrition technologies, AI-enabled nutrition analytics platforms, biomarker discovery systems, supplement formulation technologies, metabolomics tools, maternal-fetal monitoring systems, microbiome analytics platforms, or precision nutrition solutions may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include pregnancy-specific nutrient metabolism, micronutrient biomarkers, nutrient bioavailability, dietary supplement formulation science, maternal-child outcomes, fetal neurodevelopment, placental biology, prenatal exposure analytics, environmental interaction modeling, microbiome effects, and maternal cardiometabolic health. NIH is also encouraging projects leveraging stable isotope methods, multi-omics technologies, adaptive clinical trials, in vitro bioaccessibility models, and longitudinal maternal-child cohort data to improve prenatal nutrition recommendations and supplement safety.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by multiple NIH Institutes and Offices including ODS, NIAAA, NIDCR, NIEHS, OBSSR, ODP, ONR, and ORWH, all of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve prenatal nutrition science, maternal-child health, fetal development, precision supplementation, and long-term health outcomes across the lifespan.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of prenatal nutrition technologies, biomarker systems, supplement formulation platforms, maternal-fetal analytics tools, and precision nutrition solutions.

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for prenatal nutrition analytics and risk prediction

• Biomarker discovery and metabolomics technologies for pregnancy-specific nutrient assessment

• Prenatal dietary supplement formulation and bioavailability testing systems

• Stable isotope and nutrient metabolism research technologies

• Maternal-fetal monitoring and longitudinal health analytics platforms

• Precision nutrition and personalized prenatal supplementation systems

• In vitro bioaccessibility and nutrient absorption modeling technologies

• Multi-omics, microbiome, and maternal-fetal systems biology platforms

• Environmental exposure and nutrient interaction analytics systems

• Clinical nutrition trial infrastructure and adaptive study platforms

• Prenatal supplement stability, dissolution, and degradation testing technologies

• Alternative supplement delivery systems including encapsulation, emulsions, powders, and liquid formulations

• Neurodevelopmental, placental, immune, and cardiometabolic outcome monitoring technologies

• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) nutrition intervention platforms

• Craniofacial, dental, and skeletal development nutrition research technologies

• Real-world evidence and maternal-child cohort data integration systems

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, laboratory testing, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, bioinformatics analysis, clinical nutrition research, analytical chemistry, toxicology testing, supplement formulation development, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable maternal health or nutrition science solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Unexplained Anemia in Older Persons: Elucidating Etiologies, Improving Diagnoses, and Identifying and Testing Potential Treatment Strategies

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through May 11, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on improving understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of unexplained anemia of aging (UAA) — a major unmet clinical challenge affecting older adults. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary research aimed at uncovering the biological, clinical, and mechanistic causes of anemia in older individuals whose condition cannot currently be explained by existing diagnostic categories.

NIH estimates that approximately 30–50% of anemia cases in adults over age 65 remain unexplained, despite anemia being strongly associated with increased morbidity, mortality, reduced physical function, and diminished quality of life. The initiative is particularly interested in projects that improve identification of novel anemia subtypes, clarify disease mechanisms, develop precision diagnostics, and evaluate targeted therapeutic interventions.

Companies developing AI-enabled diagnostics, biomarker discovery platforms, hematology analytics systems, precision medicine technologies, geriatric care solutions, microbiome analytics, digital health monitoring systems, or novel therapeutic platforms may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include inflammatory and immune-related mechanisms, cellular senescence, clonal hematopoiesis, hormone-related pathways, microbiome interactions, multimorbidity modeling, cancer-related anemia risk, predictive analytics, clinical screening strategies, and intervention studies targeting newly identified anemia subtypes. NIH is also encouraging projects using novel alternative methods (NAMs), computational biology, translational models, and longitudinal epidemiologic studies to better understand aging-associated hematologic dysfunction.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), both of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve diagnosis, risk stratification, treatment outcomes, survivorship, and quality of life for older adults affected by unexplained anemia.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of diagnostics, biomarkers, predictive analytics systems, therapeutics, and translational research technologies related to unexplained anemia of aging (UAA).

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for anemia subtype identification and risk prediction

• Biomarker discovery and precision hematology diagnostic technologies

• Computational biology and multimorbidity analytics systems

• Microbiome and metabolomics research platforms related to aging-associated anemia

• Inflammatory, immune, and cellular senescence pathway analysis technologies

• Clonal hematopoiesis and genomic profiling systems

• Wearable and remote monitoring technologies for geriatric health and anemia progression

• Precision medicine and targeted therapeutic development platforms

• Novel alternative methods (NAMs), organoid systems, and translational disease models

• Longitudinal aging and epidemiological analytics infrastructure

• Clinical screening, recruitment, and trial-matching technologies for older adults

• Cancer survivorship and anemia-related treatment toxicity monitoring systems

• Predictive analytics for therapy tolerance, recurrence, and mortality risk

• Digital health and geriatric care coordination platforms

• Hormone-related and metabolic pathway intervention technologies

• Functional health and quality-of-life monitoring systems

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, laboratory testing, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, bioinformatics analysis, preclinical studies, clinical trial preparation, microbiome research, biomarker validation, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable hematology or aging-health solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Research on Chatbots and their Usage

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 15, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on understanding the benefits, harms, safety, and long-term impacts of conversational chatbot technologies in healthcare and health-related settings. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary projects designed to rigorously evaluate how chatbot design, personalization, safeguards, and patterns of use influence health outcomes, clinical decision-making, autonomy, behavior, and trust across diverse populations and real-world contexts.

