SBIR/STTR eligibility and benefits
The applicant for an SBIR or STTR must meet the following conditions:
- Operating as a for-profit business
- U.S. owned and operated
- Less than 500 employees
- Work must be done in the U.S. (i.e., no outsourcing)
- Focused on performing research and development (R&D) – not on the purchase of equipment, commercializing a technology that has already been developed, or a company that has very low risk and only needs capital
Program benefits
Some of the benefits of the SBIR and STTR programs are:
- Receiving funding for research and development (R&D) for your product or service
- Retaining rights to your intellectual property
- Opportunities for additional funding to supplement the areas not covered by the SBIR/STTR or to bridge the tech development gap to get your concept to production
- Non-dilutive capital (i.e., you won’t be giving up any of your company in return for the funding – like equity, success fees, a stake in your company, etc.)