Elevate Idaho is a unique partnership that consists of a strong statewide network of professional regional, state, university and federal mentors with expertise in the SBIR/STTR Grant Programs. This unique partnership provides a one-stop solution for Idaho startups and emerging companies working on technology innovations with commercial value.
Elevate Idaho offers free consultations, training, and proposal assistance to help Idaho Companies succeed in winning SBIR and STTR Grants, which in turn creates a solid foundation to build a robust SBIR/STTR Program across Idaho.
Through Elevate Idaho, SBIR/STTR Virtual Innovation Centers were created across the state to provide virtual training and educational workshops, virtual one-on-one consulting, virtual writing assistance, virtual proposal reviews, virtual assistance with strategic commercialization planning, and real-time collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators, start-ups and tech-based economic development partners across Idaho. The Idaho SBIR/STTR Virtual Innovation Centers also provides the means for collaboration opportunities that would not otherwise have taken place, and most important, strengthen Idaho’s regional and statewide entrepreneurial and research ecosystem.
The SBIR and STTR Programs are non-dilutive funds dedicated to the research and development of new technologies with commercial value. Non-dilutive funds are funds that do not require a business to give up equity or ownership of their company. Whether you are a beginner, or a novice in the grant research and grant writing process, the Elevate Idaho Team is here to assist you every step of the way!
For more information contact: Lori Manning, Director of the Idaho APEX Office or Teresa McKnight, CEO of REDI.
Elevate Idaho’s services provide Idaho’s technology-oriented companies a distinct advantage in today’s competitive environment. Services include:
Elevate Idaho helps Idaho’s small technology businesses successfully win R&D funding and commercialize life-changing technologies that impact our state and global economy.
Interested in learning more about the SBIR and STTR Programs? We encourage you to attend one of the following Elevate Idaho Workshops in 2022. For more information, contact Bam Omotowa to register for the monthly SBIR/STTR workshops or to be added to e-distribution list.
March 6th, 2024
DATE | TIME | TOPICS | PRESENTER |
1/17/2024 | 12:00 p.m. (MST) | Elevate Idaho Partnership VC & Angel Partners | Scott Brovsky - UC Riverside Entrepreneur-in-Residence |
2/7/2024 | 12:00 p.m. (MST) | What is Innovation vs. Invention, basic introduction to the purpose, eligibility requirements, structure of the SBIR and STTR programs and which one is right for me? | Lori Manning - APEX, Bam Omotowa - APEX, Dave Noack - SBDC, Teresa McKnight - REDI |
2/14/2024 | 12:00 p.m. (MST) | Webinar Class - MasterClass: Topic TBD | Lori Manning - APEX, Neil Tocher - ISU |
2/21/2024 | 12:00 p.m. (MST) | Priorities and funding opportunities of the NIH-NINR SBIR/STTR program | Dr. Karen Ann Kehl - National Institute of Nursing Research Program Director, Augie Diana - National Institute of Nursing Research Program Director |
3/6/2024 | 12:00 p.m. (MST) | Introduction and Overview of SBIR/STTR Funding Agencies and Structure of the Solicitations. Marching Agency needs to your core competencies. | Lori Manning - APEX, Bam Omotowa - APEX, Dave Noack - SBDC, Teresa McKnight - REDI |
3/13/2024 | 12:00 p.m. (MST) | Webinar Class - Masterclass: Elevate Idaho MasterClass for SBIR/STTR proposal preparation | Lori Manning - APEX, Neil Tocher - ISU |
3/20/2024 | 9:00 a.m. (MST) | Meet the Primes- Idaho Matchmaker | Speakers from INL, IEC, and APEX |
4/3/24 | 12:00 p.m. (MST) | Preparing a responsive proposal - tips for preparing a responsive proposal to solicitation guidelines and developing your project pitch. | Bam Omotowa - APEX, Dave Noack - SBDC, Teresa McKnight - REDI |
WHAT ARE THE SBIR AND STTR PROGRAMS?
SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) and STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) grants fund small businesses research and development (R&D) projects. Every year, the federal government sets aside $3.6 billion to help small businesses minimize risk so innovative technology moves to commercialization.