NIH recognizes that chatbots are increasingly used for symptom interpretation, chronic disease management, mental health support, caregiving, treatment decision-making, health information access, and social interaction — often without professional oversight. The initiative is particularly interested in projects that move beyond proof-of-concept to investigate causal mechanisms, unintended consequences, misinformation risks, automation bias, dependency, delayed professional care, and safe deployment practices.

Companies developing healthcare chatbots, AI safety platforms, conversational AI systems, digital therapeutics, clinical decision support tools, chatbot evaluation frameworks, governance systems, behavioral analytics platforms, or AI monitoring technologies may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include chatbot safety benchmarking, longitudinal user behavior analysis, AI transparency, guardrails and escalation systems, misinformation mitigation, mental health and substance use chatbot interventions, cancer care support tools, chatbot-human clinical integration, explainable AI systems, conversational AI for older adults and caregivers, and responsible AI frameworks aligned with healthcare interoperability standards such as FHIR and SMART on FHIR.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by multiple NIH Institutes and Offices including NIA, NCCIH, NCI, NIDA, NIDCR, NIMH, NLM, OBSSR, and ODSS, all of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve safe, ethical, evidence-based deployment of conversational AI and chatbot technologies in healthcare and public health environments.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, implementation, and commercialization of healthcare chatbot technologies, AI safety systems, conversational AI governance platforms, behavioral analytics tools, and clinical decision support solutions.

Eligible activities may include:

• Healthcare chatbot and conversational AI platform development

• AI safety monitoring, guardrails, and escalation systems

• Chatbot benchmarking, validation, and misinformation detection frameworks

• Clinical decision support and symptom interpretation technologies

• Mental health, substance use disorder, and behavioral health chatbot systems

• Cancer care support, patient education, and survivorship chatbot platforms

• Longitudinal user engagement and dependency analytics systems

• Explainable AI, transparency, and responsible AI governance tools

• Conversational AI systems for older adults, caregivers, and vulnerable populations

• AI-enabled risk stratification and safety monitoring technologies

• Digital therapeutics and chatbot-assisted intervention platforms

• FHIR, SMART on FHIR, and healthcare interoperability integration systems

• Behavioral and social science analytics related to chatbot usage patterns

• Human-centered AI design and co-development frameworks

• Clinical workflow integration and provider oversight systems

• Privacy-preserving conversational AI and secure data-sharing infrastructure

• Prototype development, translational studies, and real-world validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and implementation scaling activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, cybersecurity systems, user research, behavioral analytics, implementation science, interoperability integration, stakeholder engagement, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable healthcare AI or conversational technology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Quantum Information Science & Technologies for Biomedical Applications

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 9, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on applying Quantum Information Science (QIS) and quantum technologies to biomedical research, diagnostics, imaging, sensing, therapeutics, and computational biology. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary projects aimed at leveraging quantum physics principles to dramatically improve the precision, sensitivity, speed, and scalability of biomedical technologies and healthcare systems.

NIH is particularly interested in projects that integrate quantum technologies with classical biomedical systems to enable breakthroughs in disease detection, physiological sensing, biomolecular simulation, imaging, computational modeling, and therapeutic discovery. Companies developing quantum sensing platforms, quantum-enhanced imaging systems, quantum computing software, hybrid quantum-classical AI systems, biointerfaces, microfluidics, or advanced biomedical diagnostics may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include quantum-enhanced imaging, quantum biosensing, lab-on-a-chip diagnostics, quantum algorithms for biomolecular simulation, quantum computing for therapeutic discovery, optoelectronic biointerfaces, neural sensing technologies, quantum-enabled AI and predictive analytics, personalized medicine platforms, and translational quantum biomedical systems. NIH is also encouraging projects focused on portability, scalability, reproducibility, benchmarking against classical systems, and integration with clinical workflows and biomedical data infrastructures.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by multiple NIH Institutes and Offices including NIBIB, BRAIN Initiative, NCATS, NCI, NEI, NHLBI, NIDCR, NIGMS, and ODSS, all of which are seeking transformative innovations that advance quantum-enabled healthcare technologies, diagnostics, computational biology, imaging systems, and biomedical research infrastructure.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of quantum biomedical technologies, quantum computing platforms, sensing systems, imaging tools, diagnostics, and computational biology solutions.

