From eligibility to application for SBIR and STTR grants: target the right agency across Phase I and Phase II, plus every other US grant you qualify for.
SBIR/STTR across DOD, NIH, NSF, DOE, NASA and more, all with one application
Free
Eligibility check after you sign up
4 routes
Grants, family offices, angel investors & VCs
Typical SBIR awards run ~$150K to $300K in Phase I to prove feasibility and up to $2.15M in Phase II for full R&D development, funded by 11 federal agencies.
The founder's guide
What Are SBIR & STTR?
SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) and its sister programme STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) make up the federal government's seed fund for deep-tech, often called "America's Seed Fund." Eleven agencies set aside a portion of their R&D budgets to fund small companies, and the money is non-dilutive: you keep 100% of your equity and your intellectual property.
SBIR is competitive and agency-specific, so the winning move is rarely to apply blind to a single topic. The strongest founders match precisely to the right agency, then stack SBIR with state grants and the R&D tax credit. Our free eligibility check shows you the SBIR topics, and every other US grant, you qualify for.
How SBIR works
The Three Phases of SBIR
SBIR is a structured pipeline. You start with feasibility, graduate to development, then commercialise, each stage unlocking the next.
Phase I – Feasibility
Prove your concept is technically feasible. A short project, typically 6–12 months, with a modest award. The goal is evidence, not a finished product.
~$150K–$300K (varies by agency)
6–12 months
Gateway to Phase II
Award~$150K–$300K
Phase II – Development
Build and validate the full R&D project, based on Phase I results. The major funding stage, usually around two years, often with matching or follow-on options.
Up to ~$2.15M (agency-dependent)
~24 months
Requires successful Phase I
AwardUp to $2.15M
Phase III – Commercialisation
Bring the technology to market. SBIR doesn't fund Phase III directly, but it unlocks sole-source government contracts and positions you for private capital.
No SBIR funds, but major contract potential
Sole-source government procurement
Strong signal to private investors
OutcomeGo to market
SBIR vs STTR:STTR works the same way but requires a formal partnership with a research institution (such as a university or federal lab), which must perform a set share of the work. If you're spinning out of academic research, STTR is often the better fit.
Who qualifies
SBIR Eligibility: Do You Qualify?
SBIR has firm structural requirements. Check these before you invest time in a proposal.
US for-profit small business with fewer than 500 employees.
Majority US-owned and independently operated. Specific ownership rules apply, including for venture-backed firms at certain agencies.
Work performed in the US. The funded R&D must take place domestically (with limited exceptions).
Principal Investigator employed by the company (for SBIR, primarily employed by your company; for STTR, the PI can sit with the research partner).
STTR only: a formal research-institution partner performing a minimum share of the work.
A genuine R&D project that matches a specific open agency topic.
A founder's guide
How to Apply for an SBIR Grant
SBIR rewards preparation and precision. Here's the path from registration to award.
Week 1–3
Register Early
Get your Unique Entity ID, complete SAM.gov registration, and set up accounts on SBIR.gov and the agency portal. These can take weeks, so never start them the week of a deadline. Run the free eligibility checker to shortlist the right agencies first.
Week 2–4
Match to an Open Topic
Find an open SBIR/STTR topic that fits your technology at an agency that funds your field, NIH for health, NSF for broad deep-tech, DOD for defence, DOE for energy. Relevance to the topic is scored first.
Week 3–5
Talk to the Program Manager
Contact the topic's program manager before writing, this is the highest-leverage step in the whole process. For NSF, submit a Project Pitch first to get a fast go/no-go before you invest in a full proposal.
Submit → 4–6 mo
Write, Submit, Deliver
Write to the agency's review criteria, evidencing technical merit and commercial potential, and submit before the deadline. Phase I decisions take roughly 4–6 months. Deliver Phase I cleanly to unlock the much larger Phase II.
Done-for-you service
Don't want to write it yourself? We build the application for you.
The steps above are the do-it-yourself route. If you would rather hand it off, our grant specialists write, package and manage the whole application for you, working alongside you so the technical detail stays yours while we handle the process.
1ApplyTell us about your startup and the grant you are targeting. It takes a few minutes.
2Chat with a specialistA grant specialist checks your fit, confirms the right programme, and scopes the work with you.
3We build your applicationWe write the narrative, budget and supporting documents to the funder's exact scoring criteria.
4We guide every stageMany grants run in several rounds (assessment, interviews, sometimes multiple phases, then reporting). We handle each step and explain everything as we go.
Transparent, mostly success-based pricingA modest upfront fee to scope and start the work (not always tied to your metrics), plus a success fee based on the grant, the amount awarded, and your business. Every engagement is quoted individually.
Apply and we'll come back with a tailored budget for your specific grant.
Interactive Tool
Check Your US Grant Eligibility in 30 Seconds
Every US programme is listed below by default. Tell us your stage and sector to narrow them to the SBIR/STTR, agency, and federal programmes that match your startup. Getting matched is 100% free - no fee, no commission, no credit card.
Choose your stage and sector below to see which US grants you may be eligible for
Want a definitive eligibility report? It's free.
This is a first-pass match based on stage, sector, and geography. Complete the application form and we'll automatically match you with the most relevant grants - including the one you're researching - cross-referencing your technology, IP, team, and traction against every active US programme. This matching service is completely free: no fee, no commission, no credit card required.
The strongest raises stack multiple non-dilutive programmes. Here are the other US grants you can apply for, all matched in one free eligibility check.
SBIR Phase I awards are typically around $150K–$300K to prove feasibility, and Phase II awards run up to roughly $2.15M for full development. Exact amounts vary by agency, and some offer supplements or matching. It's all non-dilutive, you keep your equity and IP.
They're closely related. The key difference: STTR requires a formal partnership with a research institution (such as a university or federal lab) that performs a minimum share of the work, and allows the Principal Investigator to be based there. SBIR requires the PI to be primarily employed by your company. If you're spinning out of academic research, STTR often fits better.
Often yes, but ownership rules matter. The company must still be majority US-owned and meet size limits, and some agencies allow majority ownership by multiple venture firms while others don't. Check the specific agency's rules. Many startups raise equity and win SBIR at the same time.
Match your technology to the agency's mission: NIH for health and biotech, NSF for broad deep-tech, DOD for defence and dual-use, DOE for energy, NASA for space. Our free eligibility check helps you find the agencies and topics that fit your startup.
Yes, and it's a strong combination. SBIR funds the R&D and validates your technology in investors' eyes; equity funds commercialisation and scale. After your award, find US angels and VCs on AngelsPartners to fund go-to-market.
The Full Capital Stack
Grants Are Only Part of the Stack
SBIR awards and federal grants cover early-stage R&D, but most US startups need equity capital to scale. The strongest raises combine non-dilutive grants with angel or VC investment.
AngelsPartners is the only platform where a founder can access all three capital pathways in one place: grants (this page), debt financing, and 120,000+ equity investors.
Equity funding
US Angels & VCs
Search a database of angels, micro-VCs, and funds investing in US startups. Filter by sector, geography, ticket size, and stage. Direct contact details included - no gatekeepers, no pay-to-pitch.
Venture debt, revenue-based financing, and startup loan programmes - without diluting your cap table. Our AI matches you to a curated lender network based on your revenue, traction, and geography.
