NIST SBIR Program

NIST SBIR

Supports United States. small businesses advancing measurement science and standards through NIST recurring opportunities.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce established in 1901, runs an annual Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program through its Technology Partnerships Office (TPO). The SBIR program funds U.S. small businesses to conduct R&D on topics directly aligned with NIST's laboratory research priorities, which span measurement science, standards development, advanced manufacturing, quantum information science, cybersecurity, communications technology, and materials measurement. Total SBIR funding distributed through the TPO was $1.8 million or more in 2025 and $3 million or more in 2026. Topics are published fresh with each annual solicitation, meaning eligible R&D areas shift year to year in line with the laboratories' current research agendas across NIST's five labs: the Communications Technology Laboratory, Engineering Laboratory, Information Technology Laboratory, Material Measurement Laboratory, and Physical Measurement Laboratory.

Eligibility is limited to U.S. small businesses meeting standard SBA size definitions; universities, nonprofits, and large businesses may not apply as prime recipients. The program is structured as a standard SBIR with Phase I feasibility awards and Phase II full-development awards; specific per-phase award caps and application deadlines are published with each annual solicitation. The NIST SBIR is separate from the broader federal SBIR program operated by larger agencies — NIST topics are narrower and specifically tied to its measurement and standards mandate. Parallel mechanisms for industry collaboration with NIST labs include Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), which do not carry grant funding but enable joint research access.

Small businesses interested in NIST SBIR should monitor the TPO website (nist.gov/tpo) and SBIR.gov for the annual solicitation release, which typically includes a topic list with NIST lab contacts for pre-submission inquiries. The FY2026 enacted NIST budget was approximately $1.847 billion — a 21% increase over prior years — providing a stable funding environment for the SBIR program. Companies whose R&D addresses precision measurement, calibration standards, or applied technology in manufacturing, quantum systems, cybersecurity hardware, or AI infrastructure are the strongest fit for NIST topic areas.