NIH SBIR/STTR Phase I grants: recently funded projects and award sizes

Project length

Usually 6 months to 1 year

Who applies

U.S. small businesses (500 or fewer employees, mostly U.S.-owned)

Research Strategy

Usually 6 pages, plus a 1-page Specific Aims

Budget

A guideline set by the SBA and stated in each notice; larger requests need justification

Limits change between notices: the notice you apply to is what counts.

• ForecastedPAR-27-040

  Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs (Parent R41/R42 Clinical Trial Optional)

  Est. deadline Jan 5, 2027

• ForecastedPAR-27-039

  Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs (Parent R43/R44 Clinical Trial Optional)

  Est. deadline Jan 5, 2027

• OpenPA-27-100

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

  Deadline Apr 5, 2027

• OpenPA-27-102

  NIH Small Business Technology Transfer Grant (Parent STTR [R41/R42] Clinical Trial Optional)

  Deadline Apr 5, 2027

• OpenPA-27-101

  NIH Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough Award (Parent [R44] Clinical Trial Optional)

  Deadline Apr 5, 2029

• OpenPAR-27-098

  SBIR/STTR Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program (Parent SB1 Clinical Trial Optional)

  Deadline Apr 5, 2029

• Development of a milk analyzing technology for the detection of antibiotic contamination using fluorescence spectroscopy and artificial intelligence.

  Joseph Adams · Labby Inc., MA · FDA · $200K · Sep 28, 2026

  Labby Inc. is developing a breakthrough milk analyzer technology to detect antibiotic contamination in dairy milk. Antibiotics use in livestock is a common practice for the treatment and prevention of infection. Every year, as much as 240,000 metric tons of these drugs are administered to farm animals around the…

• SN102: a Novel Gene Therapy for Trigeminal Neuralgia Pain

  Daniel Saragnese · Sereneuro Therapeutics, Inc., MD · NIDCR · $338K · Sep 23, 2026

  Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a severe neuropathic pain condition affecting up to 15,000 new patients annually in the US. Current treatments are limited to medications with serious side effects and poor efficacy, or invasive neurosurgical procedures. SN102 is a novel gene therapy that utilizes base editing to install a…

• Silk protein-based orthopedic implanted fixation devices for craniomaxillofacial applications

  Samuel J Lin · Orthosilk, MA · NIDCR · $343K · Sep 22, 2026

  Our ultimate objective is to develop silk protein-based orthopedic implanted fixation devices (e.g. screws, plates, rods, nails, and pins) with optimal mechanical properties and biodegradation for craniomaxillofacial (CMF) applications. Our silk protein-based devices will overcome the limitations of existing…

• A novel therapeutic, L2ASOCLE, for treating cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE)

  Kutay Karatepe · L2 Diagnostics, LLC, CT · NIAMS · $323K · Sep 19, 2026

  Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a chronic autoimmune skin disorder characterized by sustained inflamma;on, immune dysregula;on, and progressive ;ssue damage. In its more persistent forms, such as discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), it can lead to permanent scarring and disfigurement, significantly impac;ng a…

• Rib Fixation for Prevention of Proximal Junctional Kyphosis (PJK) in Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery

  Richard Glenn Hepfer · Apex Orthopaedic Technologies LLC, SC · NIAMS · $316K · Sep 19, 2026

  Adult spinal deformity is a common degenerative pathology of adulthood in which the spine curves abnormally. This can include deformities in the coronal plane (scoliosis), or sagittal plane (kyphosis), and affects 68% percent of the population age >60 years old. Technical advancements in adult spinal deformity surgery…

• Novel macrophage repolarization therapy for colorectal cancer

  James W Larrick · Panorama Research, Inc., CA · NCI · $387K · Sep 18, 2026

  Colorectal cancer ranks third in cancer deaths among men and fourth among women in the US. While immunotherapy response rates in CRC are 30-70% for patients with microsatellite instability, this group makes up only 15% of CRC patients, and only 3-6% of advanced CRC. Response rates remain low for the majority of the…

• Novel Ocular Aerosol Drug Delivery Device for the Treatment Optimization of Glaucoma.

