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NIH SEED launched a new SBIR and STTR initiative to expand the cadre of institutions engaging in translation of their basic science discoveries to patient and economic benefit: Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Encouraging Small Businesses to Partner with Resource-Limited Institutions (RLIs) on Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program Applications (NOT-OD-23-179).
NIH provides more than $1.3 billion to support early-stage small businesses through the SBIR and STTR Programs, also known as America’s Seed Fund. These businesses—many of which begin as academic spinouts—often partner with universities and other research institutions to conduct proposed research and development activities, leveraging their deep technical expertise and infrastructure. Through this Notice, small businesses applying for SBIR/STTRs are encouraged to partner with domestic research institutions that received limited research project grant funding in recent years and have a mission or record of educating students from populations underrepresented in biomedical research.
More information is available at NOT-OD-23-179 or by contacting the NIH SEED office at SEEDinfo@nih.gov.
Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s 33 million small businesses and startups, announced the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) offering a total of $50,000 to $200,000 in prize awards to organizations seeking to foster a national innovation support ecosystem to advance small business research and development (R&D) from ideas to the commercial market. The Stage One application portal opens on Monday, January 8, and closes Friday, February 16, for a five-week window.
Recent Phase I SBIR or STTR awardees (grant, contract, or Fast-Track) of NIH, FDA, or CDC, can request a free Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Needs Assessment Report developed by RTI Innovation Advisors. The report provides an assessment of your project’s progress in four technical and business areas:
- Market Needs/Competitive Awareness
- Intellectual Property/Barriers to Entry
- Business Model Profitability
- Manufacturing, Regulatory, and/or Clinical Plan
These reports are very valuable for early-stage companies and first time entrepreneurs. They can be used to identify and prioritize your business needs as you continue to develop your product or service. Many companies use insights from these reports to clarify the focus of their request for TABA funding (up to $50,000) in their Phase II applications.
There is no cost for this report and your time commitment is minimal.
When the SBIR, STTR, and related pilot programs were reauthorized for FY2023-2025, the SBIR and STTR Extension Act of 2022 made several changes to the SBIR and STTR programs. Policy changes were announced June 12 through this Notice: Implementation of the NIH SBIR and STTR Foreign Disclosure Pre-award and Post-Award Requirements (NOT-OD-23-139).
Key elements include:
- Disclosure requirements regarding ties to foreign countries.
- A requirement for federal agencies that manage SBIR and STTR programs to establish a due diligence program to assess security risks posed by applicants.
- A denial of award and recovery authority provisions when ties to foreign countries of concern pose a significant risk.
This policy applies to all NIH, CDC, FDA, ACL, and ARPA-H competing applications for SBIR or STTR funding on or after September 5, 2023.
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