NSF SBIR/STTR (America's Seed Fund)

NSF SBIR Phase I

Funds United States deep-tech startups demonstrating scientific feasibility of novel science and engineering innovations.

NSF SBIR Phase I is the National Science Foundation's core non-dilutive feasibility grant for U.S. deep-tech small businesses, operating under NSF's America's Seed Fund initiative. Awards are capped at $305,000 in total costs — covering 6 to 18 months of R&D — and NSF takes zero equity and asserts no IP rights in the company or its technology. The annual Phase I pool is approximately $60 million, distributed across three submission deadlines per year. NSF covers 26 published technology topic codes spanning virtually the full deep-tech taxonomy: AI, semiconductors, robotics, quantum computing, advanced energy, materials, biological technologies, biomedical devices, photonics, environmental technologies, manufacturing, space, and wireless communications.

Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based for-profit small business concerns of 500 or fewer employees where the principal investigator is primarily employed by (at least 51% time) the small business at award time. A critical distinction from NIH SBIR: companies majority-owned by VCs, hedge funds, or PE firms are NOT eligible for NSF SBIR — the VC-majority carve-out that exists at NIH does not apply here. The PI must devote at least one calendar month of effort per six months of Phase I performance. All R&D must be performed within the United States. Non-profit business concerns, clinical-trial proposals, and projects involving Schedule I controlled substances are excluded.

The application process requires a Project Pitch — a free, three-page submission via Research.gov — before a full proposal can be submitted. NSF program directors review the Pitch and issue either an official invitation to submit a full proposal or a declination; the invitation is valid for the next two submission deadlines. Full proposals are evaluated on Intellectual Merit (scientific/technical novelty and rigor) and Broader Impacts (societal benefit and commercial potential) by panels of technical and commercial reviewers. Even declined applicants receive written feedback. Within the $305,000 cap, applicants may include up to $6,500 for Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) services and up to $25,000 for NSF I-Corps entrepreneurial training, which is strongly encouraged.