Eligible activities may include:

• Quantum-enhanced biomedical imaging systems

• Quantum biosensing and ultrasensitive diagnostic platforms

• AI-enabled hybrid quantum-classical computational systems

• Quantum algorithms for biomolecular simulation and therapeutic discovery

• Quantum-enabled lab-on-a-chip and microfluidic diagnostic technologies

• Optoelectronic biointerfaces for physiological monitoring and modulation

• Quantum sensing systems for neural recording and neuromodulation

• Portable quantum diagnostics and point-of-care testing platforms

• Quantum imaging for cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, ocular, and craniofacial diseases

• Hyperpolarized MRI, photon-counting CT, and quantum optical coherence tomography technologies

• Quantum computing platforms for predictive analytics and personalized medicine

• Wearable and implantable quantum-enabled biomedical devices

• Biomedical data integration and quantum-enabled AI/ML infrastructure

• Real-time biomarker detection and physiological monitoring systems

• Translational quantum technologies integrated into clinical workflows

• Benchmarking, reproducibility, and scalability frameworks for quantum biomedical systems

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, quantum hardware development, cloud computing infrastructure, AI model development, laboratory testing, computational modeling, biomedical imaging research, device prototyping, bioinformatics analysis, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable quantum healthcare or biomedical technology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Enhancing Scientific Rigor, Transparency and Replicability

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 27, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on improving scientific rigor, transparency, reproducibility, and replicability across the biomedical research enterprise. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary projects that develop new tools, standards, methodologies, training programs, AI-enabled systems, and collaborative frameworks designed to strengthen the quality, validity, and reliability of scientific research outcomes.

NIH recognizes that reproducible and transparent research practices are essential for accelerating biomedical discovery, improving translational success, reducing bias, and maximizing public trust in science. The initiative is particularly interested in technologies and strategies that improve experimental design, metadata quality, protocol standardization, analytical reproducibility, AI validation, data interoperability, and dissemination of rigorous scientific practices.

Companies developing AI-driven research platforms, scientific workflow software, reproducibility analytics systems, metadata infrastructure, laboratory automation tools, benchmarking frameworks, biomedical informatics systems, open science technologies, or research collaboration platforms may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include AI-assisted rigor assessment, FAIR and TRUST-aligned data standards, automated metadata generation, reproducibility benchmarking, workflow traceability, protocol sharing, sex as a biological variable (SABV) frameworks, community-based training systems, common data elements (CDEs), multimodal data harmonization, laboratory automation, digital provenance tracking, and implementation science approaches that improve adoption of rigorous research practices. NIH is also encouraging projects supporting reproducibility in genomics, neuroscience, mental health, environmental health, imaging, clinical trials, aging, substance use research, and AI/ML evaluation frameworks.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program and related NIH research, education, and conference mechanisms, including opportunities for Phase I and Phase II commercialization support depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by a broad coalition of NIH Institutes and Offices including NINDS, NLM, NIBIB, NHGRI, NCI, NHLBI, NIA, NIMH, NIDA, NIAID, NEI, NCCIH, ORWH, ODSS, ODP, ODS, NIGMS, NIEHS, and many others, all of which are seeking scalable innovations that improve scientific validity, transparency, interoperability, and translational reliability across biomedical research.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, implementation, and commercialization of scientific rigor technologies, AI-enabled research infrastructure, reproducibility analytics platforms, metadata systems, and biomedical data science tools.

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning systems for assessing research rigor and reproducibility

• Automated protocol standardization and metadata generation platforms

• FAIR and TRUST-aligned data interoperability infrastructure

• Scientific workflow traceability and provenance tracking technologies

• Benchmarking and validation frameworks for AI/ML models

• Open science and collaborative research platforms

• Common data element (CDE) development and harmonization systems

• Biomedical informatics and multimodal data integration tools

• Laboratory automation and digital workflow capture technologies

• Research reproducibility analytics and variability assessment systems

• Clinical trial design optimization and statistical rigor tools

• Sex as a biological variable (SABV) reporting and analysis platforms

• Genomics, imaging, neuroscience, and environmental health reproducibility tools

• Community training, workforce development, and educational technologies

• Replication study infrastructure and scientific quality assurance systems

• Protocol sharing, versioning, and computational pipeline documentation platforms

• Prototype development, translational studies, and validation research

• Commercialization planning, implementation scaling, and regulatory preparation activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, biomedical data analysis, implementation science, standards development, stakeholder engagement, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable scientific infrastructure or biomedical research technology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: GLP-1s: Implications for Nutritional Status and Metabolic Health Outcomes

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 24, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on understanding how GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) impact nutritional status, metabolism, chronic disease outcomes, and population health. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary projects designed to investigate the biological, behavioral, clinical, and societal implications of rapidly expanding GLP-1 use, including both prescription therapies and dietary supplements marketed as “GLP-1 mimetics.”

