Where Ridgeline fits
Checked against each programme’s published rules on Oct 8, 2026. “To confirm” means a rule your profile cannot answer; the draft will ask you.
Amber Grant for Women
WomensNet · 6 questions, 1 sections
2 of 7 rules met · 5 for you to confirm · 0 not met
Simple effort: One short public form: four identity fields and two free-text answers, no budget, no attachments.
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for Amber Grant for Women| Result | Rule |
|---|
| To confirm | The applicant must be a woman aged 18 or older.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The business must be at least 50% women-owned (FAQ: "your business is 50% women-owned").Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The business must be based in the United States or Canada.Confirm this yourself |
| Metsoft rule | Revenue-generating non-profits are eligible if at least 50% of top leadership, and the Board President or CEO, are women. Non-profits whose primary activity is charitable giving are not eligible.Does not have nonprofit. |
| Metsoft rule | The Monthly Startup Grant is for a business still in the idea phase, pre-revenue, or with minimal sales (under $10,000). Businesses above that still qualify for the other monthly grants.Within the limit of 10000. |
| To confirmsoft rule | A $15 non-refundable application fee is paid by card (Stripe) or PayPal at submission. A fee waiver can be requested by emailing info@ambergrantsforwomen.com.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | The system will not accept a second application from the same email within 3 months (FAQ). A monthly application does not roll forward to the next month; the exception is the Business Category Grant, which stays active for the next 12 months (FAQ, and all-grants page).Confirm this yourself |
FedEx Small Business Grant Contest
FedEx · 5 questions, 1 sections
1 of 8 rules met · 7 for you to confirm · 0 not met
- The business must be for-profit. Nonprofits and businesses whose primary use of profits is donation-based are excluded (2024 rules, s.2).
Simple effort: Four short written answers under 1,000 characters each plus a video link; no budget or attachments beyond an image.
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for FedEx Small Business Grant Contest| Result | Rule |
|---|
| To confirm | The owner must be a legal resident of the 50 U.S. states or D.C. and at least 18 years old at the time of application, and must be an authorized agent of the registered business (2024 rules, s.2).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The business must be domiciled in the 50 U.S. states or D.C. If it is a subsidiary, the subsidiary and its parent must be U.S.-owned and based (2024 rules, s.2).Confirm this yourself |
| Met | The business must be for-profit. Nonprofits and businesses whose primary use of profits is donation-based are excluded (2024 rules, s.2).Does not have nonprofit. |
| To confirm | The business must have been in continuous operation selling a product or service for at least six months before the start of the application period (March 1 in 2024).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The business must hold a valid FedEx shipping account open for six or more months before the start of the application period, be a current shipping customer using its own account number, and be in good standing with FedEx through the end of the programme.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | No more than 99 employees on payroll at the time of application (owners and part-time employees count).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The business must be active, lawful, and hold all licences and registrations required by the state(s) where it operates.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Excluded: previous FedEx Small Business Grant recipients; past or current members of FedEx advisory boards; franchised, direct-seller, pyramid-model or car-service businesses; authorised FedEx Ship Centers and resellers; businesses competing with FedEx shipping, delivery or printing; businesses in bankruptcy or with judicial liens; businesses owned or invested in by FedEx staff or their families.Confirm this yourself |
gener8tor Investment Accelerator
gener8tor · 38 questions, 5 sections
0 of 4 rules met · 4 for you to confirm · 0 not met
Standard effort: One public online form of about 38 fields with two PDF uploads, narrative answers and no budget table.
