GrantEquity-free United States
NSF SBIR Phase I (America’s Seed Fund at NSF)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Apply / official page ↗Typical funding
Approximately $50,000–$305,000 per Phase I award, depending on topic and year.
Maximum
Current NSF guidance highlights Phase I awards up to about $305,000.
Startup stage
Early‑stage deep‑tech startups with strong technical novelty and commercialization plans.
Sector focus
Broad science and engineering domains, with emphasis on transformative technologies.
Overview
NSF’s SBIR/STTR Phase I programme funds high‑risk, high‑impact technology startups to develop proof‑of‑concept and validate commercial potential.
Who's eligible
U.S. small businesses meeting SBIR criteria with a strong technical team and clear commercialization hypothesis; requires a brief Project Pitch before full proposal.
How to apply
Submit a Project Pitch via NSF’s SBIR site, receive feedback, then file a full SBIR/STTR proposal through NSF’s FastLane/Research.gov by the solicitation deadline.
Good to know
NSF emphasises market discovery and customer development alongside technical work; often pairs with I‑Corps for intensive commercialization training.