Empowering SBIR Consultants
How the SBIR Research Portal Can Empower Consultants and Small Businesses
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is a highly competitive initiative that offers funding to small businesses engaged in research and development (R&D) with the potential for commercialization. Navigating the world of SBIR awards, understanding past successes, and aligning a small business’s innovative project with the right funding opportunity can be daunting. This is where a powerful SBIR Research Portal can make all the difference—particularly for consultants helping small businesses craft stronger proposals and target the right opportunities.
What is the SBIR Research Portal?
The SBIR Research Portal is a searchable online database that provides comprehensive access to information about past SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards. Our unique portal allows users to filter and visualize award data from various federal agencies with minimal effort, diving deep into topics like awarded project titles, company names, funding amounts, and research focus areas. For SBIR consultants, this is more than a research tool—it is an invaluable resource that can streamline proposal development, enhance strategy, and ultimately improve a small business’s chances of success.
Before we go any further, if you would like to see a demonstration on a sample of the data, you can check it out here with no sign-up required:
How the SBIR Research Portal Benefits Consultants and Small Businesses
1. Identifying Trends in Funded Research
By using the SBIR Research Portal, consultants can rapidly identify trends across funding agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Defense (DoD), and National Science Foundation (NSF). Understanding which research areas have historically received the most funding can help consultants advise their clients on aligning proposals with priorities that resonate with specific agencies.
For example, a biotech company developing a new drug delivery system might benefit from seeing which NIH sub-agencies have recently funded similar technologies. Consultants can identify the most relevant solicitations based on this data, helping businesses target their proposals to agencies with a proven interest in their field.
2. Benchmarking Success
Every business wants to know what it takes to win. The research portal enables consultants to explore previous awardees, gathering details on the size of the companies, the scope of their projects, and the specific phase of SBIR funding they received (Phase I or Phase II). This benchmarking allows consultants to provide their clients with realistic expectations and concrete examples of what a winning submission looks like.
For instance, a small robotics startup aiming for Phase II funding can look at the past Phase II awardees in their space, understanding not only the technological innovation required but also the commercialization plan that likely contributed to their success. Consultants can then tailor advice on refining proposals to meet or exceed these benchmarks.
3. Spotting Gaps in the Market
One of the most overlooked benefits of an SBIR Research Portal is its ability to help consultants and businesses spot gaps in the market. By visualizing data from past awards, consultants can pinpoint underrepresented research areas—those where fewer SBIR awards have been granted, but where emerging technologies or unaddressed problems suggest untapped potential.
A small business entering a niche market with minimal competition can leverage this insight to highlight the uniqueness of their proposal. Consultants can help frame the innovation as a solution to an unmet need, positioning the client as a pioneer in that space—something funding agencies often look for in SBIR submissions.
A great example of a niche market may be, "biocement" with only one company being awarded 2 SBIRs in the last 6 years. Other search terms reveal a broader array of Portland Cement alternatives, but clearly, there are a limited number of companies operating in this field.
4. Improving Proposal Precision
The specificity of the SBIR process requires that proposals align not only with the agency’s priorities but also with its language and research focus, (see an excellent example of this in Section 6). The SBIR Research Portal allows consultants to review funded projects, identifying recurring terminology, phrases, and technical focuses that have appealed to evaluators in the past. This insight can be used to fine-tune proposal language, ensuring it speaks the right “dialect” of each agency or program.
For instance, a cybersecurity startup seeking DoD funding could study the specific technology areas emphasized in past DoD awards. Armed with this knowledge, consultants can suggest ways to sharpen their client's technical narrative and make sure their solution fits the precise scope of the solicitation.
5. Strategic Partnering and Team Building
Many SBIR proposals require or are strengthened by partnerships with research institutions, universities, or other small businesses. This research portal allows consultants to easily identify potential collaborators by seeing which organizations have a history of winning SBIR awards in complementary areas. This enables consultants to recommend strategic partnerships that not only improve the quality of the submission but also increase its credibility.
For example, if a small software firm is developing a new AI-based system for healthcare, consultants could use the portal to identify other SBIR-winning institutions in healthcare or AI, facilitating introductions and partnerships that enhance the proposal's strength.
This page allows users to quickly find companies of interest by search terms, agencies, and award years.
Once users identify companies of interest, deep dive on any of them to look for contact information and quickly do more research about other work by the same company.
6. Efficient and Effective Proposal Matching
One of the primary challenges for small businesses is identifying the right SBIR or STTR solicitation to apply for. With hundreds of solicitations across multiple federal agencies, it’s easy for businesses to waste time pursuing opportunities that aren’t the best fit. An SBIR Research Portal helps consultants quickly filter through these options by matching their clients' technologies and goals with specific funding opportunities based on historical award data.
For example, a small environmental tech company might be considering submitting a proposal to either the Department of Energy (DoE) or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). By reviewing similar past awards, consultants can advise on which agency’s priorities align more closely with their client’s project, helping to increase the chances of success. The SBIR Research Portal makes this especially simple using things like the keyword visual.
Searching the term, "carbon" for the Department of Energy yields 731 awards in the last 6 years with key terms like, "CO2", "emissions", "manufacturing", "processes", and "costs".
None of this is too surprising when you think, “Department of Energy”. Now, let’s look at the same search term for the EPA…
Searching the term, "carbon" for the Environmental Protection Agency yields 50 awards in the last 6 years with key terms like "PFAS", "market", "treatment", "concrete", and "water".
First of all, note that DoE awarded almost 15x more SBIR/STTRs than the EPA in the last 6 years with the term “carbon” in their abstracts. That's significant if you are looking to help a client understand where the funding is.
Second, the keywords provide immediate insight into the distinct focus areas of different agencies' SBIR proposals. For example, while the term "Energy" is expected for the DoE, the entire keyword landscape highlights a focus on commercial and industrial production, manufacturing processes, and efficiency. In contrast, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emphasizes terms like Air, Water, PFAS, and Treatment, with unexpected keywords such as "Concrete" also appearing. This difference is partly due to the smaller pool of EPA awards, but it paints a picture about what the agency values.
This quick snapshot of keyword trends equips consultants with valuable data to guide their clients toward more viable submission strategies or fine-tune the proposal language to align better with agency priorities.
An Essential Tool for SBIR Consultants
In the competitive world of SBIR proposals, knowledge is power. The SBIR Research Portal transforms raw data into actionable insights, enabling consultants to provide better strategic advice, sharpen proposals, and help small businesses navigate the complexities of the SBIR process. From identifying trends and benchmarking success to spotting market gaps and building strong teams, the ability to rapidly search and visualize SBIR awards is a game-changer.
For any SBIR consultant, integrating the SBIR Research Portal into their toolkit can significantly enhance the value they offer to their clients, ultimately leading to stronger proposals, better funding matches, and higher win rates for small businesses.
By leveraging the full potential of the SBIR Research Portal, consultants can not only streamline their own processes but also help small businesses unlock critical funding for innovation and growth.