U.S. Research Impact Alliance (USRIA)

What U.S. Research Impact Alliance (USRIA) does

U.S. Research Impact Alliance (USRIA) is a Morgantown, West Virginia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports deep-tech commercialization through a portfolio of programs targeting academic researchers, early-stage founders, and West Virginia inventors. The organization operates three core programs: EIR-Corps, which pairs innovative researchers with seasoned business experts to provide embedded commercialization support; WV SPRINT, which delivers no-cost SBIR/STTR proposal assistance and application coaching as West Virginia's designated FAST partnership program partner with the SBA; and the SBIR Training Platform, a self-paced online course providing free instructional content on SBIR/STTR navigation. USRIA also administers the state-funded Entrepreneurship and Innovation Investment (EII) Fund, which provides Phase 0 grants ($2,500) and Phase I/II matching grants to West Virginia businesses that receive federal SBIR/STTR awards.

USRIA's business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating: all direct services to clients are provided at no cost, with operating support derived from the SBA cooperative agreement, foundation grants (notably the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation), state appropriations, and competitive awards such as the SBA's 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition ($100,000 Stage Two win). The organization has 17 portfolio companies spanning energy, materials, battery technology, bioscience, and space intelligence, and leads the RETI consortium with WVU, the University of Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon University — a partnership selected as a semifinalist in the NSF Regional Innovation Engines initiative from 300+ proposals.

The core team consists of Executive Director Matt Harbaugh (formerly CIO of Innovation Works and a company acquired by Facebook), Program Manager Lee Ann Carnahan (20+ years across DOE, EPA, and NASA), and Operations & Marketing Manager Jamie Bissot, supported by a network of expert advisors and a recently added Director of Strategic Partnerships. USRIA's growth signals include the November 2025 launch of its self-paced training platform, expanding portfolio depth, and the regional expansion implied by multi-state RETI partnerships. The organization's strategic intent is to functioning as a regional innovation hub rather than a traditional commercial enterprise, with success measured by West Virginia's improved SBIR State Performance Index ranking (#18 nationally for 2022-2024) and the long-term goal of generating $1B+ in economic impact through RETI.

Name

U.S. Research Impact Alliance (USRIA)

Legal name

U.S. Research Impact Alliance Corp

Website

https://usria.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

U.S. Research Impact Alliance (USRIA) is a West Virginia 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports deep-tech commercialization through SBIR/STTR application assistance, EIR-Corps expert pairing, and the EII Fund, serving early-stage startups, academic researchers, and West Virginia inventors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technology Commercialization Services

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Administration & Grants Management Support (Pre/Post-Award, Compliance) (EDAEALAO)

Keywords

• SBIR STTR assistance
• Deep tech commercialization
• Non-dilutive federal funding
• Research-to-market advisory
• Innovation ecosystem services

Headquarters

HQ city

Morgantown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: USRIA operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through grants including the SBA Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership program, state funding like West Virginia's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Investment Fund, and foundation support from organizations like the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation.
2. No-Cost Client Services: USRIA provides free services to clients - all SBIR/STTR assistance through WV SPRINT is provided at no cost to West Virginia startups and researchers. Programs are funded through the FAST partnership cooperative agreement with the SBA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

USRIA provides no-cost commercialization support and SBIR/STTR application assistance to deep-tech startups, researchers, and academic institutions. Its core offerings are the EIR-Corps Experts-in-Residence program (pairing researchers with seasoned business experts), the WV SPRINT program (free SBIR/STTR proposal coaching and application review for West Virginia companies), and a free self-paced SBIR/STTR online training course with templates and checklists.

Product overview

USRIA operates as a platform of interconnected programs supporting research-to-market commercialization. The core offerings include EIR-Corps (Experts-in-Residence program providing business development support), WV SPRINT (free SBIR/STTR application assistance), and an on-demand SBIR Training Platform. USRIA also administers the state-funded Entrepreneurship and Innovation Investment (EII) Fund providing matching grants. These programs work together to help researchers and entrepreneurs navigate non-dilutive federal funding pathways and move technologies from lab to market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WV SPRINT: West Virginia's Free Resource for SBIR / STTR Assistance - a no-cost support program for West Virginia companies pursuing SBIR/STTR funding
• EIR-Corps

