Secure Non-Dilutive Funding: How to Use SBIR to Fund your Startup
When it comes to funding your startup or small business entrepreneurs are faced with the tough decision: maintain 100% ownership and bootstrap development or give up equity, and with it a bit of control, in exchange for capital from VCs. Those that prefer to bootstrap can still get financing in the form of non-dilutive funding. For US companies, one of the funding options is the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, designed to finance small businesses developing innovation products without taking a slice of the company.
This post demystifies SBIR, covering what it is, what it isn't, how it works, and the steps you can take to grow your startup with OPM (other people’s money) without taking on debt or giving away equity.
Secure Non-Dilutive Funding: How to Use STTR to Fund your Startup
While traditional funding routes often require sacrificing equity, there’s a compelling alternative that allows you to keep full control over your venture. Enter the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program—an often overlooked and misunderstood source of non-dilutive funding specifically designed to fund universities, colleges and research institutions in commercializing research with the help of US small businesses through a partnership.
In this post, we’ll break down the STTR program, what it entails, how it differs from SBIR funding, and the steps you need to take to win a STTR contract.
