Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs (SBIR/STTR): A Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation.
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
Funding Amounts: Up to $2,000,000 per company (Phase I, II, Fast-Track, Supplements); estimated total program funding $40,000,000; ~86 awards expected.
Summary: Supports startups and small businesses developing next-generation scientific instrumentation, experimental platforms, and enabling technologies to advance scientific discovery.
Description
This National Science Foundation (NSF) pilot program, under the SBIR/STTR umbrella, focuses on supporting U.S. startups and small businesses that are developing innovative scientific instrumentation and enabling technologies. The aim is to accelerate the creation of next-generation tools, experimental platforms, and scientific equipment that will drive the frontiers of scientific discovery, particularly in fields impacted by AI-driven research. The program does not specify particular technologies for procurement, but rather seeks broadly transformative instrumentation and infrastructure to advance multiple scientific and engineering domains.
