KSEF SBIR/STTR microAwards
Kentucky Science & Engineering Foundation (KSTC) · SBIR proposal support
$5KUp to $5,000 to strengthen an SBIR/STTR proposal, awarded through a pitch competition
Kentucky's pitch-based microAwards (formerly Phase 0) fund the gaps in a small business's SBIR/STTR proposal, such as lab testing, prototype materials, technical consultants and customer-discovery travel.
Key terms
- For-profit small company registered in Kentucky
- Committed to submitting an SBIR/STTR proposal in the next 6 months
- Must hold an SBIR/STTR award or have prior SBIR/STTR proposal training
- No microAward in the past 12 months
- Pre-application and consultation, then a 5-minute pitch plus 5-minute Q&A to judges
- Cannot be used for equipment, grant writers, your own employees or rent
Eligibility
- Where
- United States
- Stages
- idea, pre-seed, seed
- 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
- Kentucky business
- Planning a federal SBIR/STTR proposal
How to apply
Fill out the microAwards pre-application on the KSEF page, have a short eligibility call, then pitch at the next competition.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Periodic pitch competitions (pre-application open)
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-11-03 · source
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