NSF SBIR/STTR

Phase I: up to $280,000; Phase II: up to $1.1M — no equity taken.

Rolling submissions; new Project Pitches were accepted beginning June 2, 2026. Check seedfund.nsf.gov for current solicitation status.

AMOUNT

Phase I: up to $280,000; Phase II: up to $1.1M — no equity taken.

AMOUNT

Phase I: up to $280,000; Phase II: up to $1.1M — no equity taken.

DEADLINE

Rolling submissions; new Project Pitches were accepted beginning June 2, 2026. Check seedfund.nsf.gov for current solicitation status.

DEADLINE

Rolling submissions; new Project Pitches were accepted beginning June 2, 2026. Check seedfund.nsf.gov for current solicitation status.

FUNDING TYPE

Grant

CAN YOU GET THIS?

You need a US-based startup working on a science or engineering-driven technology with real commercial potential.

NSF SBIR/STTR is open to small businesses across nearly all tech areas—AI, medical devices, energy, robotics, semiconductors, and more. There are no restrictions by founder background or state; first-time entrepreneurs are explicitly welcomed.

YOUR REAL ODDS

NSF funds roughly 400 companies per year across all technology areas.

This is a competitive federal program—acceptance rates are typically low—but the applicant pool is broad and the program has been running since 1977, so there is a clear, established process to follow.

WHAT IT TAKES

Complete the Project Fit Assessment on the NSF site to confirm your technology qualifies — 1–2 hours
Submit a Project Pitch (the first required step before a full proposal) — 1–2 weeks to prepare
If invited, submit a Full Proposal with R&D plan and commercialization strategy — 4–8 weeks to prepare

WORTH KNOWING

NSF evaluates on innovativeness, commercial potential, and societal impact—not just scientific merit. Portfolio companies show that framing your technology as a transition from research to scalable commercial product is central to winning.

Apply on the funder’s site →

Freed Fellowship

$500 grant monthly; winners also eligible for a $2,500 year-end grant.

Any US small business owner can apply for a $500 monthly grant with no equity or repayment required.

Texas Job Creators Quest Grant

$100,000 total pool distributed across ~30 recipients; individual awards have ranged from $1,500 to $10,000.

Texas-based small businesses led by underrepresented founders with $100K–$3M in annual revenue can apply for this grant.

BELLE Capital USA Grant

Grant amount varies; no specific figures disclosed.

Early-stage startups in tech, health, or cleantech with at least one female founder or female C-suite executive.

This is 1 of 1,600+ open opportunities.

$50B+ in available capital across grants, VC funds, CDFIs, and accelerators. Filter by your industry, stage, and region, and see everything you qualify for.

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