SwRI: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Consulting.

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are competitive funding mechanisms that provide qualified small businesses with opportunities to propose innovative ideas that meet the specific research and development needs of the U.S. Government. The programs fund the development of novel medical technology through eleven federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense (DOD), NASA, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

American-owned (at least 51%) small businesses organized for profit with less than 500 employees may submit grant applications to compete for funds that can be used for product development. For the STTR program, the small business must team with a research institution. Such a partnership is not required for the SBIR program.

The SBIR and STTR programs utilize a three-phase approach:

• Phase I

  • Goal is to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the innovation

  • Project duration is typically six months

  • Project budget is typically $50,000 to $100,000

• Phase II

  • Goal is to develop and test a prototype implementation

  • Project duration is typically two years

  • Project budget is typically $225,000 to $750,000

• Phase III

  • Goal is to complete development and commercially market the product

  • Many agencies have matching funds programs for private investment

Engineers at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) routinely participate in NIH Study Sections to review SBIR, STTR, and other NIH grant proposals. This experience provides unique insight to the National Institutes of Health grant review process that can assist our clients in successfully competing for SBIR/STTR funds from the NIH. This support may be in the form of:

• Assisting with the development of a proposal outline suitable for the SBIR/STTR programs

• Assisting with the development of the proposal application

• Providing the engineering support necessary to strengthen the SBIR/STTR grant application

• Working with your company to realize the aims of funded SBIR/STTR projects

For more information about the SBIR and STTR programs and the capabilities available at SwRI that can assist your small business successfully compete for and conduct SBIR and STTR projects, please contact David A. Tong, Ph.D., at dtong@swri.org or (210) 522-2316.