Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs

Together, these programs are known as America’s Seed Fund. The SBIR and STTR programs are one of the largest sources of early-stage capital for technology commercialization in the United States. Both programs allow U.S.-owned and -operated small businesses to engage in Federal research and development that has a strong potential for commercialization. The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) SBIR and STTR programs invest over 1 billion dollars each year into health and life science companies that are creating innovative technologies that align with NIH’s mission to improve health and save lives. A key objective is to translate promising technologies to the private sector and enable lifesaving innovations to reach consumer markets.

We invite you to explore the NCCIH strategic plan to learn more about how your idea fits with NCCIH’s mission and priorities. Please also view a list of active funding announcements. Businesses interested in exploring SBIR/STTR grant opportunities with us are encouraged to contact the NCCIH small business team prior to submitting an application.

You can search for examples of projects currently funded by NCCIH by using NIH RePORTER.

NIH also has a Fast-Track application that allows small businesses to submit one application for Phase I and Phase II, a Direct SBIR Phase II solicitation that permits small businesses to bypass a Phase I award if they have already proved the feasibility of their technology, and a Commercialization Readiness Pilot Program solicitation that can help support commercialization activities. For more information about which solicitation is best suited for your small business, view the Funding page and speak to the appropriate SBIR/STTR program manager.

NCCIH Participation in Fast-Track: NCCIH does not participate in the Fast-Track option through NCCIH-issued SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). If interested in pursuing a Fast-Track option via the Omnibus solicitations, please contact a member of the NCCIH SBIR/STTR team.

As listed in NOT-AT-20-017, “NCCIH Policy Change to Budget Limit and Grant Durations for SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II Applications,” for budgetary, administrative or programmatic reasons, NCCIH may decide not to fund an application or may decrease the length of an award and/or the budget recommended by a review committee. 

Through this Notice, NCCIH has revised its budget and duration policies for SBIR/STTR Phase I and Phase II applications. Generally, NCCIH will not fund:

• Phase I applications greater than $256,580 total costs for the duration of the project or project periods greater than 2 years.
• Phase II applications greater than $1,710,531 total costs for the duration of the project or project periods greater than 3 years.

For “National Institutes of Health SBA-Approved SBIR/STTR Topics for Awards Over Statutory Budget Limitations,” the Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved an NIH SBIR/STTR Topic Waiver list for which NCCIH generally will not fund:

• Phase I applications greater than $325,000 total costs per year or project periods greater than 2 years.
• Phase II applications greater than $2,000,000 total costs for the duration of the project or project periods greater than 3 years.

• Development and validation of technologies for standardization and characterization of biologically active ingredients in natural products
• Development and validation of technologies for taxonomic identification of botanical raw materials or detection of adulterants
• Development and validation of technologies for the identification and characterization of bioactive metabolites derived from oral consumption of natural products
• Development and validation of methods for the sustainable production of low-yield natural products of commercial interest
• Development of novel analytical tools and technologies to study the microbiome, including its composition, genetics, and bioactivity, that can help clarify associations between the human microbiome and brain function and health
• Development of gut microbiome monitoring assays for validating safety and functional analysis of genomic and microbiota interactions.
• Development of complementary and integrative therapeutic approaches to modify and balance the gut microbiota in healthy populations and individuals with disrupted microbiota and related diseases.

• Development, testing, and validation of appropriate objective and/or quantitative measures and instruments to assess or monitor mind and body approaches in different contexts (e.g., classrooms, families, child welfare, juvenile justice systems)
• Development, testing, and validation of measures and tools to assess training or fidelity of implementation of mind and body approaches in different settings (e.g., health care, community, families, schools, child welfare, juvenile justice systems)
• Development and testing of technologies for the implementation of mind and body approaches in group or individual settings and/or self-care strategies. Examples may include but are not limited to the use of mobile health technologies such as smartphone apps, sensors, online delivery, or phone-based delivery.
• Development and validation of methods for standardization and characterization of the active components of mind and body approaches
• Development and validation of methods for standardization of multimodal interventions to study whole person health
• Development and validation of imaging tools or instruments for studying manual therapies, including but not limited to massage, acupuncture, or spinal manipulation
• Development and testing of innovative technologies for multisensory delivery of mind and body approaches
• Development, testing, and validation of innovative technologies to enhance light- or olfaction-based therapies.

