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Program

ARPA-H SBIR

Funds United States health research small businesses in partnership with research organizations to advance mission-ready technologies.

Advanced Research Projects Agency for HealthUnited StatesGrant

ARPA-H SBIR sits under the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, the U.S. federal health R&D agency. It is the agency's small-business route for biomedical and health-tech work, and it is designed for company-led development rather than nonprofit or individual research. The program is a grant route with awards from $150,000 to $600,000, a median award of about $400,000, and an annual cadence. It is limited to U.S.-incorporated for-profit firms, excludes nonprofits and individuals, and sits at TRL 2-4. Phase I can reach $600,000, which is higher than the standard SBIR ceiling, and Phase II can reach $3.5 million. The program also bars double-funding on the same project. The strongest fit is a biomedical company that needs early public capital to move from technical concept toward a stronger development position without losing SBIR discipline. ARPA-H is looking for teams that can translate health innovation into a staged award path and keep the work within a narrow, defensible company-led scope.

Max award$600K
Realistic median$400K
Success rate10–20%
Decision time—

No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.

Last verified: 11 May 2026Source: arpa-h.gov