Loading market data...
GrantExec
GrantExec

Questions? Contact Us

© 2025 GrantExec. All rights reserved.

Innovation Corps (I-Corps) at NIH Program for NIH and CDC Translational Research (Admin Supp Clinical Trial NOT Allowed)

This funding opportunity provides financial support to small businesses with active Phase I SBIR or STTR grants from NIH or CDC, helping them accelerate the commercialization of biomedical and public health innovations through training and market research.

$55,000
Forecasted
Nationwide
Recurring
Grant Description

The NIH and CDC's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program provides administrative supplement awards to active Phase I SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) and STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) grant recipients. This funding opportunity focuses on helping small businesses accelerate the commercialization of biomedical and public health innovations funded by NIH and CDC through SBIR and STTR programs. The program aims to train biomedical entrepreneurs in market research and customer discovery, guiding them to refine their commercialization strategies by understanding stakeholder needs and market demands, ultimately strengthening their commercialization plans. This program offers an intensive eight-week entrepreneurial immersion course where three-member I-Corps teams, consisting of a C-level Corporate Officer, Technical Lead, and Industry Expert, conduct a minimum of 100 interviews with stakeholders to validate market fit and assess the innovation's potential impact. Teams develop a Business Model Canvas, analyzing areas such as value proposition, customer needs, and revenue streams. I-Corps teams are also expected to be flexible in "pivoting" their commercialization strategies if customer discovery reveals new opportunities or barriers. Eligible applicants are U.S.-based small business concerns (SBCs) with an active Phase I SBIR or STTR grant (NIH-funded for STTRs) or the Phase I portion of an SBIR/STTR Fast-Track grant. Eligible projects should extend through the program's duration, including the final "Lessons Learned" workshop, and must remain within the original grant scope. Budget requests may include up to $55,000 for workshop registration ($25,000) and additional travel and personnel costs for customer discovery interviews. NIH and CDC will fund up to 48 awards in 2025, totaling approximately $2.64 million in direct costs. Applicants must submit a detailed project plan with a one-page summary of the original Phase I award and progress updates. The plan should justify the team's formation, outline commercialization challenges, and demonstrate each team member’s commitment to the I-Corps schedule and objectives. Applications must also show readiness to adjust commercialization plans based on new market insights. Review criteria include the team's experience, commitment to program objectives, and the potential market impact of the innovation. The program requires in-person attendance at a kick-off workshop (in Seattle or Atlanta) and a close-out workshop in Bethesda, MD. Weekly virtual webinars support the training and are supplemented by individualized mentoring sessions. At the program's close, teams present their commercialization plans and learnings, potentially leading to refined strategies for Phase II funding applications. Award notices are subject to standard NIH and CDC policies, including data-sharing requirements and national security disclosures regarding foreign relationships. Reporting requirements mandate that outcomes of the I-Corps program are included in progress reports, with NIH conducting both short-term and long-term evaluations of the program's impact on commercialization success.

