The business eligibility requirements for the SBIR program include the following:

• American owned (at least 51 %) small business
• For-profit entity
• Less than 500 employees
• Able to perform 2/3 of the Phase I and ½ of the Phase II work

The projects principal investigator must be primarily (at least 51 %) employed by the small business during the research project. The specific definitions regarding principal investigator requirements vary among the agencies so check to determine the guidelines for the agency you are applying.

Types of Research Supported by SBIR Programs

The ten different federal agencies that administer SBIR programs provide support for a wide range of research activities. The ten agencies issue more than 1,000 general and specific SBIR research topics each year. SBIR projects range from new radar systems for the Department of Defense to new uses of agricultural products for the Department of Defense. Some of the general research areas commonly funded include the following:

• Communications
• Computers
• Electronics
• Energy
• Environmental Technologies
• Life Sciences
• Materials
• Mechanics
• Health Sciences