NIH is particularly interested in research examining how GLP-1 therapies influence nutrient metabolism, body composition, appetite regulation, gastrointestinal function, microbiome composition, metabolic biomarkers, and long-term health outcomes. Companies developing AI-enabled nutrition analytics platforms, metabolic monitoring systems, digital therapeutics, wearable health technologies, precision nutrition platforms, dietary supplement testing systems, or real-world evidence platforms may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include metabolic health biomarkers, obesity and diabetes management, cancer prevention and survivorship, cardiovascular risk reduction, aging and cognitive outcomes, musculoskeletal health, ocular disease mechanisms, oral health effects, microbiome changes, and lifestyle interventions supporting GLP-1 treatment. NIH is also encouraging projects focused on the safety, composition, efficacy, and biological mechanisms of supplements marketed as GLP-1 mimetics, including interactions with prescription GLP-1 medications.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by numerous NIH Institutes and Offices including ODS, NCI, NEI, NHLBI, NIA, NIAMS, NIDCR, NIDDK, NINR, ODP, ONR, and OBSSR, all of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve metabolic health, nutrition science, chronic disease prevention, precision medicine, and evidence-based GLP-1 treatment strategies.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of metabolic health technologies, nutrition science platforms, AI analytics systems, digital therapeutics, biomarker tools, and dietary supplement evaluation technologies related to GLP-1 therapies and metabolic outcomes.

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for GLP-1 treatment optimization and metabolic monitoring

• Precision nutrition and personalized dietary intervention technologies

• Biomarker discovery and metabolic risk prediction systems

• Wearable devices and remote monitoring technologies for nutrition and body composition

• Digital therapeutics supporting GLP-1 adherence and lifestyle interventions

• Microbiome, metabolomics, and multi-omics analytics platforms

• Dietary supplement testing, formulation, and bioavailability evaluation technologies

• Real-world evidence and longitudinal outcomes research platforms

• Cardiovascular, sleep, and metabolic disease prevention technologies

• Cancer prevention and survivorship intervention systems related to GLP-1 use

• Aging, cognitive health, and neurodegenerative disease research platforms

• Musculoskeletal, bone density, sarcopenia, and fracture risk monitoring technologies

• Oral health, ocular health, and inflammatory response assessment systems

• Behavioral health, appetite regulation, and satiety analytics platforms

• Drug interaction and safety assessment technologies for GLP-1 mimetics

• Clinical decision support systems integrating nutrition and metabolic biomarkers

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, laboratory testing, nutritional analysis, wearable integration, clinical research, bioinformatics analysis, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable healthcare, nutrition, or biotechnology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Tackling Acquisition of Language in Kids (TALK)

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 21, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on understanding, evaluating, and improving outcomes for children with late language emergence, commonly referred to as “late talking.” This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary research aimed at advancing knowledge of early language development trajectories, identifying predictive factors for long-term outcomes, and developing more effective interventions and support systems for children experiencing language delays.

Late talking affects approximately 10% to 20% of children and may occur alongside conditions such as autism, speech-motor disorders, sensory disorders, developmental disabilities, or without any known underlying condition. NIH is particularly interested in projects that improve understanding of developmental variability, language recovery pathways, persistent language disorders, and the impact of social, cultural, and environmental factors on communication outcomes.

Companies developing speech and language technologies, AI-enabled developmental assessment platforms, digital therapeutics, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools, predictive analytics systems, educational technologies, caregiver support platforms, or longitudinal child development analytics solutions may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include longitudinal developmental tracking, predictive modeling, early identification tools, culturally responsive interventions, developmental trajectory analysis, communication assessment technologies, caregiver guidance systems, implementation science, and novel approaches to supporting communication success in children with diverse developmental needs. NIH is also encouraging projects leveraging existing datasets, AI and machine learning, telehealth delivery systems, and scalable digital interventions to improve clinical and community-based support for late-talking children.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for follow-on funding and commercialization support depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported primarily by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), both of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve childhood language development, developmental trajectory prediction, communication interventions, and long-term developmental outcomes.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of speech and language technologies, developmental assessment tools, AI analytics platforms, AAC systems, and child development intervention solutions related to late talking and language development.

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for language development prediction and assessment

• Speech and language screening and diagnostic technologies

• Longitudinal developmental tracking and analytics systems

• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technologies

• Digital therapeutics and communication intervention platforms

• Telehealth and remote speech-language therapy systems

• Caregiver guidance, education, and support technologies

• Developmental trajectory modeling and predictive analytics tools

• Autism, speech-motor, sensory, and developmental disability communication support systems

• Culturally and linguistically responsive language assessment platforms

• Educational technologies supporting early language acquisition

• Natural language processing (NLP) tools for child communication analysis

• Early identification and intervention systems for language disorders

• Clinical decision support and personalized treatment planning platforms

• Community-based and school-based language support technologies

• Data integration and enrichment tools for developmental research datasets

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, implementation scaling, and regulatory preparation activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, speech analytics, telehealth deployment, developmental research, data analysis, caregiver engagement, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable pediatric health or communication technology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Characterizing Interactions between Biology and Electromagnetic Radiation

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 20, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on understanding how low-intensity electromagnetic radiation (EMR) interacts with biological systems across therapeutic, environmental, and physiological contexts. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary research aimed at characterizing both the beneficial and potentially harmful effects of electromagnetic radiation exposure while advancing technologies that improve EMR sensing, imaging, dosimetry, delivery, and safety assessment.