  Matthew Herpin · Via Therapeutics, LLC, TX · NEI · $277K · Sep 18, 2026

  In the proposal we seek to understand the mechanisms of pharmacokinetic advantage from micro-volume aerosol instillations in ocular drug delivery. Conventional eye-drops have been the mainstay for treating for treating front of the eye diseases for decades. However, despite their widespread use, there are several…

• AD-Exo: An Innovative Platform for Exosome-based Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

  Kristyn S Masters · Exovista LLC, CO · NIA · $458K · Sep 18, 2026

  The onset of neuropathology in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can precede clinical symptoms by 20 years, requiring innovative approaches for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating this disease. PET imaging and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are currently used for AD diagnosis, but these methods are costly,…

• EC16 Nanoparticles: Bridging Oral Health and Alzheimer's Prevention via FAST Nanotechnology

  Stephen Hsu · Camellix, LLC, GA · NIA · $500K · Sep 18, 2026

  Periodontal disease (PD) affects up to 90% of adults worldwide and disproportionately impacts older adults, who are more likely to experience tooth loss, systemic inflammation, and comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. PD is also associated with a 70% increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease…

• Immunometabolic Therapeutics for Alzheimer's Disease

  Andrew Leber · Biotherapeutics, Inc., VA · NIA · $500K · Sep 18, 2026

  Immunometabolic Therapeutics for Alzheimer’s Disease Biotherapeutics Inc (BTI) is an emerging biotech company that synergistically combines the power of advanced computational modeling with translational experimentation to accelerate the development of novel precision medicine therapeutics for inflammatory, autoimmune…

• Development of antisense oligonucleotides against PEG10 in the fight against ALS-FTD

  Wendy Overton · Endios Bio, Inc., LA · NINDS · $445K · Sep 18, 2026

  Abstract Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis with frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD) is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease that results from the loss of upper and lower motor neurons, as well as neurons of the frontal cortex. The resulting symptoms of ALS-FTD are progressive motor and cognitive impairment. There…

• Skywalker: Innovations in design to improve adoption and use of mobility aids by older adults

  Meryl Unger · Thought Forward Design, Inc., NY · NIA · $393K · Sep 17, 2026

  Mobility is essential for aging well, as it fosters independence, exercise, and socialization. However, age-related mobility impairments in older adults can lead to a detrimental cycle of physical and psychological decline. This decline is often exacerbated by inactivity and social isolation, which increases the risk…

• Rejuvenis: A Partially Reprogramming Small Molecule Drug for Brain Rejuvenation and Alzheimer's Disease Therapy

  Babak Esmaeli-Azad · Bellwethers Inc., CA · NIA · $545K · Sep 17, 2026

  Significance: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that impairs cognition, function, and independence, ultimately leading to death. Over 55 million people worldwide are affected, with aging as the greatest risk factor. Existing therapies provide only modest, temporary benefit; no…

• Brain-based hearing enhancement: a wearable, noninvasive patch to enhance speech communication and expand treatment access for the hearing impaired

  Charles Rodenkirch · Sharper Sense, Inc., NY · NIA · $308K · Sep 17, 2026

  Sharper Sense is developing a novel, low-cost, noninvasive wearable neuromodulation patch to improve speech- in-noise (SIN) intelligibility for individuals with age-related hearing loss by activating attention and arousal related neural circuitry via transcutaneous cervical vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS). This…

• Mitigating Age-Related Cognitive Decline through a First-in-Class Lipid Neurogenic Therapy

  Stanislav I Svetlov · Immunova, LLC, FL · NIA · $460K · Sep 17, 2026

  Age-related cognitive decline, driven by the depletion of neural stem cells (NSPC) and suppressed neurogenesis, is a clinical signature of Alzheimer Disease (AD) and AD Related Dementia and represents a major unmet medical need. Currently, no approved therapies can reverse the underlying neurodegeneration. To address…

1. 1Celdara Medical, LLC, NH4
2. 2Keylicon Biosciences Inc, MA4
3. 3Biotherapeutics, Inc., VA3
4. 4Cmtx Biotech, Inc., NY3
5. 5Via Therapeutics, LLC, TX3
6. 637degrees, Inc., IL2
7. 7Alveolus Bio, Inc., AL2
8. 8Amissa, Inc., NC2
9. 9Analytical Diagnostic Solutions, Inc., NJ2
10. 10Applied Biotechnology Institute, CA2

• How to Write an SBIR Phase I Proposal: Eligibility, Feasibility and the Work Plan
• How to Write an NIH Grant Application: Specific Aims, Research Strategy and the 2026 Rules
• SAM.gov, UEI and Grants.gov Registration Checklist for Federal Grant Applicants