Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer

Government R&D Funding and Innovation Grantssbir.nasa.gov

NASA SBIR/STTR is a federal program under NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate that provides non-dilutive funding and support to U.S. small businesses (under 500 employees) developing innovative technologies for NASA missions, structured across multiple funding phases.

Company typePrivate
Founded1982
HeadquartersWashington, United States
Headcount501–1,000
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

What Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer does

NASA SBIR/STTR is a federal government funding program operated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under the Space Technology Mission Directorate, and it is one of 11 participating components of America's Seed Fund coordinated by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The program provides non-dilutive early-stage capital and non-monetary support (facility access, subject matter experts, the SBIR Partnering Platform) to U.S. small businesses with fewer than 500 employees that are developing innovative technologies aligned with NASA missions across space technology, aeronautics, robotics, computing, science instruments, lunar surface technology, and manufacturing/materials. Its core "products" are structured program phases — Phase I (feasibility), Phase II (prototype/development), Post Phase II / Phase II-E (extended maturation), Phase III (commercialization using non-SBIR/STTR capital), plus adjunct tracks SBIR Ignite, I-Corps (entrepreneurship training via NSF), TABA (technical and business assistance), and CCRPP.

The program does not sell goods or services commercially; instead, it disburses federal R&D funding allocated through NASA's budget, awarded via competitive solicitations. In Program Year 2026 it restructured its intake mechanism from a traditional solicitation cycle to a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) format, with PY 2026-2027 BAA appendices opening April 21, 2026 and closing May 21, 2026. Distribution occurs through nasa.gov/sbir_sttr, SAM.gov, the SBIR Partnering Platform (sbirpartnering.org), and SBA's SBIR.gov. As a statutory federal program with regulatory authority to allocate non-dilutive capital and structured multi-phase support from concept through commercialization, it functions more like a public-sector funding infrastructure than a venture-backed business, and the unit of analysis is program throughput, ecosystem reach, and policy continuity rather than revenue or ARR.

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer
Legal name: NASA Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Program
Website: https://sbir.nasa.gov
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1982
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 501–1,000 employees
Short description: NASA SBIR/STTR is a federal program under NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate that provides non-dilutive funding and support to U.S. small businesses (under 500 employees) developing innovative technologies for NASA missions, structured across multiple funding phases.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer industry classification

Industry

Product category: Government R&D Funding and Innovation Grants
NAICS: Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Space Research and Technology (927110)
SIC: Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)
akta.pro primary industry: Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)
akta.pro secondary industries: Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

Keywords

Small business funding
Non-dilutive R&D funding
Federal innovation grants
NASA technology development
Seed stage grants

Where Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Washington
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

Federal Government Funding Disbursement: NASA SBIR/STTR is a government expenditure program that provides non-dilutive funding to small businesses for R&D. The program offers Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III funding to help startups and small businesses build, mature, and commercialize their technologies advancing NASA missions. Funding comes from NASA's budget allocated through the Space Technology Mission Directorate.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Other	Multi-year contract	Phase I Solicitation - Initial proof of concept funding
Other	Multi-year contract	Phase II Solicitation - Full research and development funding
Other	Multi-year contract	Phase III - Commercialization funding
Other	Annual	SBIR Ignite - Early-stage startup funding
Other	Multi-year contract	I-Corps - Entrepreneurship training
Other	Multi-year contract	TABA - Technology Acceleration and Business Assistance

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer product offering

Product offering

Core offering

NASA SBIR/STTR is a federal funding program (part of America's Seed Fund) that provides non-dilutive funding and non-monetary support to U.S. small businesses with fewer than 500 employees to develop, mature, and commercialize innovative technologies advancing NASA missions. The program operates through multiple structured phases — Phase I, Phase II, Post Phase II, Phase III, and SBIR Ignite — along with supplementary support programs such as I-Corps entrepreneurship training and TABA business assistance.

Product overview

The NASA SBIR/STTR program is part of America's Seed Fund, the nation's largest source of early-stage non-dilutive funding for innovative small business technologies. The program operates as a multi-phase funding structure with seven distinct phases: Phase I (initial feasibility), Phase II (prototype development), Post Phase II/Phase II-E (extended maturation), Phase III (commercialization), SBIR Ignite (accelerated funding), I-Corps (entrepreneurship training), and TABA (business assistance). The program also includes CCRPP opportunities. In Program Year 2026, the program transitioned from traditional solicitation cycles to a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) format, and joined the SBIR Partnering Platform to facilitate connections between awardees and the broader innovation ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

Phase I: Initial funding phase for concept development and feasibility research
Phase II
Phase III
Post Phase II
SBIR Ignite
I-Corps
TABA

