seedfund.nsf.govAmerica’s Seed Fund – NSF SBIR/STTR | NSF SBIR

An official website of the United States government. Alert: Recent phishing attempts Please read important tax updates that took effect for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2021. A new SBIR/STTR Phase II solicitation is expected in the coming weeks. Menu About Our Program Our Staff Portfolio Resources For Applicants For Phase I Awardees For Phase II Awardees For Reviewers Events Contact How It Works Get Started The basics Project Pitch Full Proposal Proposal Review & Decision Search We invest up to $2 million in seed funding. And take zero equity. Get started A microscopic image of the metals in a plant seedling being studied for its ability to clean contaminated environments. Photo courtesy of Sigray , a small business revolutionizing x-ray research equipment through its patented innovations on x-ray source and optic technology. Submit a Project Pitch NOW and find out if your project is a good fit. Seed capital for early stage product development We offer funding for early stage R&D and take no equity in your company — you retain full control over your team, the direction of your work, and your intellectual property. See program details Find us at dozens of annual events Join our regular webinars or find NSF staff and program directors at events like conferences, SBIR road tours, and more. View events A diverse portfolio We fund startups across nearly all technology areas and markets like artificial intelligence, energy, medical devices, robotics, semiconductors, and many more. View our portfolio Success Stories Immersive STEM Learning Platform Prisms of Reality is using an immersive educational software in virtual reality to demonstrate how multimodal and game-driven learning can be used to enhance math proficiencies, problem solving, and the ability to transfer mathematical knowledge across contexts. To learn more visit: https://www.prismsvr.com. View Company Profile Voice biomarkers identify mental health challenges Kintsugi Mindful Wellness is using artificial intelligence to develop voice biomarker software to measure, predict, and scale access to mental healthcare. To learn more visit: https://www.kintsugihealth.com/ . View Company Profile Biodegradable plastic made from waste methane Mango Material is developing a biodegradable plastic from waste methane gas. To learn more visit: https://www.mangomaterials.com/ . View Company Profile New drug delivery technology for tumor treatment Tambo developed a new technology to activate drugs at specific locations within the body to treat diseases with lower doses of drugs and fewer toxic side effects. Learn more about Tambo’s technology at https://www.shasqi.com/ . View Company Profile Recycling carbon dioxide into fuels Dimensional Energy uses sunlight to convert carbon dioxide into energy. To learn more visit: https://www.dimensionalenergy.com/ . View Company Profile Blood cleansing device removes pathogens Path Ex is developing a device to remove pathogens from blood. To learn more visit: https://pathex.co/ . View Company Profile From plastic trash to 3D printing re:3D makes large-scale, industrial 3D printers that can print from plastic waste. To learn more visit: https://re3d.org/ . View Company Profile Learning math using music and psychology Muzology is developing a learning platform to help students learn math. Grounded in psychology, Muzology’s platform helps students learn algebra concepts with music. To learn more visit: muzology.com . View Company Profile View More Success Stories We support research and development of deep technologies - those that are based on discoveries in fundamental science and engineering. As we review applications, we consider your technology’s innovativeness, commercial potential, and possible societal impact. View current awardees America’s Seed Fund National Science Foundation SBIR | STTR Photo Credit: Cyclopure | Cyclopure CP analytical chemists can measure DEXSORB@ efficiency at 1-2 part per trillion concentration We are America’s Seed Fund Since 1977, America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF (also known as the NSF SBIR/STTR program) has helped startups develop their ideas and bring them to market. We funded about 400 companies each year. Learn about our impact We embrace diversity Our program fosters and encourages participation in innovation and entrepreneurship by women and people of color as well as first-time entrepreneurs from all 50 states and U.S. territories. What we look for Testimonials "The grants we received from NSF were instrumental in building the first version of our product and acquiring our first customers. When we received our Phase I funding in 2010 we were two founders. As of 2022, our team within Cisco has grown to 700 employees and growing." Mohit Lad CEO, ThousandEyes, acquired by Cisco for $1 billion, according to CNBC ( NSF-1058602 ) "Huge thanks NSF SBIR for giving us the chance to build the underlying foundational technology that is allowing us to dream big." Jignesh Patel CEO of DataChat ( NSF-1853057 ) "NSF helped us refine our vision, figure out if our technology could be used for different applications, and helped us figure out if we can manufacture our technology in a scalable fashion — taking it from an academic project to a real-scale commercial project." Shreya Dave Co-founder and CEO of Via Separations ( NSF-1831203 ) "We were able to spin out from the University of Washington and get started as an independent company entirely with the support of our first NSF SBIR, and we are incredibly grateful for NSF’ continued support over the years!" David Younger Co-Founder & CEO, A-Alpha Bio ( NSF-1950992 ) "It’s no secret that there is a dearth of black and brown women in technology; but for immigrants with accents (like me) things get even more complicated: I look and sound too different from anyone who has successfully led a company to an exit, making it extra hard for me to raise money from investors. Having the opportunity to get non-dilutive funding from an early start has helped not only de-risk our engineering development but has validated me as a founder and built confidence in my business, that I’m betting will grow over the next decade." Maria Artunduaga Founder and CEO, Respira Labs ( NSF-2112096 ) Return to top America’s Seed Fund National Science Foundation 2415 Eisenhower Ave. Alexandria, VA 22314 USA Tel: (703) 292-8050 FIRS: (800) 877-8339 | TDD: (800) 281-8749 For information on waste, fraud and abuse Looking for U.S. government information and services? 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