Small Business Innovation Research & Small Business Technology Transfer Program

The NCI SBIR & STTR Program fosters research and development for anticancer agents, biomarkers, informatics, medical devices, nanotechnology, proteomics, pharmacodynamics, and many other biotechnologies and programs designed to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer.

Small businesses are a national resource for technological innovation and a mainstay of the economy. The SBIR & STTR Programs were created by Congress to strengthen the role of small, innovative companies in federally-supported research and development.

The goals of the NCI SBIR & STTR Program are to:

• Stimulate technological innovation
• Increase private-sector commercialization of federal research and development
• Increase small business participation in federally funded research and development
• Foster participation by minority and disadvantaged companies in technological innovation

Small Business Innovation Research Program

Established: 1982

To participate in the SBIR program, a company must be:

• An organized for-profit U.S. business
• 500 employees or fewer, including affiliates
• Principal Investigator’s primary employment must be with the small business concern at the time of award and for the duration of the project period
• Small business concern must be:
• At least 51% U.S.- owned by individuals and independently operated, or
• At least 51% owned and controlled by a for-profit business concern that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more individuals

Small Business Technology Transfer Program

Established: 1992

To participate in the STTR program, a company must be:

• A U.S. for-profit small business of 500 or fewer employees; there is no size limit on the research institution
• Located in the United States
• At least 51 percent U.S.-owned and independently operated
• Engaged in a formal cooperative research and development effort with the research institution:
• The effort must be managed by the small business and a minimum of 40 percent of the work must be done by the small business
• The research institution must be a U.S. college or university, federally-funded research and development center, or non-profit research institution
• And, the principal investigator may be employed at the small business or research institution

To learn more about the NCI SBIR & STTR Program, please visit http://sbir.cancer.gov.

For more information about funding for NCI’s SBIR & STTR Program, click here.