Kentucky SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program

The Kentucky SBIR/STTR Matching Funds Program sits under the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority and is managed through KY Innovation's entrepreneurship office. It matches federal SBIR and STTR awards with a non-dilutive state grant, making it one of Kentucky's clearest public routes for high-tech small businesses that already have federal Phase I or Phase II traction. Phase I projects can receive up to $100,000, and Phase II projects can receive up to $150,000. The program is open to for-profit companies that are based in Kentucky or willing to relocate there, and it runs twice a year, usually with spring and fall windows that each stay open for about eight weeks. The February 2026 awards showed the program's current scale, with eight Kentucky tech companies receiving a combined $862,479. Applicants do best when they can point to a live federal award, a Kentucky operating plan, and a project that fits the specific SBIR or STTR scope rather than a generic commercialization pitch.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.