America's Seed Fund

America's Seed Fund, also known as the SBIR/STTR Programs, stimulates technological innovation and supports scientific excellence by investing federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy. This highly competitive program encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization. By enabling small businesses to explore their technological potential, SBIR and STTR provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization.

Central to the STTR program is the collaboration between small businesses and nonprofit research institutions, bridging the gap between basic science and commercialization. The program aims to foster technology transfer and increase private-sector commercialization of innovations derived from federal research and development funding. It also focuses on promoting innovation and entrepreneurship by women and socially or economically disadvantaged individuals.

Eligible small businesses that meet the criteria of being organized for profit, having a place of business in the United States, and being owned and controlled by U. S. The programs offer three phases of awards, starting from establishing technical merit and feasibility (Phase I), advancing the R&D efforts (Phase II), and pursuing commercialization objectives (Phase III).

Eleven federal agencies participate in the SBIR program, while five agencies participate in the STTR program. Each agency administers its own program within Congress-established guidelines, accepting proposals from small businesses based on R&D topics specified in their solicitations. Overall, America's Seed Fund plays a crucial role in driving innovation, fostering collaboration between small businesses and research institutions, and facilitating the commercialization of technological advancements derived from federal research and development funding