NIH is particularly interested in projects exploring how optical, electric, magnetic, radiofrequency, ultraviolet, and other forms of electromagnetic radiation influence biological processes such as inflammation, tissue regeneration, mitochondrial function, blood flow, cellular repair, neural activity, and immune responses. Companies developing EMR-based therapeutics, bioelectronic medicine platforms, AI-enabled dosimetry systems, sensing technologies, imaging systems, computational modeling platforms, wearable exposure monitoring devices, or quantum-enabled biomedical technologies may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include personalized EMR therapies, therapeutic field optimization, environmental exposure analysis, AI-assisted EMR transport modeling, tissue-level dosimetry, exposure-response characterization, quantum sensing technologies, wearable exposure analytics, and safety assessment frameworks. NIH is also encouraging projects investigating EMR exposure from environmental sources such as cell phones, Wi-Fi routers, wearables, ultraviolet light, and cell towers, including studies focused on developmental susceptibility, exposomics, genetic and epigenetic response variability, and long-term health effects.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported primarily by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), both of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve EMR-based therapeutics, environmental exposure science, computational modeling, biomedical sensing, and human health outcomes.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of EMR-based technologies, biomedical sensing systems, computational modeling platforms, imaging tools, and environmental exposure analytics solutions.

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for EMR dosimetry and exposure modeling

• EMR sensing, imaging, and delivery technologies

• Bioelectronic medicine and electromagnetic therapeutic platforms

• Quantum-enabled biomedical sensing and measurement systems

• Wearable EMR monitoring and exposure assessment devices

• Computational biology and tissue transport simulation platforms

• Personalized EMR treatment optimization technologies

• Environmental exposure and exposome analytics systems

• Therapeutic electromagnetic field delivery and targeting systems

• Optical, electric, and magnetic field therapeutic technologies

• Cell phone, Wi-Fi, wearable, and radiofrequency exposure assessment tools

• Genetic and epigenetic response modeling related to EMR exposure

• Imaging and tissue-level perfusion monitoring systems

• Inflammation, regeneration, and mitochondrial function analysis technologies

• Safety monitoring, adverse effect detection, and risk stratification platforms

• Digital twins and predictive biomedical simulation systems

• Prototype development, translational studies, and validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, laboratory testing, biomedical imaging research, computational modeling, wearable integration, exposure analytics, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable healthcare, bioengineering, or environmental health technology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Advancing Childhood and Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Research

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 15, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on accelerating childhood, adolescent, and young adult (AYA) cancer research across the full continuum of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and long-term care. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary projects designed to improve understanding of pediatric and AYA cancer biology while advancing precision medicine, AI-enabled analytics, therapeutic development, and patient-centered care approaches.

NIH is particularly interested in projects addressing the unique challenges associated with pediatric and AYA cancers, including rare disease subtypes, limited patient populations, lack of robust preclinical models, treatment-related toxicities, fragmented datasets, and disparities in access to specialized care and clinical trials. Companies developing AI and machine learning platforms, pediatric oncology diagnostics, precision medicine technologies, clinical analytics systems, digital health platforms, survivorship monitoring tools, or decentralized clinical trial infrastructure may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include multi-omics analysis, AI-ready data infrastructure, fusion-driven cancer biology, synthetic lethality approaches, immunotherapy, tumor microenvironment research, treatment resistance, decentralized clinical trials, survivorship studies, prevention of treatment-related toxicities, and long-term quality-of-life monitoring. NIH is also encouraging projects focused on oral and craniofacial cancer complications, healthcare access, and integration of real-world evidence and electronic health record (EHR) data into pediatric cancer research.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported primarily by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), and the Office of Disease Prevention (ODP), all of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve pediatric and AYA cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment outcomes, survivorship, and quality of life.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of pediatric oncology technologies, AI platforms, diagnostics, therapeutics, clinical analytics systems, and survivorship care solutions.

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for pediatric and AYA cancer research

• Multi-omics data integration and predictive analytics systems

• Precision oncology diagnostics and biomarker discovery technologies

• Fusion-driven cancer and synthetic lethality therapeutic platforms

• Immunotherapy and tumor microenvironment research technologies

• Pediatric cancer imaging, pathology, and molecular analysis systems

• Decentralized clinical trial infrastructure and patient recruitment technologies

• Survivorship monitoring and long-term toxicity assessment platforms

• Digital health and remote patient monitoring tools for pediatric oncology

• Clinical decision support and treatment optimization systems

• Real-world evidence and EHR-integrated oncology analytics platforms

• Preclinical cancer models, organoids, and translational research systems

• Oral, dental, and craniofacial oncology technologies and treatment monitoring tools

• Prevention and mitigation technologies for treatment-related side effects

• Healthcare access and continuity-of-care platforms for pediatric cancer patients

• Data harmonization and AI-ready pediatric oncology research infrastructure

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, cloud computing infrastructure, AI model development, genomic sequencing, laboratory testing, bioinformatics analysis, clinical trial preparation, survivorship research, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable pediatric oncology or healthcare technology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Advancing Mechanism-driven Translational Research of Beneficial and Detrimental Effect of Psilocybin on Cancer and Other Health Conditions

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 10, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on advancing mechanism-driven translational research into both the beneficial and detrimental effects of psilocybin on cancer and other health conditions. This highlighted topic supports rigorous human-relevant studies designed to improve scientific understanding of psilocybin’s biological activity, therapeutic potential, safety profile, and long-term health impacts.

