About EPA's SBIR Program

On this page:

Overview
Phased Approach to Funding
Success Stories
Is SBIR Right for You?
EPA SBIR Solicitation Topics
Contacts

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Overview

One of 11 federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs launched over 40 years ago, EPA’s SBIR program is the small program with a big mission, to protect human health and the environment. As part of "America's Seed Fund," EPA SBIR funds small businesses to develop and commercialize innovative environmental technologies in broad focus areas which include clean and safe water, air quality, land revitalization, homeland security, sustainable materials management/circular economy, safer chemicals, and risk assessment. Proposals should be responsive to the annual topics under these broad areas.

Program Objectives

Support for innovative green technology
Focus on commercialization
Communication of successes
Protect the planet

For more information on the Federal SBIR programs, visit the Small Business Administration's SBIR website.

Phased Approach to Funding

SBIR projects are funded in a phased approach. Each year, EPA issues a Phase I solicitation for technology proposals addressing specific topics. Proposals are evaluated on their technical merit, potential for commercialization and impact/relevance in the given topic area.

For Phase I, EPA awards firm-fixed-price contracts of up to $100,000 for 6 months for “proof of concept” of the proposed technology. Small businesses that have received a Phase I can submit a proposal for a Phase II award of $400,000 to further develop and commercialize the technology.

To accelerate commercialization, EPA also offers a "Commercialization Option" of up to $100,000 in Phase II for companies that secure third-party investment.

SBIR Success Stories

Veriflux

Veriflux, based in Washington D.C., has traced their 1 billionth pound of renewable low-carbon intensity feedstock. Their success was recently featured in Biobased Diesel Daily, highlighting the company’s achievements. To date, Veriflux has traced renewable feedstocks from numerous points of origin, through supply chains incorporating nearly 850 companies across more than 20 countries. Veriflux was awarded an EPA SBIR Phase I award in 2021, for their traceability application while it was still in beta.

GEVO

GEVO, from Englewood, Colorado, announced in September that they acquired Cultivate Agricultural Intelligence, an agricultural data provider, for $6 million. GEVO plans to utilize CultivateAI's digital agriculture data and analytics platform to provide data-driven solutions for carbon abatement in food, feed, fuels, as well as industrial markets, all the while helping farmers improve their operations. GEVO’s SBIR project was focused on biological production of isobutanal, which has advantages over other biofuels such as ethanol.

Pure Blue Tech

Pure Blue Tech has developed a technology that uses ultrasound generated via thin and flexible efficient transducers, embedded in membrane filters- which effectively reduces the occurrence of membrane fouling by up to half. This technology can lower the cost of reverse osmosis treatment which is key to many reuse applications. As a result, Pure Blue Tech’s prototype technology has been successfully integrated in industrial-scale reverse osmosis systems and have pilot projects planned across North America to advance this innovative technology. Pure Blue was also able to recently secure an investment of $2 million in funding, to expand their company and accelerate product development.

Is EPA SBIR Right for You?

Are you ready to join hundreds of small businesses that have used EPA SBIR awards to develop and commercialize their environmental technologies? If your small business has a technology solution that helps solve one of EPA's priority topic areas, consider submitting your idea to help us protect public health and address our most pressing environmental problems. EPA welcomes proposals from small businesses and start-ups new to the program.

How to Apply for an SBIR Contract

EPA SBIR Solicitation Topics

The most recent EPA SBIR solicitation closed in August 2024. The solicitation topics were:

Clean and Safe Water

Nature-based Solutions for Water Reuse
Technologies for the Treatment of PFAS in Wastewater Sewage Sludge and Biosolids
Treatment for Cyanobacteria and Cyanotoxins in Drinking Water at the Household Scale

Air Quality

Technologies and Tools to Monitor and Reduce Air Toxics Exposures
Air Pollution Control Technologies for Small Sources

Homeland Security

Scenario-Based Training for Disaster Response

Circular Economy/Sustainable Materials

Preventing and Recycling Food Waste
Source Reduction and Reuse

Safer Chemicals

Rubber Anti-Degradants that are Lower Concern for Human Health and the Environment
Next Generation Fertilizers

Contacts

For questions, contact April Richards, SBIR Program Manager (richards.april@epa.gov) or (202) 564-6462