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Small Business Technology Transfer Program.

STTR funds eligible small businesses to conduct agency-focused research and development in formal partnership with a qualifying nonprofit research institution.

Offered bySBA Office of Investment and Innovationverified 2026-07-10

Overview

What it does.

The small business is the prime applicant and must partner with a U.S. nonprofit college, university, research organization, or eligible federally funded research center. The business performs at least 40 percent and the research institution at least 30 percent of the work.

Best for: Technology ventures that need a university or nonprofit research partner to develop and commercialize federally relevant innovation.

Eligibility

Who and what may qualify.

Eligible applicants

  • Eligible U.S. small business concerns partnering with a qualifying U.S. nonprofit research institution

Applicants excluded by the source

  • Research institutions applying as the prime awardee
  • Businesses without the required research-institution partnership
  • Applicants failing SBIR/STTR ownership, control, or size rules

Eligible uses

  • Cooperative research and development addressing a participating agency solicitation
  • Technology transfer and commercialization-oriented research

Uses excluded by the source

  • General operating expenses unrelated to an agency research topic
  • Projects without required small-business and research-institution work shares

Application

How to start.

  1. Find a live STTR solicitation matching the technology
  2. Establish the required research-institution partnership and intellectual-property arrangement
  3. Complete federal registrations and submit to the participating agency

Timing: Deadlines are set in participating-agency solicitations.

Planning notes

Limits to account for.

  • The small business must be the prime contractor or grantee
  • At least 40 percent of work must be performed by the business and at least 30 percent by the research institution
  • A current agency topic is required

Federal and partner funding must not duplicate the same costs; partnership intellectual-property rights should be resolved before submission.

Evidence

Official sources.