NSF SBIR Phase I (America's Seed Fund): award, eligibility & how to apply
National Science Foundation · [VERIFIED]
Non-dilutive federal R&D cash (up to $305k Phase I) for the verification/trust-layer work — Sureel's actual SBIR dogfood.
How much do you actually get?
Up to $305,000 (6–18 mo) non-dilutive; Phase II up to $1.25M. [VERIFIED — NSF SBIR Project Pitch]. Topic fit: AI3 (Conversational AI) + AI7 (Trustworthy/Safe AI). Pitch reopened 2026-06-02; full-proposal deadlines 2026-07-27 · 2026-11-04 · 2027-03-04.
Are you eligible?
- ✓You must be an incorporated, registered legal entity — a real company, not just an idea.
- ✓Eligible entity types: LLC, C-corp, S-corp, other for-profit entity.
- ✓Majority US ownership is required (for SBIR, ≥50% US-citizen or permanent-resident ownership).
- ✓Setup prerequisite: SAM.gov registration active (UEI).
- ✓Setup prerequisite: SBC Registry at SBIR.gov (separate, mandatory).
- ✓Setup prerequisite: PI ≥50% employed by the company.
- ✓Setup prerequisite: Cap table confirming ≥50% US-citizen/PR ownership; <500 employees.
The fine print: For-profit US small business; ≥50% US-citizen/permanent-resident ownership; <500 employees; PI ≥50% employed by the company. Project pitch first, then full proposal. Substantial effort (multi-day) — this is non-dilutive cash, not instant credits. [VERIFIED]
How to apply
This is a queued / relationship-gated program with roughly ~8 hrof applicant effort. Apply on the sponsor’s official page:
Because this is a written grant proposal rather than a quick credit form, the draft is the hard part. RadGrants drafts each field from facts you supply, then flags any claim a source doesn’t support — try grounded drafting or read the full NSF SBIR guide.
This page is general. The free matcher checks NSF SBIR Phase I (America's Seed Fund) (and every other program) against your specific profile — founded year, entity, funding stage, US ownership — and tells you whether you actually qualify, ranked by value ÷ effort.
NSF SBIR Phase I (America's Seed Fund) — frequently asked questions
Is my startup eligible for an NSF SBIR Phase I grant?
You qualify if you are a for-profit US small business with at least 50% US-citizen or permanent-resident ownership, fewer than 500 employees, and a Principal Investigator who is at least 50% employed by the company. Nonprofits and sole proprietorships do not fit the clean qualify. You also need an active SAM.gov registration (UEI) and a separate SBC Registry record at SBIR.gov.
How much is an NSF SBIR Phase I grant worth?
Up to $305,000 in non-dilutive funding over 6–18 months, with a Phase II up to $1.25M. It is real federal R&D cash, not credits — and you give up no equity. The trade-off is effort: it is a multi-day application, not an instant grab.
What are the NSF SBIR deadlines and how do I start?
You start with a free Project Pitch, then submit a full proposal. The pitch reopened on 2026-06-02, and full-proposal deadlines fall on 2026-07-27, 2026-11-04, and 2027-03-04. Relevant NSF topics for AI startups include AI3 (Conversational AI) and AI7 (Trustworthy/Safe AI).
Does NSF SBIR require giving up equity?
No. SBIR is non-dilutive federal R&D funding — you keep 100% of your equity. The cost is time and rigor (the registrations and proposal take weeks), and Phase I is competitive, but the money does not come with an ownership stake.
Compare this against every other program on the non-dilutive funding overview, or browse all programs.