Funding Details

Award Range

Not specified - $55,000

Total Program Funding

$2,640,000

Number of Awards

Not specified

Matching Requirement

No

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants

Small businesses

Additional Requirements

Eligible Organizations Only United States small business concerns (SBCs) are eligible to submit applications for this opportunity. A small business concern is one that, at the time of award of Phase I and Phase II, meets all of the following criteria: 1. Is organized for profit, with a place of business located in the United States, which operates primarily within the United States or which makes a significant contribution to the United States economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials or labor; 2. Is in the legal form of an individual proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, joint venture, association, trust or cooperative, except that where the form is a joint venture, there must be less than 50 percent participation by foreign business entities in the joint venture; 3. i. SBIR and STTR. Be a concern which is more than 50% directly owned and controlled by one or more individuals (who are citizens or permanent resident aliens of the United States), other business concerns (each of which is more than 50% directly owned and controlled by individuals who are citizens or permanent resident aliens of the United States), an Indian tribe, ANC or NHO (or a wholly owned business entity of such tribe, ANC or NHO), or any combination of these; OR ii. SBIR-only. Be a concern which is more than 50% owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, private equity firms, or any combination of these. No single venture capital operating company, hedge fund, or private equity firm may own more than 50% of the concern, unless that single venture capital operating company, hedge fund, or private equity firm qualifies as a small business concern that is more than 50% directly owned and controlled by individuals who are citizens or permanent resident aliens of the United States; OR iii. SBIR and STTR. Be a joint venture in which each entity to the joint venture must meet the requirements set forth in paragraph 3 (i) or 3 (ii) of this section. A joint venture that includes one or more concerns that meet the requirements of paragraph (ii) of this section must comply with 121.705(b) concerning registration and proposal requirements. 4. Has, including its affiliates, not more than 500 employees. If the concern is more than 50% owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, private equity firms, or any combination of these falls under 3 (ii) or 3 (iii) above, see Section IV. Application and Submission Information for additional instructions regarding required application certification. If an Employee Stock Ownership Plan owns all or part of the concern, each stock trustee and plan member is considered an owner. If a trust owns all or part of the concern, each trustee and trust beneficiary is considered an owner. Definitions: 1. Hedge fund has the meaning given that term in section 13(h)(2) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1851(h)(2)). The hedge fund must have a place of business located in the United States and be created or organized in the United States, or under the law of the United States or of any State. 2. Portfolio company means any company that is owned in whole or part by a venture capital operating company, hedge fund, or private equity firm. 3. Private equity firm has the meaning given the term private equity fund in section 13(h)(2) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1851(h)(2)). The private equity firm must have a place of business located in the United States and be created or organized in the United States, or under the law of the United States or of any State. 4. Venture capital operating company means an entity described in 121.103(b)(5)(i), (v), or (vi). The venture capital operating company must have a place of business located in the United States and be created or organized in the United States, or under the law of the United States or of any State. 5. ANC means Alaska Native Corporation. 6. NHO means Native Hawaiian Organization. SBCs must also meet the other regulatory requirements found in 13 C.F.R. Part 121. Business concerns, other than investment companies licensed, or state development companies qualifying under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C. 661, et seq., are affiliates of one another when either directly or indirectly, (a) one concern controls or has the power to control the other; or (b) a third-party/parties controls or has the power to control both. Business concerns include, but are not limited to, any individual (sole proprietorship) partnership, corporation, joint venture, association, or cooperative. The SF424 (R&R) SBIR/STTR Application Guide should be referenced for detailed eligibility information. Small business concerns that are more than 50% owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, private equity firms, or any combination of these are NOT eligible to apply to the NIH STTR program. Phase I to Phase II Transition Rate Benchmark In accordance with guidance from the SBA, the HHS SBIR/STTR Program is implementing the Phase I to Phase II Transition Rate benchmark required by the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011. This Transition Rate requirement applies to SBIR and STTR Phase I applicants that have received more than 20 Phase I awards over the past 5 fiscal years, excluding the most recently-completed fiscal year. For these companies, the benchmark establishes a minimum number of Phase II awards the company must have received for a given number of Phase I awards received during the 5-year time period in order to be eligible to apply for a new Phase I award Fast-Track, or Direct Phase II (if available). This requirement does not apply to companies that have received 20 or fewer Phase I awards over the 5 year period. Companies that do not meet or exceed the benchmark rate will not be eligible to apply for a Phase I Fast-Track, or Direct Phase II (if available) award for a period of one year from the date of the application submission. The Transition Rate is calculated as the total number of SBIR and STTR Phase II awards a company received during the past 5 fiscal years divided by the total number of SBIR and STTR Phase I awards it received during the past 5 fiscal years excluding the most recently-completed year. This funding opportunity is for supplements to existing projects. To be eligible, the parent award must be active and the research proposed in the supplement must be accomplished within the competitive segment. The proposed supplement must be to provide for an increase in costs due to unforeseen circumstances. All additional costs must be within the scope of the peer reviewed and approved project. IMPORTANT: The research proposed by the NIH recipient in the supplement application must be within the original scope of the NIH-supported grant project.

Geographic Eligibility

All

Key Dates

Application Opens

Not specified

Application Closes

Not specified

Contact Information

Grantor

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (National Institutes of Health)

Subscribe to view contact details

Newsletter Required
Categories
Education
Environment
Food and Nutrition
Health
Income Security and Social Services