Small Business Grant Assistance

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
The federal government sets aside 2.5% of its R&D budget specifically for small business applicants (500 or fewer employees), in order to help small businesses fund research and development efforts of a high-risk nature that may lead to commercially successful products. The SBIR Program is intended to promote the economic development of small businesses.

Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
Another 0.3% of the federal R&D budget is set aside for funding the Small Business Technology Transfer Program, which is designed to assist cooperative research between U.S. research institutions and small business concerns that has the potential for commercialization. While a small business may apply for an SBIR grant without such collaboration, an STTR grant requires collaboration with a research institution. Other differences between SBIR and STTR may be found here.

Criteria for CIMIT Collaboration and Support

To qualify for CIMIT facilitation in applying for an SBIR/STTR grant, there are certain criteria to be met by the project, the small business, and the principal clinical investigator.

PROJECT

• Must involve a technological innovation
• Must be of high scientific merit
  
• Must propose a solution to an existing recognized healthcare problem
• Must lend itself to collaboration between industry and institution-based research
• Must be a program fit with the overall CIMIT mission
  

SMALL BUSINESS

• Must meet federal criteria for a small business
• Must target healthcare for the proposed project
• Must be willing to participate in a collaborative project with CIMIT-affiliated investigators
• Must participate in joint discussions about appropriate management of IP rights
• Must commit to participate actively in the SBIR/STTR application process and in the resulting project if funded
• Must have the technical ability to lead the project and bring it to completion
• Must join CIMIT’s ILP program

PRINCIPAL CLINICAL INVESTIGATOR

• Must be willing to participate in a collaborative project with a small business
• Must participate in joint discussions about appropriate management of IP rights
• Must provide the clinical perspective for the research proposal
• Must commit to participate actively in the SBIR/STTR application process and in the resulting project if funded
• Must be a CIMIT-funded investigator or be from a CIMIT-affiliated institution
• Must be able to provide strong leadership for the institution's portion of the project
  

Contact for Small Business Program and SBIR/STTR Grant Submissions:

Haleh Armian, MS
Senior Business Development Manager
617-643-3836
harmian@partners.org