Ask HN: Has anyone had success with SBIR grants and what is the process like?

I'm considering applying to a phase I topic that is a pretty good fit for our tech and we should meet all basic requirements (U S. Based, small business, etc.), but I'm unsure if the juice is worth the squeeze.

If anyone has any experience applying and going through the process I'd love to hear about it.

Things I'm curious about... - how competitive is it? - how detailed should proposals be? - am I guaranteed to hear back? - how long after closing is a decision made?

Thanks in advance.

6 points | by lyfeninja 2 hours ago

1 comments

  • ungreased0675 1 hour ago
    There are a lot more phase I awards, so your chances are much higher. You will hear back.

    For follow-on work you need to find government customers and project champions. The SBIR program isn’t your customer, it’s funding.

    There are a lot of SBIR advisors out there, and some of them are predatory. They’ll promise contacts and contracts but you’ll definitely want to interview previous clients before paying anybody.

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    • lyfeninja 1 hour ago
      This is exactly the type of insight I'm looking for. Thanks!