SBIR Self-Assessment | Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center

Answer the questions below to gauge whether your company is ready to pursue SBIR/STTR funding.

Does your business meet the SBIR/STTR requirements for size, annual revenue, and ownership limitations and restrictions?
Will the proposed work be conducted in the United States?

How does the proposed technology address an existing need in the field of interest?
Has the need for the technology or application of technology been identified and quantified? (Measuring the need for the technology requires research of current scientific resources.)
Have you identified the end users of your technology?

Is the ability of the principal investigator (PI) clearly established through his or her education and research/work background?
Do you need staff with expertise in the technological field of interest to perform the proposed work effort beyond the PI?
What particular skill set or level of expertise can each staff member contribute to the project?
Does your PI meet the statutory employment requirements of the SBIR and STTR programs?

What specific objectives of the project can be completed in six months for $100,000?
Have you outlined an action plan with task-specific due dates and personnel in charge of each task?
Have alternative technologies or methods for using the proposed technology been identified?

Have you conducted a review of scientific literature related to the proposed project?
Have you studied sample SBIR/STTR proposals?
Have you reviewed the specific SBIR/STTR program criteria for each federal agency of interest?
Do the aims of your proposal match with agency missions?
Have you investigated previous SBIR/STTR awards given to companies that have conducted similar research in the past? (Searching through previous award winners can reveal specific areas of interest for each federal agency.)

Where do you intend to market your product?
What is the potential size of the customer market? Approximately how many people will benefit from this product?
What kind of relationships have you developed with potential customers?
Who are the potential competitors in the market? Who are potential partners?
What steps have you taken towards intellectual property (IP) protection?

Does the project have the potential to receive additional funding by angel groups, venture capitalists, or other sources?

Has the technological innovation been reviewed by outside sources to evaluate its potential?

What are the anticipated commercial and societal benefits of the proposed activity?
If the objectives of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be enhanced?

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