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Fact Sheet
NSF Research Support Nurtures Small Companies with Big Ideas
Federal government funds $2 billion in small-company innovation annually
April 10, 2006
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has a long history of supporting basic research that leads to marketable products through programs from across the Foundation. Many developments have had an impact far beyond what the original investigators had imagined.
NSF is an active player in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs that directly support businesses and their partners in academia. Such programs have nurtured small companies into major market leaders, such as Symantec, Qualcomm, Sensant (now part of Siemens), Vivisimo, Displaytech and Aurora Flight Sciences.
Emphasizing high-risk, high-payback innovations, SBIR/STTR programs are tied to NSF's mission to support advancements in science, engineering and education. Panels of engineers, scientists and business leaders evaluate SBIR/STTR proposals based on technical merit, potential impact on society and company strengths. NSF awarded more than 300 SBIR/STTR grants in FY 2005, for a total investment of $100 million.
NSF piloted the SBIR/STTR programs over 20 years ago. Since then, the programs have spread to 10 federal agencies. Coordinated by the Small Business Administration, these agencies collectively support over $2 billion in innovation research each year. The success of the SBIR/STTR programs has led to their replication across the globe as nations strive to find new ways to compete in the global, technology-enabled, innovation economy.
The news items below highlight several of the NSF-supported SBIR/STTR breakthroughs from the past year.
Education Magnified 100,000X
Lab simulator packs teaching power of electron microscope at the expense of a textbook
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=100859
Nano-engineered Powders Tackle Toxic Chemicals
Thirsty grains act fast to clean up messes
http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104102
Robot Assistant Reports to Surgery
Machine lets nurses focus on patient care
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104259
Ben Franklin Web Portal Brings the Man to the Masses
Driven by search-engine technology, site highlights three centuries of revolutionary influence
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=105705
Electronic Braille Tutor Teaches Independence
Bilingual system reborn in new hardware
http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=105832
Doodle Search
New software can hunt through online catalogs using only a sketch
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=105851
Silicon Solution Could Lead to a Truly Long-life Battery
New devices may provide power for decades
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104140
-NSF-
Media Contacts
Joshua A. Chamot, NSF (703) 292-7730 jchamot@nsf.gov
Program Contacts
Kesh S. Narayanan, NSF (703) 292-7076 knarayan@nsf.gov
Joseph E. Hennessey, NSF (703) 292-7069 jhenness@nsf.gov
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that
supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and
engineering, with an annual budget of $6.06 billion. NSF funds reach all 50
states through grants to over 1,900 universities and institutions. Each year,
NSF receives about 45,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes over
11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards over $400 million in
professional and service contracts yearly.
 Get News Updates by Email
Useful NSF Web Sites:
NSF Home Page: http://www.nsf.gov
NSF News: http://www.nsf.gov/news/
For the News Media: http://www.nsf.gov/news/newsroom.jsp
Science and Engineering Statistics: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards Searches: http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/
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