• Development and validation of biomarkers that correlate with efficacy of complementary and integrative health approaches
• Development and validation of standardized, reliable, and cost-effective tools that correlate with brain imaging in response to mind and body interventions
• Development and validation of tools, technologies, and instruments, including gaming and virtual reality technologies, for the accurate assessment of adherence and/or fidelity to the use of mind and body practices and interventions
• Development and validation of tools to improve patient-reported outcome measures of importance in clinical studies of complementary and integrative health approaches
• Development, pilot testing, and validation of wireless technologies for real-time data collection and monitoring of brain activity or other physiological signals for mind and body approaches
• Development or adaptation of biochemical or epigenetic monitoring devices for complementary and integrative health approaches
• Development and validation of tools to improve biological and physiological outcome measures for use in clinical studies of complementary or integrative health approaches
• Development or adaptation of technologies for objective assessment of pain with relevance to complementary and integrative health approaches
• Development of sleep monitoring technologies or biomarker panels to assess sleep deprivation, sleep deficiency, circadian rhythm dysregulation, and connection of sleep disturbances with health risks
• Development and testing of in vivo labeling technology of tissues or cells responsible for generating signals in response to different internal senses (e.g., mechanical force, temperature, osmolarity, oxygen levels)
• Development and testing of technology or methods quantifying biomechanical forces applied to internal tissues or cells
• Development and testing of mobile health technology or nonmobile technology and methods to monitor or quantify physical and/or emotional well-being, breathing, or sleep.

• Development and validation of technologies for standardization and characterization of biologically active ingredients in natural products
• Clinical testing of natural products for the management of hard-to-treat symptoms such as pain, sleep disorders, or mild-to-moderate anxiety and depression to allow development of an evidence base that would accelerate U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a drug indication for the natural product
• Development and validation of technologies for the identification and characterization of bioactive metabolites derived from oral consumption of natural products
• Development of novel analytical tools and technologies to study the microbiome, including its composition, genetics, and bioactivity, that can help clarify associations between the human microbiome and brain function and health
• Development of gut microbiome monitoring assays for validating safety and functional analysis of genomic and microbiota interactions.

• Development, testing, and validation of appropriate objective and/or quantitative measures and instruments to assess or monitor mind and body approaches
• Development, testing, and validation of measures and tools to assess training or fidelity of implementation of mind and body approaches in different settings (e.g., health care, community, families, schools, child welfare, juvenile justice systems)
• Development and testing of technologies for the implementation of mind and body approaches in group or individual settings and/or self-care strategies. Examples may include but are not limited to the use of mobile health technologies such as smartphone apps, sensors, online delivery, or phone-based delivery.
• Development and validation of methods for standardization and characterization of the active components of mind and body approaches
• Development and validation of methods for standardization of multimodal interventions to study whole person health
• Development and validation of imaging tools or instruments for studying manual therapies, including but not limited to massage, acupuncture, or spinal manipulation.

• Development and validation of biomarkers that correlate with efficacy of complementary and integrative health approaches
•  Development and validation of standardized, reliable, and cost-effective tools that correlate with brain imaging in response to mind and body interventions
• Development and validation of tools, technology, and instruments, including gaming technology, for the accurate assessment of adherence and/or fidelity to the use of mind and body practices, interventions, and natural products
• Development and validation of tools to improve patient-reported outcome measures of importance in clinical studies of complementary and integrative health approaches
• Development, pilot testing, and validation of wireless technologies for real-time data collection and monitoring of brain activity or other physiological signals for assessing the effects of mind and body approaches
• Development or adaptation of biochemical or epigenetic monitoring devices for complementary and integrative health approaches
• Development and validation of tools to improve biological and physiological outcome measures for use in clinical studies of complementary and integrative health approaches
• Development or adaptation of technologies for objective assessment of pain with relevance to complementary and integrative health approaches
• Development of sleep monitoring technologies or biomarker panels to assess sleep deprivation, sleep deficiency, circadian rhythm dysregulation, and connection of sleep disturbances with health risks.