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for gener8tor Investment Accelerator| Result | Rule |
|---|
| To confirmsoft rule | Programmes invest $100K into 'high-growth startups' in a 12-week investment-for-equity programme, five to six companies per cohort. The Wisconsin programme says 'We accept ALL types of startups across ALL industries and business models'; North Dakota is described as industry- and business-model-agnostic; other programmes are themed (for example cleantech, healthcare, agriculture, circular economy, sustainability, fintech).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Where gener8tor invests, 'our terms are always the same and non-negotiable'. Wisconsin, UW-Green Bay and North Dakota: $100,000 in return for 7.5% equity via a SAFE. Other programmes differ (Great Lakes: $100K non-dilutive; Prosper HealthTech: $50,000 for 5% common via a stock purchase agreement). Terms of the other programmes were not confirmed; check the programme page.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Location rules are per programme. gener8tor's FAQ says it has locations globally and welcomes applicants from anywhere, but the Wisconsin page says eligible companies are headquartered in Wisconsin or have significant economic impact there, and the North Dakota programme expects HQ in, relocation to, or a demonstrable employee presence in North Dakota and in-person participation. Confirm against the chosen programme's page.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The Pitch Deck (PDF) and Executive Summary (PDF) uploads are required on the standard form.Confirm this yourself |
HAX
SOSV · 18 questions, 4 sections
1 of 5 rules met · 4 for you to confirm · 0 not met
Simple effort: One short web form of 18 questions with a 140-character description, a deck link and a cap table breakdown.
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for HAX| Result | Rule |
|---|
| To confirm | Applicant must confirm 'my company is building a Hard Tech product'. FAQ: 'If you drop it on your foot does it hurt?' - physical-science based technology enabled by hardware; common rejection: the product has no relevance to hardware (for example an e-commerce app).Confirm this yourself |
| Metsoft rule | HAX wants a working prototype (not necessarily polished) and a validated problem; the company 'is still at concept stage and the team hasn't submitted a demo of a working prototype' is a listed common reason for rejection. Machine check: proof of concept to seed stage.Matches one of: proof of concept, prototype, seed. |
| To confirm | A pitch deck link is required: 'Without a deck, we won't be able to review your submission.'Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | HAX looks for a strong founding team with engineering ability; a sole founder with a team of contracted engineers with no skin in the game is a listed common reason for rejection.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Large enough problem for a venture-backable company, not a very crowded space, and defensible (technology, network effects, switching costs or process expertise) - common reasons for rejection per the FAQ.Confirm this yourself |
SBA 504 Loan Program (CDC/504)
U.S. Small Business Administration · 41 questions, 5 sections
3 of 10 rules met · 7 for you to confirm · 0 not met
- 100% of all direct and indirect owners of the Applicant, and SBA-required guarantors, must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals with their principal residence in the United States, its territories or possessions (effective March 1, 2026; lawful permanent residents no longer qualify). The printed Form 1244 certification still refers to 51% citizens or lawful permanent residents; the March 2026 notice supersedes it.
- Business must be located in the U.S. and be an operating business.
- Business must operate for profit. Loans cannot go to nonprofit, passive or speculative activities.
Standard effort: One federal borrower form with about 45 fields and two tables, plus an exhibit checklist the CDC administers; no scored criteria, but the exhibits (projections, cash flow, cost documents) add work.
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for SBA 504 Loan Program (CDC/504)| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | 100% of all direct and indirect owners of the Applicant, and SBA-required guarantors, must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals with their principal residence in the United States, its territories or possessions (effective March 1, 2026; lawful permanent residents no longer qualify). The printed Form 1244 certification still refers to 51% citizens or lawful permanent residents; the March 2026 notice supersedes it.Meets the minimum of 100. |
| Met | Business must be located in the U.S. and be an operating business.Confirmed. |
| Met | Business must operate for profit. Loans cannot go to nonprofit, passive or speculative activities.Does not have nonprofit. |
| To confirm | Applicant (with affiliates) must be small under the SBA industry size standard, or under the Alternative Size Standard: tangible net worth not above $20 million and average net income after federal taxes for the 2 prior full fiscal years not above $6.5 million (both raised 25% in a labor surplus area).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | 504 funds major fixed assets only: purchase, construction or renovation of land and buildings, long-term machinery and equipment with at least 10 years of remaining useful life, and qualifying debt refinancing. It cannot fund working capital or inventory, non-qualified debt, or speculation or rental real estate investment.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Available only through a Certified Development Company working with a senior (third-party) lender, which must provide a letter of intent or term sheet and the reason it will not finance the whole project.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Borrower must contribute at least 10% of project cost; a new business at least 15%; a limited- or special-purpose property at least 15%; both a new business and a special-purpose property at least 20%. More contribution reduces SBA's share.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The project must create or retain one job per $95,000 guaranteed by SBA (one per $150,000 for small manufacturers and energy public policy projects), or meet another listed community-development or public-policy goal in 13 CFR 120.862.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Qualified management expertise, a feasible business plan, good character and ability to repay the loan.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Every SBA-required guarantor must also be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National with U.S. principal residence.Confirm this yourself |
SBA 7(a) Loan Program
U.S. Small Business Administration · 44 questions, 5 sections
3 of 9 rules met · 6 for you to confirm · 0 not met
- 100% of all direct and indirect owners of the Applicant, and SBA-required guarantors, must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals with their principal residence in the United States, its territories or possessions (effective March 1, 2026; lawful permanent residents no longer qualify). All entity owners must be organized in the United States. The printed Form 1919 certification still says 51% U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; the March 2026 notice supersedes it.
