NIDCD SBIR Phase II
Funds follow-up development for small businesses extending early sensory communication technologies into practical products.
The NIDCD SBIR Phase II grant (R44) funds expanded research and development activities that build directly on results demonstrated in a completed NIDCD Phase I SBIR award. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders administers Phase II awards for small US for-profit companies whose Phase I work has confirmed the technical and scientific feasibility of an innovation within NIDCD's mission areas — hearing, balance, taste, smell, voice, speech, and language. Phase II is the primary vehicle for advancing NIDCD-funded small business projects toward commercializeable products or research tools that serve people with communication disorders.
Eligibility mirrors the Phase I requirements: applicants must be domestic small business concerns, majority US-owned and operated, with a prior Phase I award under the same or closely related work; NIDCD program staff should be consulted before submitting, as the institute reviews topical fit carefully. NIDCD explicitly prohibits Phase IIb competing continuation SBIR and STTR applications — a firm policy distinct from several other NIH institutes that do accept extended bridge mechanisms. Phase III commercialization is expected to rely on non-SBIR/STTR funding sources, including private investment or licensing revenue. Standard NIH omnibus due dates apply: January 5, April 5, and September 5 each year.
The recommended preparation path is early engagement with NIDCD program officers on the Phase II concept, followed by submission via the NIH SEED portal. Roger L. Miller, Ph.D. (301-402-3458) handles research-topic relevance questions and Samantha Tempchin, M.L.S. (301-435-0713) manages administrative inquiries. Because NIDCD's Phase II pipeline flows directly from its own Phase I cohort, competitive applicants typically document a clear mechanistic progression from Phase I findings and outline a realistic commercialization plan grounded in the institute's priority technology areas.
Continuation of Phase I SBIR research toward full R&D execution and commercialization in hearing, balance, voice, speech, taste, and smell technology areas.
Sign up free to see the funding breakdown
Sign up free to see the industries in scope
Sign up free to see the full eligibility
Sign up free to see how to apply
Sign up free to see the timeline
Sign up free to see where teams trip up