NIH is particularly interested in projects investigating molecular pathways, receptor interactions, biomarkers, pharmacology, neurobiology, and translational models that can inform future clinical trial design and evidence-based human use. Companies developing psychedelic therapeutics, AI-enabled biomarker platforms, digital therapeutics, neuropharmacology technologies, translational drug development systems, computational biology tools, or precision medicine platforms may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include psilocybin’s effects on cancer therapeutics, pain management, mental health, neuroplasticity, substance use disorders (SUDs), chronic use and microdosing, pharmacokinetics, host genetics, immune modulation, and interactions with standard-of-care therapies. NIH is also encouraging projects focused on novel psilocybin analogs, human-relevant disease models, AI-enabled analytics, and translational research technologies capable of improving therapeutic precision and risk mitigation.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), all of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve understanding, safety, therapeutic development, and evidence-based use of psilocybin and related compounds.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of psychedelic therapeutics, translational research technologies, biomarkers, computational tools, and precision medicine systems related to psilocybin research.

Eligible activities may include:

• Psilocybin therapeutic development and translational drug discovery

• AI and machine learning platforms for psychedelic biomarker analysis

• Neuropharmacology and neuroplasticity research technologies

• Precision medicine and patient stratification systems

• Clinical decision support and dosing optimization platforms

• Human-relevant disease models and translational research systems

• Computational biology and systems pharmacology tools

• Biomarker discovery and predictive analytics technologies

• Pain management and symptom burden intervention platforms

• Substance use disorder (SUD) therapeutic development technologies

• Psilocybin analog, prodrug, and modified compound development

• Pharmacokinetic and safety profiling technologies

• Digital therapeutics and behavioral intervention integration systems

• Immune, tumor, and neurological response analysis platforms

• Cancer symptom management and supportive care technologies

• Longitudinal monitoring systems for chronic use and microdosing studies

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, laboratory testing, medicinal chemistry, AI model development, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, clinical trial preparation, bioinformatics analysis, preclinical studies, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable biotechnology or therapeutic solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Enhancing the IMPROVE-funded Maternal Health Centers of Excellence

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 7, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging supplemental research proposals that enhance and expand the IMPROVE-funded Maternal Health Research Centers of Excellence and Hubs. This highlighted topic supports projects designed to accelerate research and innovation aimed at reducing maternal morbidity and mortality, particularly in underserved regions and populations with disproportionately poor maternal health outcomes.

The initiative is part of the NIH Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative and seeks to strengthen ongoing maternal health research through expanded geographic reach, collaborative partnerships, and integration of emerging maternal health technologies. NIH is especially interested in projects that expand research into maternity care deserts and regions with high rates of maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity.

Companies developing maternal health technologies, remote patient monitoring systems, digital health platforms, AI-enabled maternal risk prediction tools, telehealth infrastructure, wearable devices, pregnancy monitoring technologies, clinical analytics systems, or healthcare coordination platforms may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include maternal mortality prevention, pregnancy-related complication monitoring, rural and underserved healthcare delivery, collaborative maternal health research networks, digital diagnostics, remote monitoring, and integration of technologies developed through the RADx maternal health challenge. NIH is also encouraging scalable technologies and interventions that improve maternal outcomes, access to care, and longitudinal pregnancy health monitoring.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program and related NIH supplemental funding mechanisms, with opportunities for both translational research and commercialization support depending on project scope and alignment with existing IMPROVE-funded Centers and Hubs.

This highlighted topic is supported primarily by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), which is seeking transformative innovations that improve maternal healthcare access, clinical outcomes, and implementation of advanced maternal health technologies.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, implementation, and commercialization of maternal health technologies, remote monitoring systems, clinical analytics platforms, and healthcare delivery solutions designed to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.

Eligible activities may include:

• Remote maternal monitoring and wearable pregnancy technologies

• AI and machine learning platforms for maternal risk prediction

• Telehealth systems for prenatal and postpartum care

• Digital diagnostics and point-of-care maternal health technologies

• Healthcare coordination and maternal care navigation platforms

• Expansion of maternal health programs into maternity care deserts

• Pregnancy complication monitoring and early warning systems

• Clinical decision support systems for maternal healthcare providers

• Integration of RADx maternal health technologies into care delivery

• Population health analytics and maternal outcomes tracking systems

• Community-based maternal health intervention technologies

• Longitudinal pregnancy and postpartum monitoring platforms

• Rural maternal healthcare access and infrastructure technologies

• Collaborative maternal health data-sharing and interoperability systems

• Equity-focused maternal health implementation and outreach platforms

• Prototype development, implementation studies, and translational research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, wearable integration, clinical validation studies, telehealth deployment, healthcare systems integration, community engagement, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable maternal health solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Accelerating Hidradenitis Suppurativa Research

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 7, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on accelerating scientific understanding, diagnostics, predictive tools, and therapeutic development for Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary research designed to better understand the molecular, immunological, genetic, microbial, hormonal, metabolic, and environmental mechanisms driving HS development, progression, and disease flares.