- Business must be located in the U.S. and be an operating business.
- Business must operate for profit (nonprofits are not eligible).
Standard effort: One five-page federal borrower form with about 45 fields, an ownership table and a loan-purpose table, plus a supporting-document checklist (PFS, financials, projections); no scored criteria.
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for SBA 7(a) Loan Program| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | 100% of all direct and indirect owners of the Applicant, and SBA-required guarantors, must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals with their principal residence in the United States, its territories or possessions (effective March 1, 2026; lawful permanent residents no longer qualify). All entity owners must be organized in the United States. The printed Form 1919 certification still says 51% U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; the March 2026 notice supersedes it.Meets the minimum of 100. |
| Met | Business must be located in the U.S. and be an operating business.Confirmed. |
| Met | Business must operate for profit (nonprofits are not eligible).Does not have nonprofit. |
| To confirm | Applicant together with all affiliates must be small under SBA size standards for its industry (13 CFR Part 121). Size standards vary by NAICS code (employees or revenue), so this cannot be checked from the profile alone.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Business must not be a type of ineligible business listed in 13 CFR 120.110 (for example passive, speculative or lending businesses; see also Form 1919 questions 1, 4 and 7).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Applicant must be unable to obtain the desired credit on reasonable terms from non-federal, non-state and non-local government sources.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Applicant must be creditworthy and show a reasonable ability to repay from business cash flow. For start-ups, new businesses and projection-based applications the lender needs detailed projections with assumptions showing debt service coverage of at least 1.15 within 2 years of loan funding.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | A start-up (in operation, generating revenue from intended operations, for 1 year or less) must make an equity injection of at least 10% of total project costs; loans approved more than 90 days apart count as separate projects.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Every SBA-required guarantor must also be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National with U.S. principal residence; the lender certifies in E-Tran that no direct or indirect owner or required guarantor is an Ineligible Person, with a six-month ownership lookback.Confirm this yourself |
Techstars Standard Investment Terms
Techstars · 27 questions, 3 sections
1 of 3 rules met · 2 for you to confirm · 0 not met
Standard effort: One online application of 27 questions plus demo and team videos, no budget and no scored criteria.