Products and services

SBIR/STTR Program NASA's combined SBIR and STTR program providing non-dilutive funding and support to U.S. small businesses with fewer than 500 employees to develop, mature, and commercialize innovative technologies that advance NASA missions.
Phase I Solicitation Initial funding phase for small businesses to establish the feasibility and technical merit of proposed innovations, awarded through competitive solicitations.
Phase II Solicitation
Post Phase II (Phase II-E)
Phase III Commercialization
SBIR Ignite
I-Corps
TABA (Technical and Business Assistance)

Quantifiable outcome

Non-dilutive early-stage funding for small businesses developing innovative technologies

Companies that use Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer

Customer profile

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerica's Seed Fund is coordinated by the U.S. Small Business Administration, which provides resources, support, and oversight to the NASA SBIR/STTR program and 10 other participating Federal agencies. The SBA tracks SBIR/STTR awards across the government, provides helpful program information, hosts frequent virtual and in-person events, and offers connections to others in the innovation ecosystem who may be able to help small businesses outside of the NASA SBIR/STTR program.
Federal Agencies (10 additional agencies)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA SBIR/STTR is part of America's Seed Fund which includes 10 other Federal agencies, making it the nation's largest source of early-stage non-dilutive funding for innovative technologies. The program coordinates across agencies to support the small business innovation ecosystem.
SBIR Partnering PlatformcoreTechnology or IntegrationNASA SBIR/STTR has joined the SBIR Partnering Platform, a public multi-agency platform that facilitates partnering between Small Business Innovation Research applicants/awardees and all those who can contribute to their success including investors, subject matter experts, research institutes, service providers, and industry stakeholders.
National Science Foundation (I-Corps)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASA SBIR/STTR partners with the National Science Foundation to offer I-Corps training, an entrepreneurship program that helps small businesses develop technologies and bring them to market. I-Corps is available as part of the NASA SBIR/STTR program offerings.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves1 record

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Emerging players

In-Q-Tel: In-Q-Tel is the U.S. intelligence community's nonprofit strategic investor, funding dual-use technology companies with mission-driven capital. Comparable as a non-dilutive government-aligned funding vehicle for early-stage technology companies, though structured as venture investment rather than grants.

Broad incumbents

DoD SBIR/STTR Program: The Department of Defense SBIR/STTR program is the largest sibling program within America's Seed Fund, awarding over $1B annually across all DoD components for innovative small-business technology development. Operates the same multi-phase structure and is the most direct institutional peer to NASA SBIR/STTR in mechanism and target applicant pool.
NSF SBIR/STTR Program: The National Science Foundation SBIR/STTR program (America's Seed Fund at NSF) shares the same SBA-coordinated framework and phase structure as NASA SBIR/STTR. Particularly relevant as a partner through the I-Corps program, which NSF originated and NASA adopted.
NIH SBIR/STTR Program: The National Institutes of Health SBIR/STTR program is a major sister agency within America's Seed Fund, funding biomedical and health-related small business innovation through the same SBA-coordinated framework. Comparable in structure, phase design, and target applicant profile, but serves a fundamentally different mission domain.
DOE SBIR/STTR Program: The Department of Energy SBIR/STTR program is a peer federal agency within America's Seed Fund, funding small businesses in energy, advanced manufacturing, and national laboratory-relevant technologies. Operates the same SBA-coordinated mechanism with comparable multi-phase structure.
DARPA: DARPA funds high-risk, high-reward research through grants and contracts that overlap with NASA's SBIR/STTR mandate on advanced technology development. While not structured as small-business funding specifically, it competes for the same mission-driven technology innovators and represents an alternative federal pathway for the same talent pool.

Others

U.S. Small Business Administration: The SBA is the coordinator of America's Seed Fund across all 11 participating federal agencies, including NASA. Functions as the parent governing body and central resource hub that defines the SBIR/STTR framework under which NASA operates.
SBIR Partnering Platform: The SBIR Partnering Platform is a multi-agency ecosystem infrastructure that NASA SBIR/STTR has joined to connect awardees with investors, research institutes, and service providers. Functions as a complementary distribution and partnership channel rather than a funding competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments19 records

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Frequently asked questions about Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer

What does Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer do?

Is Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer a public or private company?

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.

When was Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer founded?

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer was founded in 1982. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.

Where is Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer based?

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.

How does Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer make money?

One revenue line is on record: federal Government Funding Disbursement.

Who are Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer's main competitors?

In-Q-Tel is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are DoD SBIR/STTR Program, NSF SBIR/STTR Program, NIH SBIR/STTR Program, DOE SBIR/STTR Program and DARPA. Others are U.S. Small Business Administration and SBIR Partnering Platform.

Does Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer have an API?

No public API is recorded for Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer.

What industry is Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer in?

Nasa Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer's product category is Government R&D Funding and Innovation Grants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPADAOAB, Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors). Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 6111.