SBIR/STTR Program Eligibility

Is your company eligible for SBIR/STTR funding? Be sure it meets the following requirements:

• All eligible businesses must be for-profit entities operating in the United States with 500 or fewer employees, including affiliates.

• Businesses should be organized as an individual proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, joint venture, association, trust or cooperative. In the case of a joint venture, there must be less than 50% participation by foreign business entities and each partner organization must meet ownership requirements.

• The small business must be more than 50% directly owned and controlled by one or more individuals (U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens), other business concerns (each of which is more than 50% owned by U.S. citizens), or tribal organization.

• FOR SBIR ONLY: For businesses applying under SBIR only, if it is more than 50% owned by multiple entities outlined above, no single venture capital, hedge fund, or private equity firm may own more than 50% of the small business, unless it qualifies as a small business itself.

Download a complete list of SBIR/STTR program eligibility requirements