DOE Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer

DOE SBIR Phase I

Funds U.S. for-profit small businesses establishing technical feasibility of innovative technologies across DOE priority areas including advanced manufacturing, critical materials, and quantum information science.

DOE SBIR Phase I is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy under the Small Business Innovation Research program, a competitive non-dilutive funding instrument authorized by the Small Business Act and extended through FY2031. The program supports for-profit U.S. small businesses in establishing technical feasibility of innovative technologies. Future opportunities will address national challenges in advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, critical materials, quantum information science, semiconductors, energy innovation, and more.

Award amounts for Phase I are not published on the program overview page. Per the program structure, Phase I covers feasibility research before companies can proceed to Phase II prototyping. Cost-share requirements and exact award caps were not stated in the available source. No pool or total appropriation figure is published on the overview page.

Eligibility is limited to for-profit U.S. small businesses that meet Small Business Administration size eligibility requirements. Research institutions and individual applicants are not eligible for SBIR; STTR requires a cooperative relationship between the small business and a qualifying research institution. Companies must be organized and operating in the United States.

Applications are submitted in response to annual solicitations; the 2026 opportunity is expected in summer 2026 for both Phase I and Phase II. The page directs interested applicants to subscribe for email updates about upcoming solicitations. Exact deadlines are not published in advance on the overview page.

Applicants should note that no specific award dollar figures are stated on the DOE overview page — actual award levels are typically set per solicitation topic and fiscal year. Phase II eligibility requires having completed a Phase I award from DOE SBIR; companies that have not received a DOE Phase I award are not eligible to apply directly to Phase II.