Innovation Corps (I-Corps) at NIH Program for NIH and CDC Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Grantees (Admin Supp ) | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the I-Corps at NIH Program for NIH and CDC Phase I SBIR and STTR Grantees (Administrative Supplement)?

It is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), administered through NIH with participation from CDC components. It provides administrative supplement funding to support structured entrepreneurial training and customer discovery for currently funded Phase I SBIR and STTR small business grantees.

What is the main purpose of this administrative supplement?

The supplement is intended to strengthen commercialization readiness by funding entrepreneurial education and customer discovery activities. The focus is on helping teams move an existing technology toward the marketplace by learning and applying practical commercialization skills, rather than conducting new laboratory research.

Does this opportunity fund new scientific or laboratory research?

No. The description emphasizes that the supplement is not meant to support new laboratory research. It is meant to fund structured training and evidence-based market learning activities connected to commercialization.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to small businesses that already hold an active NIH or CDC Phase I SBIR or STTR award and are seeking an administrative supplement tied to that existing project.

Is this funding available to organizations that do not already have an active Phase I SBIR/STTR award?

No. The opportunity is specifically for currently funded Phase I SBIR and STTR small business grantees under NIH or CDC, via an administrative supplement to an existing award.

What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?

The funding instrument is a grant, provided as an administrative supplement to an existing NIH or CDC Phase I SBIR or STTR award.

What is the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling listed for the administrative supplement is $40,000.

How many awards are expected?

The opportunity anticipated making about 48 awards, consistent with a cohort-based training model where multiple teams participate during the same period.

What kinds of activities are supported by this supplement?

Supported activities center on entrepreneurial education and structured customer discovery. The program is designed to teach teams to test and validate commercialization assumptions related to users and buyers, potential partners, reimbursement considerations, regulatory pathways, and competitive positioning.

What are "customer discovery" activities in the context of this program?

Based on the description, customer discovery refers to structured efforts to test key commercialization assumptions by gathering evidence about what the market needs and will adopt. This includes validating who the target users and buyers are and identifying constraints such as reimbursement, regulatory requirements, and competitive dynamics.

What is the expected outcome for participating teams?

Expected outcomes are commercialization-focused. Teams are expected to finish with a significantly refined commercialization plan and, when warranted, make informed pivots to their commercialization strategy based on evidence gathered during the training.

What kinds of "pivots" might result from the training?

The announcement notes that pivots could include redefining the target customer, narrowing or expanding the initial application, revising the value proposition, changing the go-to-market approach, or adjusting development priorities to better match real market demand and adoption constraints.

How are project teams structured for this program?

The program is built around a three-person project team model. Participants receive instruction and mentoring as part of the training framework.

Who administers this opportunity?

The opportunity is administered through NIH, with participation from CDC components. The sponsoring agency is identified as HHS-NIH11.

What is notable about the scope of participating organizations?

A key feature described is an expansion of I-Corps at NIH to include additional NIH and CDC Institutes and Centers, widening the pool of participating organizations and the reach of the program.

Is this opportunity tied to a specific NIH or CDC component?

The opportunity involves multiple NIH and CDC components, and multiple CFDA numbers are associated with the announcement. This indicates that participation and program authority can vary depending on the underlying SBIR/STTR award and the participating Institute or Center.

What are the CFDA numbers associated with this announcement?

Multiple CFDA numbers are associated with the opportunity, including 93.113, 93.121, 93.136, and others.

What is the opportunity number?

The opportunity number is PA 16-019.

What is the activity category listed for this funding?

The activity category is listed under education, environment, and health, aligning with the emphasis on training and commercialization readiness rather than basic research alone.

When was this opportunity posted and what was the closing date?

The opportunity was created and posted on October 29, 2015. The original and current closing date listed is March 21, 2016.

Why does the announcement recommend contacting NIH or CDC staff before applying?

The announcement emphasizes that prospective applicants should contact relevant NIH or CDC scientific/research staff before applying. The description indicates this is important because administrative supplements often require alignment with the parent award, confirmation that the relevant Institute/Center is participating, and clarity on cohort timing, team composition expectations, and allowable costs tied to the entrepreneurial training experience.

Is this program intended to help bridge the gap between research and commercialization?

Yes. The description highlights that a central aim is to reduce the common gap between promising science and a viable business or product strategy by requiring teams to validate what the market actually needs and will adopt.

What types of commercialization issues does the program help teams evaluate?

The program is described as teaching practical commercialization skills, including testing assumptions about users, buyers, partners, reimbursement, regulatory pathways, and competitive positioning.

Is the program delivered as a cohort?

Yes. The anticipated number of awards (about 48) and the description of multiple teams moving through training at the same time indicate a cohort-based approach.