Prepare your Project Pitch
The Project Pitch is intended to describe a brief overview of the technological innovation and the intellectual/technical merit, broader impact, and commercial potential.
Three important considerations regarding the Project Pitch:
- The Project Pitch is a process intended to save entrepreneurs the time and effort of preparing full proposals on ideas that do not fit the innovation risk profile for NSF SBIR/STTR program. A declined pitch is not a judgement about the value or worthiness of an idea, it is a decision about that idea’s fit with the program requirements.
- Writing a full proposal requires a significant investment of time and effort. The Project Pitch is an abridged version of the details that will be expected in a full proposal.
- An invitation to submit a proposal does not imply a company will receive Phase I funding. It is just moving to the next stage of a rigorous process.
Key Elements and Instructions
1. The Technology Innovation. (Up to 3500 characters)
Explain the core high-risk technical innovation to be researched and developed during a Phase I project. NSF must understand what research and development is required and how this technical innovation differs from and is significantly better than existing solutions. It may also be that the proposed innovation creates a new market. In this case, why will it be adopted? Describing features or benefits of the proposed technology is not sufficient.
2. The Technical Objectives and Challenges. (Up to 3500 characters)
Clearly explain the specific research and development required to prove that the foundational technology works and address the associated challenges explicitly with a high level description of how each will be managed. This section must convey how the proposed work is technically innovative and demonstrate that you have an understanding of the core research and development tasks necessary to prove out the technical innovation.
3. The Market Opportunity. (Up to 1750 characters)
Explain the value of the technological innovation including the potential uses and those who will benefit (who is the customer) and demonstrate a high-level understanding of the competitive landscape and why this innovation has the potential to compete.
4. The Company and Team. (Up to 1750 characters)
Explain the team’s suitability to successfully execute the project based on the proposed innovation and approach to R&D. Provide information on plans to address gaps in the team.
What's next
Once you determine if your project is a fit through the assessment and you have reviewed the instructions, submit your Project Pitch online. Typically, it takes about one month to get an official response from NSF staff.
If the Project Pitch indicates the innovation is suitable for the program, NSF will extend an official invitation for the company to submit a full proposal. If an invitation is not extended, a brief explanation will be shared with the company.
Submit your project pitch to apply for an NSF grant*Only one Project Pitch per submission deadline is allowed, and a small business with a pending Project Pitch, Open Invitation, or full SBIR or STTR Phase I proposal under review must wait to receive a response before submitting another Project Pitch.