NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Fast-Track Pilot Programs | 24 582

Opportunity Information: Apply for 24 582

The NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Fast-Track Pilot Programs are National Science Foundation funding opportunities designed to move strong science and engineering discoveries out of the lab and into real-world use. The core idea is to help startups and small businesses turn research-driven innovations into scalable products, services, or solutions that can succeed in the marketplace or be adopted at scale in the private, public, or government sectors. NSF frames this program as an economic competitiveness tool as much as a technology development tool: it aims to strengthen the role of small business in meeting federal R&D needs, increase commercialization of federally funded research outcomes, and support workforce development, with an explicit emphasis on broadening participation, including women-owned and socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses and applicants from diverse communities and geographic regions.

Unlike NSF programs that fund fundamental or basic research primarily for new knowledge, this Fast-Track pilot is focused on use-inspired, translational R&D where the technical work is tightly connected to a commercialization pathway. NSF is not trying to buy a product or procure services through this solicitation, and it does not restrict proposals to a narrow list of topic areas. Instead, it supports a broad range of technologies grounded in science and engineering discoveries, as long as the work is aimed at de-risking the technology and enabling a credible path to market or other scaled deployment. Awards are structured as fixed-amount cooperative agreements, and inventions developed with SBIR/STTR support are subject to the Bayh-Dole Act rules on intellectual property arising from federally funded research.

The Fast-Track format is meant to streamline what is traditionally a two-step process. In the standard NSF SBIR/STTR pathway, companies must start with Phase I (generally 6 to 12 months) to demonstrate technical feasibility, and only after completing that effort can they apply for Phase II to further develop the technology. The Fast-Track pilot keeps the Phase I and Phase II structure but allows companies to submit a single proposal that covers both phases, creating a quicker transition from Phase I into Phase II. Importantly, receiving the full Fast-Track funding is not automatic; it depends on performance and a Phase II transition review, meaning NSF still expects clear evidence that Phase I results justify the Phase II scale-up.

NSF is looking for genuinely leading-edge innovations that are still technically risky and not yet proven in practice. Competitive Fast-Track projects are expected to be enabled by a new scientific discovery or meaningful engineering innovation, to require substantial R&D before they can become reliable offerings, and to have uncertain technical outcomes (in other words, it is not yet guaranteed that the approach will work). NSF also emphasizes defensibility and market impact: the technology should provide a competitive advantage that is not easily copied, and if successfully reduced to practice it should be capable of disrupting existing markets or creating entirely new markets or segments. Over the life of the award, NSF expects the company focus to evolve from early technical de-risking (proof-of-concept, prototype development, and feasibility validation) toward more commercially relevant development work that helps the company differentiate, sharpen its value proposition, and prepare for broader adoption.

Eligibility is limited and more specific than the standard NSF SBIR/STTR programs. To submit, a company must qualify as a small business concern under SBIR/STTR rules (including the 500-employee size limit counting affiliates) and comply with SBA policy directives and applicable federal regulations. For STTR proposals, the small business must include a partner research institution, consistent with STTR requirements. In addition, Fast-Track applicants must meet several program-specific requirements: the company must have NSF award lineage (meaning the proposed innovation must be derived from a prior NSF research award that is active or was active within the last five years), at least one PI or Senior/Key person must have completed formal customer discovery training, and the full project team must already be identified and in place at submission (not left as TBD). If an applicant does not meet all Fast-Track criteria, NSF indicates the proposal may be shifted for consideration under the regular Phase I program instead.

A key gate to applying is the required Project Pitch process. Before submitting a full proposal, companies must submit an SBIR/STTR Fast-Track Project Pitch through NSF’s online pitch system and receive an official invitation from the cognizant NSF SBIR/STTR Program Officer. That invitation must be received within the four months before the proposal is submitted. The pitch is used to screen fit for the Fast-Track mechanism and confirm that the project aligns with program goals and requirements.

The NSF lineage requirement is central and comes with documentation expectations. The proposal must cite the NSF award number and title that establishes lineage, and the Fast-Track PI or at least one Senior/Key person must have been supported under that lineage award. If that person is listed on the original award, no extra documentation is needed; if not, the proposal must include a confirming letter from the PI or Co-PI of the lineage award stating that the Fast-Track PI or named Senior/Key person participated in the underlying NSF-supported research. NSF also clarifies what counts as lineage: traditional NSF research awards qualify, and certain NSF programs such as Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) count as lineage. By contrast, NSF I-Corps and prior NSF SBIR/STTR awards do not count as NSF research lineage for this Fast-Track eligibility purpose.

Administratively, this opportunity is run by NSF’s Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), which focuses on accelerating innovation by strengthening the connection between fundamental research and technology development, deployment, and use through partnerships and investment. The listing includes an opportunity number (24-582), classifies the instrument as a grant, and provides an award ceiling of $1,555,000. The original closing date listed is 2024-09-18, and the CFDA numbers associated with NSF research and development programs are included (47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083, 47.084). Overall, the Fast-Track pilot is positioned as a quicker, integrated Phase I-plus-Phase II pathway for NSF-lineage teams that are ready to execute, have done customer discovery preparation, and are pursuing high-risk, high-impact technical innovation with clear potential to become scalable and commercially viable.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NSF Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Fast-Track Pilot Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041, 47.049, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074, 47.075, 47.076, 47.079, 47.083, 47.084.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,555,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for 24 582

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