HS is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting between 1% and 4% of the population and is associated with significant comorbidities including obesity, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, anxiety, and depression. NIH is particularly interested in projects that improve understanding of HS endotypes, inflammatory pathways, microbiome interactions, immune dysregulation, and environmental triggers while advancing precision diagnostics and targeted treatment strategies.

Companies developing dermatology diagnostics, AI-enabled predictive models, biomarker platforms, wearable health technologies, imaging systems, immunology tools, microbiome analytics, digital health platforms, or novel therapeutic technologies may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include immune signaling pathways, cytokine dysregulation, microbiome and biofilm interactions, genetic and exposome analysis, predictive analytics, wearable monitoring systems, point-of-care diagnostics, New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), clinical trial readiness platforms, and innovative translational research models. NIH is also encouraging development of common data elements (CDEs), sex-specific analyses, and collaborative research frameworks that improve future clinical trial execution and patient outcomes.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for follow-on funding and commercialization support depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by multiple NIH Institutes and Offices including the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), all of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve HS diagnosis, treatment, translational research, and patient quality of life.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of diagnostics, biomarkers, predictive analytics platforms, therapeutics, digital health tools, and translational research technologies related to Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS).

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for HS diagnosis and flare prediction

• Biomarker discovery and precision dermatology technologies

• Point-of-care diagnostics and wearable monitoring systems

• Imaging and digital dermatology assessment platforms

• Immunology and inflammatory pathway research technologies

• Microbiome, biofilm, and exposome analysis systems

• Computational biology and predictive modeling tools

• Genetic and epigenetic analysis platforms for HS research

• Digital health and remote patient monitoring technologies

• New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), organoids, and in vitro disease models

• Therapeutic target identification and translational drug development

• Clinical trial readiness tools and common data element (CDE) development

• Personalized medicine and sex-specific treatment approaches

• Environmental exposure and toxicology research platforms

• Omics analysis and systems biology technologies

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, laboratory testing, software engineering, AI model development, cloud infrastructure, bioinformatics analysis, preclinical studies, microbiome research, wearable integration, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable dermatology or biotechnology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Advancing Toward a Cure for Acquired Neuropathy

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 6, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on advancing disease-modifying therapies, biomarkers, diagnostics, and clinical outcome measures for acquired neuropathy (AN). This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary research aimed at improving understanding of neuropathy pathophysiology and accelerating the development of interventions capable of preventing, slowing, or reversing nerve damage associated with inflammatory, autoimmune, diabetic, and cancer-related neuropathies.

NIH is particularly interested in projects targeting major unmet needs in acquired neuropathy research, including biomarker discovery, improved clinical assessment tools, and regenerative or neuroprotective therapeutics. Companies developing neuromodulation technologies, AI-enabled diagnostics, biomarker analytics platforms, regenerative medicine solutions, digital health tools, peripheral nerve therapies, or advanced neurodiagnostic systems may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), autoimmune neuropathies, autonomic dysfunction, regenerative medicine, translational disease models, predictive analytics, wearable diagnostics, clinical monitoring systems, and novel therapeutic screening platforms. NIH is also encouraging projects that address disease heterogeneity, sex differences, socioeconomic influences, and personalized approaches to neuropathy treatment and monitoring.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported primarily by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), all of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve acquired neuropathy diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, and patient outcomes.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of diagnostics, biomarkers, therapeutics, neuromodulation systems, regenerative medicine technologies, and clinical monitoring tools related to acquired neuropathy.

Eligible activities may include:

• Biomarker discovery and predictive analytics platforms for neuropathy detection

• AI and machine learning tools for neuropathy diagnosis and progression monitoring

• Regenerative medicine and neuroprotective therapeutic development

• Neuromodulation and peripheral nerve stimulation technologies

• Clinical outcome measurement and digital assessment systems

• Wearable devices and remote monitoring technologies for neuropathy patients

• Translational animal models and organoid-based neuropathy research systems

• Therapeutics for diabetic neuropathy and autonomic neuropathy

• Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) prevention and treatment technologies

• Autoimmune neuropathy therapeutic platforms

• Computational biology and bioinformatics tools for neuropathy research

• Personalized medicine approaches for neuropathy management

• Imaging and diagnostic systems for peripheral nerve function assessment

• Drug screening and therapeutic validation platforms

• Pain management and sensory function monitoring technologies

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, laboratory testing, software engineering, AI model development, cloud infrastructure, biomarker analysis, preclinical studies, wearable integration, bioinformatics pipelines, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable neurology or biotechnology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Advancing Research into the Cause and Treatment of Rare Skin Diseases

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through April 2, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on advancing the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of rare skin diseases through multidisciplinary basic, translational, and clinical research. This highlighted topic supports projects aimed at uncovering disease mechanisms, identifying therapeutic targets, improving diagnostics, and accelerating the development of novel treatments for rare dermatological conditions that currently lack effective therapies.

