Browse and filter through available opportunities easily. We provide support for various funding agencies including NIH SBIR, NSF SBIR, DOE, DOD, NASA, custom projects and more.
2Collaborate on Projects
Work with your team members in real-time. You can bring up to 5 team members, chat with individuals, assign roles to each team member, and work collaboratively.
3Receive Expert Support
Submit your ideas and content to our expert team for a quick review, polish draft, or rewrite. Easy file sharing and real-time collaboration included.
4Submit Your Application
Submit your proposal to the government and work with our team to repurpose, improve, and reapply to unlimited opportunities!
5Receive Funding
If the government likes what they see and pending formal paperwork, you will begin seeing money in your company's bank account!
Join our 4Startup Webinar ListReady to turbocharge your SBIR funding future? Click any agency to sign up for our webinars and get one step closer to federal funding.
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Unlocking Innovation Across IndustriesDiscover the Diverse Range of SBIR Funded Sectors
Health & Science
Department of Defense
Technology
Biochemistry
Electronics
Advanced materials
Molecular Biology
Information Systems
Virtual Reality
Engineering
Weapons
Energy
Physical Sciences
Air Platform
IoT
Immunology
Space Platforms
Medical Devices
Neurosciences
Battleships
Robotics
Neurobiology
Chem Bio Defense
Artificial Intelligence
Psychology
Cybersecurity
Semiconductors
Social Sciences
Human Systems
Wireless Technology
Therapeutics
Materials
Climate technology
Diagnostics
Quantum Sciences
Environment Technology
Clinical Research
Control and Comms
Agriculture Technology
FAQsIf you still have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to chat with us. We're here to help!
What is the SBIR program ?
Most startups begin with a novel idea, which needs to be tested before any investor will believe it. The US government recognized this back in 1982, when they established the SBIR program under the SBA to support innovative R&D in startups at the concept stage.
Under this program, startups are awarded grants or contracts by the Federal government, without any expectation of direct financial returns. In other words, these are not loans, and nor does the government want shares or part ownerships in startups. This is why SBIR grants and contracts are often termed "non-dilutive funding" for startups, to distinguish them from investor funds that result in entrepreneurs' ownerships in their own companies being 'diluted'.
How much money are we talking about ?
The funds are given in 2 phases:
Phase 1 - when you have a concept and want some funds to test the feasibility of your novel ideas. Depending on the agency, the range is typically $50-400K
Phase 2 - when you have de-risked a technology and want funds to develop a prototype and commercialize it with one or more pilot partners. Depending on the agency, the range is $500K-1.5M
Some agencies also offer a Phase 3 and matching funds for outside investments that the startup brings in.
What topics are funded ?
We can guarantee that no genuine startup, working on a novel product or service, will have trouble finding a fit with one or more of the SBIR grant and contract programs. The SBIR program is run by 11 Federal agencies on different dates throughout the year. Most agencies fund inter-disciplinary products, but in general:
National Science Foundation (NSF) - the most agnostic, funds almost all areas of science and technology
National Institutes of Health (NIH) - any and everything to do with health
Department of Defense (DoD) - any and everything to do with defense and people within defense. DoD includes its various components, such as Air Force, Army, Navy, etc.
US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) - Agriculture, food, and plan-related innovations in rural and urban ecosystems
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Food, water, air, forests, etc. all innovations that impact the environment around us
NASA - innovations related to space and earth-bound products with potential applications in space
Dept. of Energy - innovations in renewable and.r non-renewable energy in all its forms
Dept. of Education - innovations and technologies to further educational systems in the US at all levels
Dept. of Transportation - Air, water, and land transport innovations
Dept. of Homeland Security - innovations pertaining to ports of entry/exit and related products with impact on Homeland Security
Dept. of Commerce - Funds SBIRs through NOAA (ocean exploration, ocean-water tech, atmospheric sciences) and NIST (measurement-related innovations across all areas of science and tech)
What exactly is funded under the SBIR program ?
This is the toughest question to answer specifically, because of the subjectivity in how different people view the kind of work they do. But essentially, startups should know that the 'IR' in SBIR stands for Innovation Research, and so all SBIR grants and contracts are awarded for innovative (new) R&D work on US soil that has the potential to benefit the US economy in some way. One thing to note is that innovative R&D doesn't mean that you need to propose work in a university laboratory. It simply means that your work should lead to a new finding that can be applied in a commercial world.
We have more guidance on our app, and strategy consultation available for you to gauge whether your project could be viewed as innovative R&D. We have helped several startups understand and position their projects in a way that make them suitable for the program.
How long does it take ?
From the time of application to receiving the money, a Phase 1 grant typically takes 3-6 months. The Air Force program is the fastest, wherein you get notified of a Phase 1 $50K award in 2 months following the application deadline. If you think that 3-6 months is a long time, and that investors might write you a check quicker, you should look up 'how long does raising seed funding take' for a reality check. And remember, this is free money that we're talking about!
What about STTR ?
The Small Business Technology Transfer Research is a special program within the SBIR ecosystem, which was designed to foster deeper collaborations between universities and startups. Its typically used by academic professors to commercialize inventions from university laboratories, and has flexible rules around budget spending and Principal Investigator eligibility.
TurboSBIR is more than just a grant solution, we're your partner in startup success, empowering innovation across the USA.