There are eleven federal agencies that participate under the SBIR program, five of which also participate in the STTR program. Both programs are congressionally mandated programs. These non-equity dollars are set aside to assist in moving forward a company’s research and development efforts. Because they are non-dilutive federal dollars, there is no loss of equity or ownership, and no payback of funds required.
HOW MUCH FUNDING IS AVAILABLE AND WHAT CAN IT BE USED FOR?
There is approximately $3.6 billion dollars available under eleven federal agencies to fund small business research and development through the SBIR and STTR programs. These dollars are offered in competitive phases:
SBIR/STTR funds can be used for:
SBIR/STTR funds cannot be used for:
However, a reasonable fee or profit of up to 7% can be included in the budget. These funds can be used at the discretion of the small business in any category.
WHO IS ELEIGIBLE FOR SBIR AND STTR FUNDING?
All companies that possess an Idaho business license and are eligible for the federal SBIR/STTR program. Individuals can contact the Idaho SBIR/STTR Virtual Innovation Center Team to learn more.
The company must meet the following federal requirements:
HOW DO I APPLY FOR SBIR AND STTR FUNDING?
To apply for SBIR or STTR funding, you may:
The information outlined is a brief overview to guide you through the process. Please do not hesitate to contact the Idaho SBIR/STTR Virtual Innovation Center Team if you have questions or require assistance. Additionally, we encourage you to participate in our Workshop sessions to learn more about the program, the process, and the tools to develop and move your application forward.
WHAT SERVICES DOES THE IDAHO SBIR/STTR VIRTUAL INNOVATION CENTER OFFER?
We offer a full range of services to small businesses interested in SBIR and STTR funding. Services include:
IS THERE A COST ASSOCIATED FOR THESE SERVICES?
WHAT IS THE SBIR ROAD TOUR AND WHEN IS IT HELD?
The SBIR Road Tour is a national outreach effort connecting entrepreneurs working on advanced technologies directly to Federal agencies and the resources they have to support technology commercialization. Since its inception in 2015, the SBIR Road Tour has visited every state and Puerto Rico. These stops have brought together local innovation ecosystems around the country and connected entrepreneurs to additional resources to help their small businesses start and grow.
In the past, the yearly SBIR Road Tour has been held in Idaho Falls and Boise. Due to COVID, the 2020 Road Tour was held virtually. The 2021 Road Tour will be a national virtual tour. For more information on the Idaho SBIR Road Tour, please click on the following link: SBIR Road Tour – Seeding America's Future Innovations.
WHAT FEDERAL AGENCIES PARTICIPATE?
Agencies are mandated by Congress to participate in the SBIR program when their extramural research budget is greater than $100 million and under the STTR program when it is over $1 billion. Currently, 11 agencies participate in the SBIR program, of which, five also participate in the STTR program. A list of Agencies can be found by clicking the following link - SBIR-STTR Agency Contacts. You will also find a list below:
For links and guidance on SBIR and STTR funding you can go to: SBIR.gov or any of the individual agencies listed above. There are more than 7,000 possibilities or combinations for federal funding under the SBIR/STTR programs.
You can also search for open topics at: Open Topic Search
WHAT DOES A COMPANY APPLYING FOR SBIR/STTR FUNDING GIVE UP?
Nothing! There is no loss of technology ownership, no loss of intellectual property, and no payback of funds. There is a clause in the award language, however, authorizing the federal government to license the technology in a national emergency. Which has rarely ever happened.
