Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs (SBIR/STTR): A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation.
Limited submission
NSF’s SBIR/STTR pilot funds up to $2M for startups and small businesses developing next-generation scientific instruments and technologies to advance scientific discovery and innovation in the U.S.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: July 27, 2026 | November 4, 2026 | March 4, 2027 | July 7, 2027
Funding Amounts: Up to $2 million per company for R&D (Phase I, II, Fast-Track, and supplements); Strategic Breakthrough awards up to $30 million (by invitation); total program funding up to $40 million.
Summary: Supports startups and small businesses developing next-generation scientific instrumentation, experimental platforms, and enabling technologies to advance U.S. scientific discovery.
Key Information: Phase I and Fast-Track proposals require an invitation via Project Pitch; eligibility limited to U.S. small businesses.
Description
This grant opportunity from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) supports startups and small businesses through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, with a special pilot emphasis on scientific instrumentation. The program seeks to accelerate the development of novel scientific instruments, experimental platforms, and enabling technologies that are critical for advancing U.S. scientific and engineering research—including infrastructure needed for AI-driven discovery. Funding is available for R&D at early stages of technology development, with a goal to strengthen the American scientific enterprise and foster transformative innovations.