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for Techstars Standard Investment Terms| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Metsoft rule | To receive the $220,000, the company must be a US corporation or an approved foreign-equivalent/holding structure; companies in unsupported jurisdictions (India is the named example) must reorganise ('flip') first and Techstars says it assists. Not a condition of applying: the application only asks for 'Startup incorporation information (if applicable)'.Matches one of: c corp. |
| To confirmsoft rule | Founders are expected to commit full time: the application asks 'Working on your startup full time?' and Techstars says a programme needs a significant time investment that is hard to balance with other full-time commitments. Solo founders may apply but are warned about the workload.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Techstars publishes no minimum stage, revenue or traction: 'There isn't a minimum requirement. Each application is different' (Managing Directors). Early or far along, customers or pre-product are all accepted.Confirm this yourself |
ARPA-H
Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (HHS) · 48 questions, 7 sections
1 of 7 rules met · 1 not met · 5 to confirm · 40 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for ARPA-H| Result | Rule |
|---|
| To confirmsoft rule | All responsible sources capable of satisfying the government's needs may submit: for-profit companies, academia, non-profits, hospitals, community health centers and non-federal research centers; small businesses and individuals with relevant expertise are welcome. Awards are Other Transactions, not grants, and are usually milestone-based.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A Solution Summary must be submitted through the ARPA-H Solutions portal and ARPA-H must reply in writing before a proposal can be submitted; proposals without a prior Solution Summary are not reviewed. ARPA-H aims to reply within 30 business days and, if it encourages a proposal, asks for it within 45 calendar days of the feedback. The solicitation stays open until 5 March 2029.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Submit to only one Mission Office ISO. The same proposal may not go to several ISOs with minor changes, the concept must not already have been funded or selected for negotiation elsewhere (ARPA-H or another agency), and it must fit this office's interest areas (Resilient Systems: systems-level innovation to make the health ecosystem more robust, interoperable and efficient). Ideas that fit an existing ARPA-H program may be rejected.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Excluded: evolutionary or incremental advances, technology that has reached the clinical trial stage, approaches redundant to anticipated private-sector advances, proposals directed at policy change, traditional education and training, center coordination or formation, and construction of physical infrastructure.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | FFRDCs and government entities, including federal employees, may not join a team as members or sub-performers (an FFRDC may be included only with documented justification that no other source can meet the need). Companies already providing contracted support services to ARPA-H have an unmitigable organizational conflict of interest and are ineligible.Confirm this yourself |
| Metsoft rule | ARPA-H prioritizes awards for work performed in the United States. Non-US entities may take part if they comply with nondisclosure, security and export-control rules, but never a foreign entity of concern, a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program, a debarred entity, or an entity organized in a 'covered' foreign country (50 U.S.C. 3059).Confirmed. |
| Not metsoft rule | At proposal submission (not for the Solution Summary) the proposer must be registered in SAM.gov with a valid UEI, and must stay registered through award. New registrations average 7-10 business days (the ARPA-H guide says up to several weeks).Not confirmed. |
DHS SBIR
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate · 23 questions, 3 sections
5 of 12 rules met · 1 not met · 6 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for DHS SBIR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | Must be a for-profit small business concern (SBC) under SBA rules at the time of award and at the other times set in 13 CFR 121.701-121.705; certified on the Cover Sheet at submission.Does not have nonprofit. |
| Met | No more than 500 employees including affiliates (SBA SBIR size standard).Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | More than 50% directly owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents (or by other businesses that are); the check uses 51 as the threshold.Meets the minimum of 51. |
| Met | SBCs majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds or private equity firms are NOT eligible to submit or receive an award under the 25.1 solicitation, and DHS S&T does not elect the VC authority. The check is conservative: it adds up VC/PE ownership.Within the limit of 50. |
| Not metsoft rule | Must register in SAM.gov (UEI and CAGE code) before submitting; SAM registration can take several weeks.Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | Must register in the SBA Company Registry (sbir.gov), enter the SBC Control ID on the Cover Sheet, and upload the registry record dated within the last 6 months; without it the proposal is non-responsive.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The Principal Investigator's primary employment (more than half of their time) must be with the SBC at award and during the contract; full-time employment elsewhere is not allowed.Confirm this yourself |
| Met | All research or research and development must be performed by the SBC and its subcontractors in the United States; a non-US source needs a written explanation of why no qualified US source exists.Confirmed. |
