Illinois SBIR/STTR Matching Program
Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) · SBIR matching
$250KUp to $75,000 for federal Phase I awardees; up to $250,000 for Phase II awardees
State matching funds for Illinois-based companies that have won federal SBIR/STTR Phase I or Phase II awards.
Key terms
- For-profit business with its principal place of business in Illinois
- Phase I match: federal Phase I award made within the last 12 months and still active, Phase II not yet submitted
- One grant per state fiscal year and per federal proposal; up to 5 awards over the life of the business
- Not competitive: applications are checked for eligibility first-come, first-served while funds last
Eligibility
- Where
- United States
- Stages
- seed, series-a, growth
- Needs VC/accelerator backing
- No
- Needs partner referral code
- No
- Must be incorporated
- Yes
- AI focus required
- No
- Students / researchers
- Not eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- Illinois principal place of business
- Federal SBIR/STTR award required
How to apply
Apply to DCEO through the program page once you hold an eligible federal award.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-10-30 · source
More: Government grants for startups · Startup programs in the United States