Glossary · Match, Unite
SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research)
SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) is a federal program that funds small businesses to do research and development with a path to commercial use, and unlike STTR, it doesn't require a university or other research institution as a partner.
How it works in a university-industry collaboration
The small business is always the applicant. Eleven agencies run SBIR, with a 3.2% set-aside (Congressional Research Service). A university can join as a subcontractor, but the small business has to perform at least two-thirds of the research effort in Phase I and one-half in Phase II. The principal investigator's primary employment, meaning more than half their time, has to be with the small business, so a full-time faculty member can't be the PI (SBA Policy Directive).
How is SBIR different from STTR?
STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) is the smaller sister program.
| SBIR | STTR | |
|---|---|---|
| Research institution partner | Optional | Required |
| Small business's minimum share | Two-thirds in Phase I, one-half in Phase II | 40% |
| Research institution's minimum share | None | 30% |
| Different split allowed? | With written approval | No, it's set by statute |
| PI's primary employment | Small business | Small business or research institution (agency rules vary) |
| Participating agencies | 11 | 6 |
| Written IP agreement | Terms go in the subaward | Allocation of rights agreement before award |
The 2026 reauthorization didn't change these rules.
What Helikon does with it
On the Helikon platform, the Discover Funding tab shows SBIR solicitations that Grants.gov posts, and matches the relevant opportunities to your profile. You can track your SBIR proposals and project execution by setting up a Helikon project with timelines, milestones, file and contract sharing, and discussion threads, and invite your collaborators to a shared workspace.
The Partner search tab matches researchers to your specific aims, and the Funding tab on a researcher's profile shows whether they've been a research-institution partner on a small-business award before.
Sources
- U.S. Small Business Administration, 2023, SBIR and STTR Policy Directive (May 2023). www.sbir.gov/sites/default/files/documents/SBA%20SBIR_STTR_POLICY_DIRECTIVE_May2023.pdf
- Congressional Research Service, 2025, Small Business Research Programs: Overview and Issues for Reauthorization in the 119th Congress, IF12874. www.everycrsreport.com/files/2025-12-15_IF12874_da2141a7cd905bd8c7e9925380c4de66989fcb88.html
- U.S. Congress, 2026, Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act, S. 3971, Public Law 119-83, enrolled bill. www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-119s3971enr/html/BILLS-119s3971enr.htm