What is the Small Business Transition Grant for Early Career Scientists?
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a funding call for the Small Business Transition Grant For Early Career Scientists to support early-career academic scientists interested in transitioning to entrepreneurship while also supporting the transfer of technology from academic laboratories into small businesses.
Only small businesses can apply for and receive SBIR or STTR awards. However, this RFA utilizes an STTR in phase I because the STTR program is intended for projects in which the awardee small business is working closely with a university and therefore allows more work to be completed at the university as well as allowing more flexibility in terms of PI employment. Awards made under this RFA will begin as a Phase I STTR to allow the early career scientist PI, or candidate, complete proof of concept studies at the academic site and prepare the technology to move into the small business.
Only small businesses can apply for and receive SBIR or STTR awards. However, this RFA utilizes an STTR in phase I because the STTR program is intended for projects in which the awardee small business is working closely with a university and therefore allows more work to be completed at the university as well as allowing more flexibility in terms of PI employment. Awards made under this RFA will begin as a Phase I STTR to allow the early career scientist PI, or candidate, complete proof of concept studies at the academic site and prepare the technology to move into the small business.
Eligibility Criteria
Only United States small business concerns (SBCs) are eligible to submit applications for this opportunity. A small business concern is one that, at the time of award of Phase I and Phase II, meets all of the following criteria:
- Is organized for profit, with a place of business located in the United States, which operates primarily within the United States or which makes a significant contribution to the United States economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials or labor;
- Is in the legal form of an individual proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, joint venture, association, trust or cooperative, except that where the form is a joint venture, there must be less than 50 percent participation by foreign business entities in the joint venture;
- Has, including its affiliates, not more than 500 employees.
Total funding support (direct costs, indirect costs, fee) normally may not exceed $275,766 for Phase I awards and $1,838,436 for Phase II awards. For specific topics, NIH may exceed these total award amounts.