Products and services

• EIR-Corps Experts-in-Residence program that pairs innovative researchers with seasoned business experts to provide dedicated business development support, allowing researchers to focus on technical innovation while ensuring market success. Offered in tiered support levels including Tier One with a portfolio manager and Tier Two with an embedded interim executive.
• WV SPRINT (SBIR/STTR Assistance) West Virginia's free resource providing no-cost SBIR/STTR assistance to West Virginia startups and researchers, including registration help, one-to-one coaching, application review, proposal feedback, training, and connection to federal agencies. Operates under USRIA's role as the state's SBA FAST (Federal and State Technology) Partnership program partner.
• The SBIR and STTR Program: A Complete Course Free, self-paced on-demand online training course designed to help researchers and entrepreneurs understand and navigate the SBIR or STTR application process. Built by SBIR expert Leon Wolf, with bite-sized video lessons (2-5 minutes each) organized into focused sections plus templates, checklists, and practical resources; completable in under three hours.

Quantifiable outcome

• West Virginia ranked #18 nationally on SBIR State Performance Index (2022-2024) despite being a small state
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• West Virginia Small Business Development Center (WV SBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through WV SPRINT initiative to deliver free SBIR/STTR support to West Virginia companies. The WV SBDC's In-Tech Program provides technical assistance and manages the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Investment Fund for matching grants.
• West Virginia University (WVU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead institution in RETI (Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure Consortium), working to commercialize high-impact innovations in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. USRIA serves as a key partner in the consortium.
• University of PittsburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution in RETI consortium, collaborating with WVU, CMU, and USRIA on regional innovation ecosystem development for energy infrastructure and advanced manufacturing.
• Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner institution in RETI consortium. USRIA has established Growth Accelerator Partnership with CMU to help startups and small businesses scale in the Appalachian region.
• Department of Energy National Energy Technology LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOE national lab partner in USRIA's Growth Accelerator Partnership network, enabling collaboration on energy technology commercialization and access to lab expertise and facilities.
• Marshall UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner in USRIA's Growth Accelerator Partnership network, supporting launch, growth, and scale of STEM/R&D-focused small businesses in the Appalachian region.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• MassChallenge: Global nonprofit accelerator offering equity-free support to early-stage startups; comparable mission structure (non-dilutive, cohort-based support) and program design (mentorship, training, partner network) to USRIA.
• Innovation Works: Pittsburgh-based seed-stage investor and accelerator focused on deep-tech and robotics startups; directly comparable because it is USRIA Executive Director Matt Harbaugh's prior employer and operates a near-identical model of pairing technical founders with experienced operators to commercialize federally funded research.
• Venture For America: Nonprofit fellowship placing early-career talent in startups in under-resourced U.S. cities; comparable nonprofit structure, focus on regional economic development, and program-driven model to USRIA's regional innovation work.
• Activate: National deep-tech fellowship supporting scientist-founders commercializing breakthrough research; comparable to USRIA's EIR-Corps model of pairing researchers with seasoned business experts and providing non-dilutive support pathways.
• Village Capital: Impact-focused nonprofit supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs through cohort-based programs; comparable nonprofit accelerator model and focus on underserved geographies, though with a broader sectoral mandate than USRIA's deep-tech specialization.

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: Global accelerator network operating equity-funded cohorts; comparable as an incumbent accelerator competing for the same deep-tech founders, but with much larger capital pools and a for-profit equity model rather than USRIA's grant-funded approach.
• Y Combinator: Premier global startup accelerator; comparable in serving early-stage founders with educational content and network access, but with much broader reach and an equity-driven model that contrasts with USRIA's non-dilutive, geographically focused approach.

Regional players

• BioGenerator: St. Louis-based nonprofit biotech startup creation engine; comparable as a regional, sector-specific commercialization intermediary supporting academic researchers in spinning out ventures, though focused on bioscience rather than broad deep-tech.

Others

• NSF I-Corps: National Science Foundation program providing entrepreneurial training to academic researchers; comparable in training federally funded researchers in commercialization, but operates as a federal program rather than a regional intermediary and does not provide ongoing portfolio support like USRIA's EIR-Corps.

Emerging players

• Cyclotron Road (now Activate): Predecessor deep-tech fellowship embedded at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab; highly comparable niche in fellow-driven deep-tech commercialization, though now consolidated under Activate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about U.S. Research Impact Alliance (USRIA)