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States policy on research funding, etc #18

Open NirViaje opened 5 years ago

NirViaje commented 5 years ago

The Small Business Innovation Research (or SBIR) program is a United States Government program, coordinated by the Small Business Administration, intended to help certain small businesses conduct research and development (R&D). Funding takes the form of contracts or grants. The recipient projects must have the potential for commercialization and must meet specific U.S. government R&D needs.

The SBIR program agencies award monetary contracts and/or grants in phases I and II of a three-phase program:[4]

The company owns the intellectual property and all commercialization rights. Companies such as Symantec, Qualcomm, Da Vinci Surgical System, Jawbone, Lift Labs, Natel Energy and iRobot received early-stage funding from this program.

NirViaje commented 5 years ago

While NIAC sought advanced concept proposals that stretch the imagination, these concepts were expected to be based on sound scientific principles and attainable within a 10 to 40-year time frame. From February 1998 to 2007, NIAC received a total of 1,309 proposals and awarded 126 Phase I grants and 42 Phase II contracts for a total value of $27.3 million.[3]


NIAC Phase I studies (approximately nine months and $100K) are for preliminary concept investigation. Toward that end, Phase I studies must:

NIAC Phase II awards (approximately two years and $500K) continue the exploration and development of revolutionary advanced concepts that have been initiated through a NIAC Phase I award. The primary goal of the Phase II effort is to study major feasibility issues associated with cost, performance, development time and key technologies. These results are aimed at providing a sound basis for NASA to consider the concept for further development and a future mission, substantiated with a description of applicable scientific and technical disciplines necessary for development.

Toward that end, Phase II studies are expected to:

Since Phase II studies are nominally two years long, there is a Midterm Review (“Site Visit”) at the end of the first year. Continued funding for the second year is contingent on successful demonstration of progress at the Midterm Review. To aid in the future infusion of the concept into NASA, technical representatives from possible target organizations (within and outside of NASA) are invited to the Site Visit.