- New awards
- 78
- in the last 12 months
- Median award
- $305K
- total award
- Middle half
- $305K to $305K
- 25th to 75th percentile
- Top directorate
- TIP
- 78 awards
About the NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I
NSF's SBIR and STTR programs fund startups and small businesses to turn science and engineering research into products with commercial and societal impact. NSF funds technical risk, not incremental product work.
Every applicant starts with a short Project Pitch; only companies invited after the pitch may submit a full Phase I proposal.
- First step
- A Project Pitch, then an invitation to submit
- Project length
- Usually 6 to 18 months
- Who applies
- U.S. small businesses (500 or fewer employees)
- Budget
- Capped per the current solicitation
Limits change between notices: the notice you apply to is what counts.
Open NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I opportunities
All NSF fundingRecently funded NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I projects
- STTR Phase I: Entropy-Driven Assembly of Gradient Lamellar Nanocomposites for Scalable Photonic Coatings
Sneha Sreekumar · MATERIUM TECHNOLOGIES INC., NJ · TIP · $305K · Aug 27, 2026
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will be to explore a faster, lower-cost way to fabricate advanced optical coatings for next-generation photonic, electronic, and sensing devices. Today, many high-performance optical coatings require expensive vacuum equipment,…
- STTR Phase I: Conformal sensor for radiation monitoring using organic semiconductors and conductors
Michael Bardash · RADIATION DETECTION SOLUTIONS LLC, NM · TIP · $305K · Aug 26, 2026
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project is an organic conductor and semiconductor platform to improve radiation dosimetry during radiation sessions. The novel approach poses manufacturing, supply chain, and materials alternatives to currently…
- STTR Phase I: Revealing Dangers in Heart Cells Using Multiple Molecular Sensors
CHANGHO CHUN · NUUKBIO INC, WA · TIP · $305K · Aug 21, 2026
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to address this limitation of predicting harmful effects on the heart by developing a live-cell screening platform. By focusing on cellular resilience capacity rather than static damage measurements, the project aims…
- STTR Phase I: Sensor-integrated platform enabling young learners to prototype circuits with AI-guided learning to expand access to modern electronics without hardware barriers
Deepali Gaur · CIRCUITS2ROBOTICS EDUVENTURES LLC, NJ · TIP · $305K · Aug 21, 2026
The broader and commercial impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will make foundational learning in modern electronics - sensors, introductory microelectronics, and circuit prototyping - accessible to young learners at scale by removing barriers to early engagement with…
- SBIR Phase I: 3D Micropillar Scaffolds for Self-Powered Bioelectric Stimulation
John Phillips · UltraMend Inc, NJ · TIP · $305K · Aug 18, 2026
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to advance the development of a novel material compound capable of self-powered electrical generation and stimulation. This project will develop and validate a three-dimensional scaffold that generates its own low-level…
- SBIR Phase I: Wireless Sidestep Network: Harnessing Sub-terahertz to Enable New Degrees of Freedom in AI Data Center Architectures
Gregory Whelan · Teradio Inc., MA · TIP · $305K · Aug 18, 2026
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to address a critical infrastructure bottleneck constraining the growth of artificial intelligence. Modern artificial intelligence training facilities house hundreds of thousands of accelerator processors interconnected…
- SBIR Phase I: Prosthetic implantable lens with integrated intraocular pressure sensor
Jae Kim · MEDENOVATE LLC, CA · TIP · $305K · Aug 18, 2026
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will address severe vision loss by advancing a fully synthetic artificial implantable lens technology. This project will develop a synthetic replacement with a built-in, power-free pressure indicator integrated directly into its…
- SBIR Phase I: Ultra-low volume approach to injections using a novel jet injection system
Israel Ojo · YADONAI LLC, FL · TIP · $305K · Aug 18, 2026
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is to develop a rapid and labor-saving approach to managing diseases. Diseases that spread through timber's vascular system are among the most serious threats. For many of these diseases, direct injection treatments are the only…
- SBIR Phase I: An Energy-Efficient Fermentation Platform to Lower the Cost of Industrial Biomanufacturing
Victor M Reyes-Umana · IZOTE BIOSCIENCES INC., CA · TIP · $305K · Aug 18, 2026
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project lies in making the industrial production of useful chemicals more efficient, more affordable, and less dependent on petroleum. Many everyday products can be made by growing microorganisms in large tanks, a process called…
- SBIR Phase I: Analog Neural Networks Enabled by Tunable Apertures
Bowen Zheng · ORION WAVE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, MA · TIP · $305K · Aug 18, 2026
The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is in addressing the massive energy demands of modern artificial intelligence by developing a computing platform utilizing radio waves instead of traditional electrical circuits to perform complex calculations. This innovation enables…
- STTR Phase I: Smart Imaging for Intelligent and Efficient Aquaculture
Yu Ji · LIGHTTHOUGHT LLC, NJ · TIP · $305K · Aug 18, 2026
The broader impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project technology benefits scientists by enabling the observation and monitoring of fragile submerged domains with high quality visual data. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project aims to develop an intelligent,…
- STTR Phase I: Separation Processes for Advanced Recovery of Critical Minerals and Materials
Seyed Hassan Amini · Inventra Technologies LLC, PA · TIP · $305K · Aug 18, 2026
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is focused on developing a novel framework for selective liberation and separation of components of complex bonded material systems. Using controlled mechanical operating conditions, it will selectively liberate components…
- SBIR Phase I: Universally-Adjustable Modular Prosthesis Socket
Jeffrey L Gair · MODULAR MATTER, INC., MD · TIP · $305K · Aug 13, 2026
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to create a universally adjustable, semi-flexible modular socket system that adapts to fluctuations in limb volume and shape changes while providing a secure and comfortable fit. The modular design enables the…
- SBIR Phase I: Perovskite Solar Cells on Metal Foil Substrates: Enabling Low-Cost and Flexible Solar Technology
VIVEK BABU · VERDE TECHNOLOGIES INCORPORATED, VT · TIP · $305K · Aug 13, 2026
The broader/commercial impact of this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will be the development of a lightweight, flexible, and potentially recyclable solar manufacturing approach that can expand the range of applications for solar energy. Conventional solar panels are rigid and heavy, which limits…
- STTR Phase I: A Scalable Bruchs Membrane Platform to Find Better Treatments and a Cure for Age Related Macular Degeneration
Christian Iverson · MYXTEK BIO, LLC, UT · TIP · $305K · Aug 13, 2026
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to enable the development of a reliable laboratory model for age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of irreversible vision loss worldwide. This disease affects millions of older adults and creates…
Institutions with the most new NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I awards
- 1AICONIC BIOSCIENCES LLC, CA1
- 2AK INNOVATIONS LLC, IL1
- 3AMG DETECTION, INC., GA1
- 4AMYGO SOLUTIONS LLC, TX1
- 5APPLIED RESEARCH TRANSFORMATION, PLLC, NC1
- 6BAO TECH, CO1
- 7BONNE TERRE CONSULTING LLC, VA1
- 8CALEO BIOTECHNOLOGIES, INC., MD1
- 9CAMBRYA, INC., TX1
- 10CHANNEL ROBOTICS, INC., CA1
How to write it
All guidesGrantee reads the notice, sets up every required section with its page limit and drafts each one with you, then checks the draft against the requirements before you submit.
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New NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I awards with notice dates from Oct 27, 2025 to Oct 27, 2026, from NSF Award Search. Amounts are the estimated total award; NSF awards are matched by their title prefix. Updated Oct 27, 2026.