MS-FAST Phase 0 SBIR/STTR Proposal Grant
Innovate Mississippi · SBIR proposal support
$3KUp to $3,000 toward preparing an SBIR/STTR Phase I or Phase II proposal
Small grant from Innovate Mississippi's MS-FAST program that helps Mississippi small businesses pay for preliminary research, proposal help and agency travel ahead of a federal SBIR/STTR submission.
Key terms
- Mississippi-registered small business with 500 or fewer employees
- University faculty and students qualify if they have a Mississippi business partner or will start one
- Up to $1,500 for preliminary research, $1,500 for proposal writing help and $1,000 for travel, $3,000 total
- Apply at least 30 days before the federal Phase I due date; open year round
- Award notice within 20 days if selected; 50% paid at award, 50% on proof of federal submission
- Indirect costs not allowed; NSF applicants must include their Project Pitch invitation
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
- Eligible
- Nonprofits
- Not eligible
Also required
- Mississippi business
- Planning a federal SBIR/STTR proposal
How to apply
Submit a 2-3 page proposal through the Phase 0 application form linked on the Innovate Mississippi SBIR/STTR resources page.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- Within 20 days of submission if selected
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Rolling (at least 30 days before the federal deadline)
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-11-03 · source
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