Energy Department Announces Fall 2026 SBIR/STTR Phase I Topics, Unlocking $200 Million for American Innovation
Restructured Programs Streamline Path from Early-Stage Research to Commercialization
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the Fall 2026 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I Topics, unlocking more than $200 million in federal funding to support American small businesses developing innovative technologies that strengthen U.S. energy and national security. The Phase I topics span grid innovation, nuclear detonation detection, cybersecurity, and other areas with strong commercial potential.
The Fall 2026 release marks a significant milestone for DOE’s restructured SBIR and STTR programs, now managed by DOE’s Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC). Through DOE’s Partnership Intermediary, ConnectWerx, the programs are streamlining management and delivery, reducing application burdens, and expanding access to funding opportunities for American small businesses.
The restructuring advances the Trump Administration’s priorities to strengthen American energy and national security, support U.S. small businesses, and accelerate the commercialization of technologies critical to maintaining U.S. technological leadership. By prioritizing projects with strong technical and commercial potential, DOE is helping move American innovation from the laboratory to the marketplace.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, we’ve fundamentally redesigned the SBIR/STTR programs from the ground up to make them more accessible, more dynamic, and much more productive,” said Anthony Pugliese, DOE Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the Office of Technology Commercialization. “These changes will help us attract more American entrepreneurs and startups, maximize the impact of every federal dollar, and ultimately turn promising innovations into real-world solutions that strengthen American competitiveness.”
Phase I now serves as the entry point to the full SBIR/STTR funding pathway. Companies begin by submitting a pitch for a Phase I award to demonstrate the technical feasibility of their proposed innovations, with opportunities to secure follow-on funding in subsequent phases. Go/no-go decisions between phases assess technical progress and commercial potential before advancing to the next stage, ensuring federal resources are focused on the most promising innovations.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to review the Fall 2026 Phase I topics and submit their pitches by December 16, 2026, via the DOE SBIR/STTR Application Hub. For more information about SBIR/STTR, including applicant resources, visit the DOE SBIR/STTR programs webpage.
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