NSF SBIR/STTR Phase I (America's Seed Fund)
U.S. National Science Foundation · Innovation grant (SBIR/STTR)
$305KPhase I grant up to $305,000; Phase II up to $1,250,000; Fast-Track up to $1,555,000 (NSF 26-510). NSF takes no equity.
Non-dilutive R&D funding for US deep-tech startups proving technical feasibility of high-risk, high-impact innovations; up to ~$2M across phases.
Key terms
- Must first submit a Project Pitch and receive an official invitation before a full Phase I proposal
- Small business concern: for-profit, US-located, majority owned/controlled by US citizens or permanent residents, ≤500 employees including affiliates
- PI must be primarily employed (≥51%) by the small business at award and throughout
- STTR requires a partner US research institution
- SBIR/STTR reauthorized through Sept 30, 2031 (April 2026 law), with enhanced foreign-risk screening
Eligibility
- Where
- United States
- Stages
- pre-seed, seed, series-a
- 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
- Need SAM.gov UEI registration
- Technology must involve technical risk (not incremental product development)
How to apply
Create an account and submit a Project Pitch on seedfund.nsf.gov (one pending pitch at a time); if invited, submit the full proposal via Research.gov by a deadline.
- Benefit
- cash
- Equity-free
- Yes
- Decision time
- —
- Credit validity
- —
- Deadline
- Full proposals: 2026-11-04, 2027-03-04, 2027-07-07 (first Wed of Nov/Thu of Mar/Wed of Jul annually); pitches rolling
- Status
- Open
Verified 2026-10-23 · source