SBIR Grants
Your idea or technology may be worthy of funding from the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, also known as “America’s seed fund”—but how do you know it’s really worth the time and effort to submit a proposal?
The SBIR program has an explicit goal of commercialization, and actually requires you to form a company to bring your idea to market. The company is receiving funds, not your lab. Some agencies will allow the company to assign some work to your lab, but that work is a subset of the overall proposal.
BU faculty and staff have a vast array of resources at their disposal as they set out to commercialize their work, including the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC). The MSBDC provides confidential and free business advice, including feedback on business pitches, business plan development, and assistance securing funding.
Getting Started
STEP 1: Put your idea to commercialize on paper.
STEP 2: Share your one-pager with the MSBDC.
STEP 3: The MSBDC will help you share with federal program managers for feedback.
STEP 4: Decide whether or not to submit an SBIR proposal.
Learn more in this blog post from Rana K. Gupta, Director of Faculty Entrepreneurship.