The Idaho SBIR/STTR Virtual Innovation Center offers the following:
DOT 24.1 Phase I Solicitation and 24.2 Phase I Pre-Solicitation Now Open The DOT 24.1 Phase I Solicitation is now open and includes 20 topics across six of the Department’s modal agencies. The DOT 24.2 Phase I Pre-solicitation is also opened and features a single topic, the Complete Streets AI Initiative. |
Army SBIR Program releases seven new solicitations in February The U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research Program started off the new year with seven contract opportunities for small and nontraditional businesses to collaborate with the Army, in areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, contested logistics and sustainment, immersive and wearables and sensors. These opportunities include Large-Scale Mobilization Operations Analysis; Biometrics for Multi-Factor Authentication; Forward-Looking Infrared Dual-Band Focal Plane Array in High-Definition Format; Non-Radio Frequency Transceiver for Alternative Communicator; Off-the-Visor Heads-Up Display; Quantum-Enhanced RF Components; and User Entity Behavior Analysis. The increased number of solicitations for February provides multiple possibilities for industry to demonstrate how their technologies can solve critical Army challenges. Eligible applicants must submit proposals by 5 p.m. ET on March 20, 2024, through the Defense SBIR|STTR Innovation Portal. |
Army SBIR webinar demystifies common proposal errors The U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research Program hosted a webinar on Thursday, January 25, for small businesses to learn more about the program, as well as best practices for developing and submitting responsive and compliant proposals. Throughout the development and submission process, various errors can cause proposal ineligibility for an Army SBIR solicitation. During the virtual event, the Army SBIR team showed firms how they can mitigate this ineligibility and improve their selection chances. Participants were also able to ask the Army SBIR team live questions in the chat. You can view the full webinar on the Army SBIR YouTube channel. |
xTech launches latest international competition with cash prizes up to $500,000 The U.S. Army xTech Program, led by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, launched the fourth iteration of its international competition series — xTechInternational — on January 31. The competition provides a forum for innovators across the globe to share their novel science and technology concepts with the Department of Defense. It will also help the Army better understand how commercial technologies from international innovators can solve its toughest mission challenges. xTechInternational will award up to $500,000 total in cash prizes to eligible international small to medium-sized businesses, as well as international academic and research institutions with solutions addressing critical U.S. defense efforts, including AI for intelligence and decision-making applications (swarm algorithms, autonomous systems, UAS and c-UAS, etc.); quantum sensing and materials; and indigenous materials forward. For more information on xTechInternational, including the prize structure, visit the competition page on the xTech website. Eligible participants must submit their concept white papers by March 7, 2024. |
US Air Force and US Space Force
AFWERX and SpaceWERX SBIR/STTR Phase I
Topic Numbers: AFX245-PCSO1 (AFWERX SBIR), AFX245-PCSO2 (SpaceWERX SBIR); AFX24D-PTCSO1 (AFWERX STTR), AFX24D-PTCSO2 (SpaceWERX STTR)
Opens: 2/7/2024
Submission Deadline: 3/7/2024
Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT SBIR Phase I FY 24.1
Pre-Release: 1/4/2024
Opens: 2/8/2024
Submission Deadline: 3/7/2024
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
NASA SBIR/STTR Phase I
Pre-Release: 12/21/2023
Opens: 1/09/2024
Submission Deadline: 3/11/2024
DOE SBIR/STTR Phase I FY 24 Release 2
Opens: 1/18/2024
LOI Deadline: 2/2/2024
Submission Deadline: 3/12/2024
Army SBIR Phase I, Direct-to-Phase II
Topic Numbers: A244-007 through A244-013
Pre-Release: 2/1/2024
Opens: 2/15/2024
Submission Deadline: 3/20/2024
NIH, CDC, FDA SBIR/STTR Phase I, Direct-to-Phase II, Fast Track Omnibus Solicitations
Opens: 7/12/2023
Submission Deadline: 4/5/2024
Department of Transportation (DOT)
DOT SBIR Phase I FY 24.2
Topic: Complete Streets AI Initiative Generating, Integrating, and Activating Data for Mobility
Pre-Release: 2/1/2024
Opens: 3/11/2024
Submission Deadline: 4/25/2024
Air Force Phase I SBIR/STTR Open Topic OpportunitiesThe X24.5/X24.D Phase I Open Topic opportunities are open and accepting submissions. The U.S Air Force and U.S. Space Force are looking for solutions from non-defense commercial solutions to meet Air Force stakeholders’ needs and is the front door to working with the Department of the Air Force.
Details:
If you have questions about this opportunity, or intend to apply, please contact Lori Manning (lorimanning@boisestate.edu) or Bam Omotowa (bamideleomotowa@boisestate.edu). |
The Idaho SBIR/STTR Virtual Innovation Center Satellite Offices are strategically located across the State of Idaho. Partners include: