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NSF SBIR 12-605 1
NOTE: The Solicitations and topics listed on this site are copies from the various SBIR agency solicitations and are not necessarily the latest and most up-to-date. For this reason, you should use the agency link listed below which will take you directly to the appropriate agency server where you can read the official version of this solicitation and download the appropriate forms and rules.
The official link for this solicitation is: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504762
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Available Funding Topics
The Biological and Chemical Technologies (BC) topic addresses innovation in the life sciences and chemical areas including Biological Technologies, Biomedical Technologies, Environmental Technologies, and Chemical Technologies. Biological Technologies includes the subtopic areas of research tools, bioinstrumentation, biosensors, computational biology and bioinformatics, synthetic biology and metabolic engineering, fermentation and cell culture technologies, and sustainable agriculture using biotechnology. Biomedical Technologies includes materials, diagnostics, drug delivery, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, biomedical engineering, biomechanics, and imaging technologies. Environmental Technologies includes energy storage, management and use, renewable fuels and energy, and waste treatment. Chemical Technologies includes bio-based chemicals and renewable chemical process technology, separation technologies, renewable polymers, and catalytic process technology. The BC program seeks to support high-risk, high-payback projects where there is a significant market opportunity, the technology is transformational, and there is a significant societal impact. We are looking for discontinuous innovations aimed at achieving increased performance, reduced cost, and/or new functions or applications that will catalyze new business opportunities for small businesses in today's global bioeconomy.
The Education Application (EA) topic addresses the challenges of advancing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education for all American students, to nurture innovation, and to ensure the long-term economic prosperity of the Nation. The urgency of this task is underscored by the need to ensure that the United States continues to excel in science, technology, and innovation in the 21st century. Proposed applications should provide storyboards, sketches, or descriptions of how the proposed application will work and provide examples of how users would interact with the application. Projects that propose technologies or products similar to those in the marketplace must make the case that their efforts are not incremental and will lead to sufficient revenues that justify an NSF SBIR investment. Projects that can be easily replicated by potential competitors are not responsive to the Educational Application (EA) topic.
The NSF SBIR Program conceptualizes Electronics, Information and Communication Technologies in the form of a five-layer stack. Each layer of the stack builds upon the layer(s) below and supports the layer(s) above. At the foundation of this stack are devices. Devices (ED) are the building blocks for Components (EC) that are assembled into Systems (ES) built for Applications (IA) that are employed to deliver Services (IS). Innovations across the stack can range widely, and hardware as well as software innovations will be supported. Considering the two ends of the stack, device innovations will typically employ unique physical phenomena for their competitive advantage and be embodied in hardware, whereas innovations in services will typically be more architectural in nature and be embodied in software.
Enterprises large and small, for-profit and non-profit, must respond to customer needs, manage internal activities, and adapt to competitive market pressures much more rapidly than at any other period in human history. Enterprises that effectively and efficiently combine computing, communication, services and business process advances become leaders in their respective markets.
Advancements in applications provide value by enabling increased user productivity or enhanced quality of life. Examples of previous innovations in applications include: the spreadsheet, email and web browser.
Systems' innovations combine multiple sub-elements and components together to enable the delivery of new value. Examples of previous systems innovations include the MP3 player, the artificial heart and the radio telescope.
Components represent basic building blocks for most engineered systems. By themselves, components are not typically consumed by end-users and they must be assembled together with other components to provide complete solutions. Examples of previous component innovations include: Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based accelerometers, Sigma-Delta Analog to Digital Converters (ADC) and Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (OADM).
Novel devices employ unique physical principles that enable broad advances in technology and industry. They often represent fundamental scientific and technological building blocks that require significant integration with other advanced technologies to provide commercial value. Examples of previous innovations in the device field include: the transistor, the thermocouple and Light Emitting Devices (LED).
The Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (NM) topic addresses innovations and development of new materials, devices, machines, structures and manufacturing processes for the advancement of the competitive nature and state of the art for U.S. industry. NM includes materials and manufacturing technologies such as electronic materials and processes, high-temperature materials, structural materials, coatings, composites, nanomanufacturing, printing, patterning and lithography, machining, casting, joining, additive manufacturing, self-assembly, and other related research areas. The NM program seeks to support high-risk, high-payoff innovative technologies with the potential for significant impact on business, consumers, and society, thereby catalyzing new business opportunities for small businesses in today's global marketplace. NSF is committed to supporting scientific discoveries to benefit society and to emphasize private sector commercialization. Novel technologies aimed at achieving increased performance, reduced cost, and/or new functions or applications are of great interest.
The Nanotechnology subtopic addresses the creation and use of functional materials, devices, and systems with novel properties and functions that are achieved through the control of matter at a submicroscopic scale (from a fraction of nanometer to about 100 nm). Proposals should be market-driven and identify the end users of the proposed technology, and the proposed pathway to commercialization.
The Advanced Materials subtopic addresses the research and development of new materials and systems that have the potential for revolutionary changes and paradigm shifts in U.S. industry. Proposals should be market-driven and identify the end users of the proposed technology, and the proposed pathway to commercialization.
The manufacturing subtopic addresses manufacturing innovations that improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the nation's manufacturing sector. Proposals should be market-driven and identify the end users of the proposed technology, and the proposed pathway to commercialization.