NIH is particularly interested in projects investigating the genetic, molecular, cellular, and environmental factors contributing to rare skin diseases, many of which present in childhood and have limited or no FDA-approved treatment options. Companies developing dermatology therapeutics, gene therapies, AI-enabled diagnostics, biomarker technologies, organoid models, computational biology platforms, precision medicine systems, or regenerative medicine solutions may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include genetic studies, biomarker discovery, environmental exposure research, disease modeling, organoids and organ-on-chip systems, drug repurposing, gene editing, cell therapies, revertant mosaicism research, and therapeutics targeting shared molecular disease mechanisms across multiple rare skin disorders. NIH is also encouraging projects using New Approach Methodologies (NAMs), computational modeling, and translational platform technologies that can accelerate drug discovery and therapeutic development.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and translational impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by multiple NIH Institutes and Offices including the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), all of which are seeking transformative innovations that improve rare skin disease diagnosis, therapeutics, translational research, and patient outcomes.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of therapeutics, diagnostics, computational tools, disease models, and translational research platforms related to rare skin diseases.

Eligible activities may include:

• Gene therapy and gene editing technologies for rare skin diseases

• AI and machine learning platforms for dermatology diagnostics and biomarker discovery

• Cell therapy and regenerative medicine approaches

• Organoid, 3D tissue culture, and organ-on-chip disease modeling systems

• Computational biology and precision medicine platforms

• Biomarker discovery and disease progression monitoring technologies

• Drug repurposing and therapeutic screening systems

• Molecular and cellular pathway analysis tools

• Environmental exposure and exposome research technologies

• Translational platform technologies applicable across multiple rare diseases

• Basket trial infrastructure and shared molecular etiology therapeutic development

• Dermatology imaging and digital pathology systems

• Personalized medicine and genomic diagnostic platforms

• High-throughput drug screening and toxicology testing systems

• Autoimmune-associated skin disease therapeutic technologies

• Revertant mosaicism and disease reversal research platforms

• Prototype development, translational studies, and clinical validation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and manufacturing scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, laboratory testing, software engineering, AI model development, cloud infrastructure, genomic sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, preclinical studies, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable dermatology or biotechnology solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: Advancing “Science of Science” Research to Understand and Strengthen the Biomedical Research Ecosystem

Updated October 2026: NIH lists this Highlighted Topic as active through March 31, 2028. The next standard NIH SBIR/STTR due date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5 and September 5, 2027.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research proposals focused on advancing the “science of science” — a growing field dedicated to understanding and strengthening the biomedical research ecosystem. This highlighted topic supports multidisciplinary projects that analyze how scientific discoveries are generated, translated, funded, disseminated, reproduced, commercialized, and sustained across biomedical research systems and institutions.

NIH is particularly interested in projects that improve the efficiency, rigor, reproducibility, collaboration, workforce development, and commercialization outcomes of biomedical research. Companies developing research analytics platforms, AI-enabled scientific evaluation tools, workforce development technologies, collaboration software, data-sharing infrastructure, innovation measurement systems, or translational research optimization platforms may be strong candidates for funding.

Areas of interest include biomedical workforce development, team science, research reproducibility, data standardization, innovation analytics, translational bottleneck analysis, commercialization outcomes, research capacity building, AI and data science adoption, biomedical informatics, scientific collaboration networks, and economic impact assessment of research investments. NIH is also encouraging projects that strengthen underfunded research institutions, expand participation in biomedical research, and improve translational pathways from discovery to patient impact.

Funding is available through the NIH SBIR/STTR Program, which currently provides up to approximately $323,090 for Phase I projects and up to $2,153,927 for Phase II projects, with opportunities for additional commercialization and follow-on funding depending on project scope and implementation impact.

This highlighted topic is supported by multiple NIH Institutes and Offices including NIGMS, NLM, NIA, NIAID, NIBIB, NIDCR, NIMHD, NEI, ODSS, ORWH, and OBSSR, all of which are seeking scalable innovations that improve the effectiveness, sustainability, rigor, and impact of the biomedical research enterprise.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of scientific analytics platforms, biomedical workforce technologies, research infrastructure systems, collaboration tools, and translational research optimization solutions.

Eligible activities may include:

• AI and machine learning platforms for research analytics and scientific evaluation

• Research reproducibility and scientific integrity monitoring systems

• Biomedical workforce development and training technologies

• Team science and interdisciplinary collaboration platforms

• Translational research optimization and commercialization analytics

• Data standardization, interoperability, and sharing infrastructure

• Research productivity and innovation measurement tools

• Scientific collaboration network analysis platforms

• Biomedical informatics and research data science technologies

• Economic impact and return-on-investment analysis systems for research funding

• Predictive analytics for scientific innovation and translational success

• Research capacity building technologies for underfunded institutions

• Health disparities and inclusive workforce development solutions

• Scientific publishing, peer review, and research dissemination tools

• AI-enabled tools supporting biomedical informatics and health AI adoption

• Workforce recruitment, retention, and career progression analytics

• Prototype development, translational studies, and implementation research

• Commercialization planning, regulatory preparation, and scale-up activities

Funding may also support personnel, software engineering, cloud computing infrastructure, AI model development, data analytics, implementation research, collaboration systems development, workforce training programs, intellectual property protection, regulatory strategy, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable research technology or analytics solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

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

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

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?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

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?

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.

Review solicitation here.