Committed to our mission of helping innovative companies thrive so they can make a meaningful impact in the development of San Diego, Connect has partnered with the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, NIWC Pac, under Naval Information Systems Warfare Systems Command, NAVWAR, to add another layer of services we can provide our community!
Through this partnership, Connect has created the SBIR@Connect program. SBIR@Connect aims to better service those interested in participating or collaborating with the government, specifically with the Navy’s Small Business Research Innovation and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Program, by providing services such as office hours, workshops, and tutorial videos. The mission of this program is to foster relationships, and make conversations between government, industry and academia more accessible.
The SBIR/STTR Program is a congressional mandated program that provides seed funding to innovative small businesses to meet government needs and help commercialize their efforts. The process starts with a government need that is expressed through a written topic. The topic is then announced publicly for interested parties to propose solutions to. The publishing of the topics is known as a Broad Agency Announcement, or BAA. There are usually three BAA cycles per fiscal year, with each BAA containing multiple SBIR and STTR topics from all participating agencies.
Opportunities to Apply Your Innovation
Win Non-Dilutive Funding through a Gov’t Agency
There are three periods per BAA: Pre-release, Open, and Closed. During the Pre-release period, small businesses can ask questions directly to the topic authors. Once the pre-release period ends, and the open period starts, all direct communication must stop. Small businesses can begin submitting proposals, and any questions they may have must be submitted publicly through the Topic Q&A site. Once the Open period Closes, applications can no longer be submitted, and the evaluation of proposals begins. Click here for a quick tutorial on BAAs.
Topics were pre-released April 21st and close June 17, 2021!
There are a total of 134 DoD topics this cycle, 115 SBIR and 19 STTR, 42 of which are Navy.
Be sure to review the topics with similar focus areas as your innovations, as they might be a good match for you to propose a solution to. This cycle has various focus areas across the DoD, some of which are: Information systems, Cybersecurity, Autonomy, Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML), Sensors, Biomedical, Electronics, Materials, Weapons, Battlespace, Space Platforms, 5G, Wireless Networks, Air Platforms, and many more!
See the Released Topics
The NAVWAR SBIR/STTR Program Office has one topic this cycle, topic N212-119, focusing on Mobile User Objective System Dynamic Scanning Improvement.
For DoD 21.2/B topics, visit here.
For Navy specific topics, visit here.
Make sure to use keywords to help refine your search, and ask all the questions you have during the pre-release period directly to the topic authors. Don’t miss out on the chance to win a Phase I or Phase II and receive non-dilutive funding!
For more information on eligibility, BAAs, or the program, check out our videos here: SBIR@Connect