NASA offering funding to small businesses to develop innovative technology

NASA’s Civilian Commercialization Readiness Pilot Program award cycle is now open, with funding between $500,000 and $3 million available. 

The pilot program is part of NASA’s SBIR and STTR programs which fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs and have significant potential for successful commercialization. 

Small businesses with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit research institution such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to a small business are encouraged by NASA to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of innovations.

The purpose of this recent NASA notice is to provide interested contractors with time to locate investors for applications, according to the announcement.

Congress reauthorized the CCRPP as part of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Defense Reauthorization Act), with the purpose of accelerating the transition of SBIR and STTR funded technologies to commercialization. The CCRPP accomplishes this acceleration through a combination of additional SBIR/STTR program investment and NASA or non-NASA entity sponsor investment.

NASA’s CCRPP is available to small business concerns that have:

Eligible small business firms may submit a CCRPP application. If selected for an award, NASA will match the investments with SBIR/STTR program funds between $500,000 and $3 million for each CCRPP award. 

CCRPP applications will be accepted between October 26, 2020 and December 7, 2020. 

Additional information and guidelines are available at the NASA SBIR/STTR website: http://sbir.nasa.gov/content/post-phase-ii-initiatives#CCRPP