Small Business Expo

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), collectively the Small Business Programs, are also known as America’s Seed Fund. By setting aside more than $1.4 billion from its Research & Development Funding specifically for our Small Business Programs, the NIH provides support to early-stage small businesses throughout the nation.

Many companies leverage NIH funding to attract the partners and investors needed to take an innovation to market. We focus on a variety of high-impact technologies ranging from research tools to diagnostics, digital health, drugs, medical devices, and others. The NIH SBIR and STTR programs can provide the seed funding you need to bring your scientific innovations from the bench to the bedside.

The goals of our program are to: 

• Stimulate technological innovation
• Use small business to meet Federal research/research and development (R/R&D) needs
• Foster and encourage participation by emerging and undercapitalized small business concerns (SBCs) in technological innovation
• Increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal R/R&D funding

Our staff is equipped to guide you through every part of the process to maximize success. Without taking any ownership of your small business, the NIH provides funding for the research and development of innovations and supports commercialization efforts for your product. It is important to note that the NIH is generally not the final purchaser of technologies generated through the programs. 

This page was last updated on Friday, June 26, 2026