NIH NIAID Small Business SBIR

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is one of NIH's institutes within HHS, and its small-business SBIR route supports companies working on infectious disease, immunology, allergy, autoimmunity, vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Awards run from $300,000 to $2.4 million, with a median actual award of about $500,000, and the program is open only to U.S. for-profit applicants. Funding arrives through standard SBIR grant rounds multiple times a year. Eligibility is set for U.S.-incorporated companies, at least 50% U.S. founder citizenship, and TRL 2-7 projects. The program also uses NIAID-specific waivers and does not allow the same project to be stacked across awards, so fit and project definition matter. NIAID is strongest for companies with a clear disease focus and a concrete development plan, especially in vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics tied to infectious or immune-mediated disease. The institute's strategic direction emphasizes the most impactful infectious diseases and foundational immunology, so applicants that can connect their platform to a clinically urgent problem tend to fit best.

No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Multiple per year.