NIH Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs

NIH Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs

Supports first-time founder entrepreneurs in the United States with healthcare prototypes from early ideas.

The NIH Small Business Transition Grant for New Entrepreneurs is a career-development funding program administered through NIH's Office of Extramural Research SEED office and delivered via participating Institutes and Centers (ICs). It supports Phase I and Fast-Track SBIR and STTR awards specifically designed for first-time principal investigators who possess research, technology development, or healthcare delivery experience but have limited entrepreneurial and non-mentored research leadership history. NIH explicitly designed the program to diversify the biomedical entrepreneurial workforce by encouraging applications from individuals who offer unique or underrepresented perspectives.

Eligible applicants must be U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents who have never served as an independent PI on a major research grant. The budget cap matches the standard SBIR Phase I ceiling of $323,090. Applicants must identify mentors capable of providing both technical and commercial guidance on the proposed project and career development support for navigating the entrepreneurial process. ICs vary in their participation and the specific award types they support, so applicants must confirm their target IC is listed in the active NOFO. Three submission cycles are offered annually with deadlines on September 5, January 5, and April 5 (or the next business day if those dates fall on a weekend or federal holiday).

The September 2026 cycle is the next open window following the program's April 2026 SBIR/STTR reauthorization period. Winning applications are distinguished by a credible mentor arrangement, a clear commercialization pathway aligned with the IC's research priorities, and a PI whose background demonstrates scientific capability alongside genuine first-time entrepreneur status. Because this is a Phase I and Fast-Track program only, applicants should treat it as the entry ramp into the broader NIH SBIR/STTR system rather than a standalone funding vehicle.