The National Science Foundation has officially relaunched its Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs under a brand-new solicitation: NSF 26-510. For NYU faculty, postdocs, and PhD teams sitting on research with commercial potential, this is one of the most compelling non-dilutive funding pathways available — and the 2026 program comes with a major new feature.
Here's what you need to know — and why the June 17 application deadline for the next Tech Venture Workshop matters more than ever.
The Big Picture: Up to $2M (or $30M) for Deep-Tech Startups
NSF's SBIR/STTR programs — also known as America's Seed Fund — invest in startups and small businesses transforming high-risk technologies into real products and services. The program funds across nearly all technology areas and market sectors, takes no equity, and lets awardees keep full ownership of their company and intellectual property.
The funding tiers:
- Phase I — Up to $305,000 for 6–18 months of early feasibility R&D
- Phase II — Up to $1,250,000 for 24 months of continued development (Phase I awardees only)
- Fast-Track — Up to $1,555,555 combining Phase I and Phase II in a single proposal
- Phase IIB Supplement — $50,000–$500,000 in matching funds for Phase II awardees with investor or customer commitments
- Strategic Breakthrough (NEW) — Up to $30,000,000 for Phase II awardees with exceptional, broadly impactful technologies nearing commercial readiness
That last one is new. The Strategic Breakthrough pathway, created under the reauthorized Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, represents a step-change in the scale of support NSF can offer its strongest SBIR/STTR companies.
NSF anticipates making approximately 340 awards totaling $210 million across SBIR and STTR tracks this cycle.
Key Deadlines
| Deadline | Date |
|---|---|
| Phase I / Fast-Track / Phase II | July 27, 2026 |
| Phase I / Fast-Track / Phase II | November 4, 2026 |
| Phase I / Fast-Track / Phase II | March 4, 2027 |
| Phase I / Fast-Track / Phase II | July 7, 2027 |
After this cycle, deadlines recur on the first Wednesday in November, first Thursday in March, and first Wednesday in July each year.
Important: Phase I and Fast-Track proposals require a Project Pitch before you can submit a full proposal. Project Pitch invitations are valid for the next two submission deadlines, so plan ahead.
How This Connects to the NYU Tech Venture Pipeline — and Why June 17 Matters
If you're a faculty member or researcher at NYU exploring whether your work has commercial legs, this is exactly what the Tech Venture Workshop (TVW) at the Leslie Entrepreneurial Institute is designed to help you figure out.
TVW — NYU's Regional I-Corps short course — is the first phase of the three-part NYU Tech Venture Program. It's a three half-day intensive where NYU faculty and their PhD/postdoc teams engage with potential customers and partners to explore the commercial viability of their research. Teams also receive up to $2,000 in reimbursable funding for customer discovery and prototyping expenses.
The application deadline for the next TVW cohort is Tuesday, June 17. Apply here.
Why does this timing matter? Completing TVW is the first step toward applying to NSF I-Corps and the Tech Venture Accelerator, which together offer up to $100,000 in grant funding to support research commercialization. And I-Corps, in turn, is one of the strongest possible foundations for an NSF SBIR/STTR proposal. The customer discovery work, the validated business hypotheses, the team formation — all of it feeds directly into what NSF reviewers evaluate: Intellectual Merit, Broader Impacts, and Commercial Potential.
The pathway looks like this:
NYU TVW → NSF I-Corps → SBIR/STTR Phase I →
NYU Tech Venture Accelerator → SBIR/STTR Phase II → Strategic Breakthrough
Each step builds on the last. Researchers who start with TVW and I-Corps develop the customer evidence and commercial framing that SBIR/STTR reviewers reward. And with the new Strategic Breakthrough pathway offering up to $30M, the ceiling for NSF-backed commercialization has never been higher.
If you're thinking about SBIR/STTR but haven't done the groundwork yet, the upcoming TVW cohort is the place to start.
Who Should Apply?
NSF SBIR/STTR proposals must come from a qualifying small business concern (fewer than 500 employees, including affiliates). The Principal Investigator must be primarily employed by the small business (at least 51% of their time).
For STTR proposals specifically, a research institution partner is required — making this a natural fit for NYU faculty who want to maintain a research collaboration while spinning out a venture.
There are no degree requirements for the PI, and the program welcomes technologies at their earliest stages of viability.
What to Do Right Now
- Apply to the next Tech Venture Workshop by June 17: This is the fastest way to build the foundation for I-Corps and SBIR/STTR success. Faculty, postdocs, PhDs, and researchers from any NYU school are eligible. Apply here.
- If you're ready to explore SBIR/STTR now: Submit a Project Pitch to NSF. You'll need an invitation before submitting a full Phase I or Fast-Track proposal.
- Not sure where you stand? Book a coaching session at the Entrepreneurial Institute. We can help you assess readiness and map the right path forward.
