SBIR/STTR Outreach Program

An outreach and support program administered by BioConnect Iowa to help Iowa startups secure federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards.

Geographic Scope: Iowa

Administering Organization: BioConnect Iowa

Funding Sources:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• National Science Foundation (NSF)
• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Program Performance (FY 2022):

• 13 federal awards totaling nearly $4 million
• 38 applications submitted with 34% success rate (double the national average)
• Return on investment: $7 in federal funds for every $1 in state funds invested

Focus Areas:

• Innovative technology development
• Bioscience and biotech
• Advanced materials
• Medical devices
• Diagnostics
• Healthcare applications
• Environmental/sustainability technology
• Information technology and machine learning

Award Examples (FY 2022):

• NeoVaxSyn: $300,000 (NIH) - Nanovaccine for HIV-1
• MTI Biotech: $256,000 (NIH) - Treatment for pulmonary hypertension
• Frugi Biotechnology: $256,000 (NSF) - Paper-based diagnostics
• NanoSpy: $256,000 (NSF) - Graphene-based sensors for food safety
• Zymosense: $100,000 (NIST) and $256,000 (NSF) - Enzyme assessment platform
• Parametric Studio: $253,000 (NIH) - Virtual learning sandbox
• Juggernaut Life Sciences: $256,000 (NSF) - Surgical drainage system
• Superior Statistical Research: $259,000 (NIH) - Wastewater data modeling
• Brainsoft: $256,000 (NSF) - Brain-computer interfaces
• Presaj: $256,000 (NSF) - Healthcare risk assessment
• pxAlpha: $300,000 (NIH) - Medical device for brachytherapy
• ETALYC: $963,000 (NSF Phase II) - Traffic signal optimization

Application Process

BioConnect Iowa provides outreach support to help Iowa companies identify funding opportunities, prepare competitive applications, and submit SBIR/STTR proposals to federal agencies. Contact BioConnect Iowa for assistance with the application process.