| To confirm | At least two-thirds of the Phase I research and/or analytical work, by total contract value, must be done by the SBC.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | A company with more than 20 Phase I awards in the past five fiscal years (excluding the latest) must meet the Phase II transition benchmark (0.25 for 21-50 awards; 0.50 for 51 or more) to be eligible for a new Phase I.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Phase I proposals must not include animal or human subject testing; classified proposals are destroyed unread.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A DHS SBIR solicitation must be open. The OIP portal read on 2026-10-08 says there are no open solicitations; the last one (25.1) closed 21 Jan 2025.Confirm this yourself |
DoD SBIR/STTR
U.S. Department of Defense (dodsbirsttr.mil, spanning Air Force, Army, Navy, DARPA, MDA and other components) · 23 questions, 4 sections
3 of 10 rules met · 1 not met · 6 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for DoD SBIR/STTR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | Each proposing entity must qualify as a small business concern under 13 CFR 121.701-705 at the time of award and certify this on the proposal cover sheet. Joint ventures and limited partnerships are allowed if they meet the ownership and size rules; existing or planned relationships with foreign entities or foreign government-controlled companies must be disclosed.Matches one of: c corp, s corp, llc, partnership, sole proprietorship. |
| To confirm | More than 50% owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents (13 CFR 121.702). Companies majority-owned by multiple venture capital, hedge or private-equity funds are INELIGIBLE unless the Service/Component authorizes it (BAA 1.5): in this BAA the Navy topics allow it and Air Force topics do not. A company relying on this must identify every foreign owner above 5% and file the majority-owned VCOC/HF/PEF certification. Component-dependent, so not machine-checked.Confirm this yourself |
| Met | Not more than 500 employees, together with all affiliates (13 CFR 121.702(c)).Within the limit of 500. |
| To confirm | For Phase I and II the principal investigator's primary employment must be with the proposing small business at award and during the work: more than half of the PI's time (on a 40-hour week) is spent with the company, which precludes full-time employment elsewhere. Deviations or PI changes need Funding Agreement officer approval.Confirm this yourself |
| Met | The small business and its subcontractors must perform all research or R&D work in the United States.Confirmed. |
| To confirm | SBIR Phase I: the small business must conduct at least two-thirds of the research and/or analytical work, measured by direct and indirect costs (Phase II: at least half). STTR Phase I: at least 40% by the small business and at least 30% by a single research institution. Deviations need the funding agreement officer's written approval, and some Components accept none.Confirm this yourself |
| Not metsoft rule | Before submitting: SAM.gov registration with a UEI and CAGE code, SBA Company Registry (SBC Control ID and proof of registration), and a DSIP account authenticated through Login.gov for each user, with a DSIP Firm Admin who completes the Firm-level forms (Firm Certifications, Audit Information, Company Commercialization Report). The DSIP application is only accessible from within the United States.Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | A proposal must respond to a specific topic published in an open release; one proposal per open topic (a later certified submission replaces earlier ones). Topics are issued by Army, Navy, Air Force, DARPA and other Components on a monthly release schedule.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | DoW will not make an award if the company has an owner or covered individual in a malign foreign talent recruitment program, a parent, subsidiary or business entity in China or another foreign country of concern, or other security-risk findings (BAA 4.4, expanded by Public Law 119-83, 13 April 2026). Other foreign ties are disclosed in Volume 7 and reviewed.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Firms with multiple prior SBIR/STTR awards must meet the Phase I-to-Phase II transition and commercialization benchmarks; a firm that fails them may not receive more than 20 Phase I and Direct-to-Phase-II awards from each of the Army, Navy, Air Force and all other Components combined.Confirm this yourself |
DOE SBIR/STTR
U.S. Department of Energy (Office of Technology Commercialization) · 16 questions, 2 sections
6 of 12 rules met · 1 not met · 5 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for DOE SBIR/STTR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | For-profit small business; nonprofits are not eligible for direct awards (they may be subawardees or subcontractors).Does not have nonprofit. |
| Met | 500 or fewer employees including domestic and foreign affiliates, averaged over the preceding 12 months; full-time, part-time and temporary staff all count.Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | At least 51% directly owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens, or by another for-profit small business that is at least 51% so owned.Meets the minimum of 51. |
| Met | DOE does not use the authority that lets some agencies fund small businesses majority-owned by multiple VC, hedge fund or private equity firms. The check is conservative: it adds up VC/PE ownership.Within the limit of 50. |
| Met | A place of business in the United States, and all R&D performed entirely in the U.S.Confirmed. |
| Not metsoft rule | Registered with SAM.gov before the full application (the pitch needs no registration).Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | Registered with the SBA Company Registry before the full application.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | SBIR: the PI must be primarily employed by the business (more than 50% of hours) for the award and the full project.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | SBIR Phase I: the business performs at least two-thirds of the effort; up to one-third may be subcontracted.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A full application cannot be submitted without an invitation after an accepted pitch; the topic and prime small business cannot change between pitch and full application.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A Phase I window must be open. The FY26 Genesis Mission pitch window closed 10 Sep 2026; DOE says a broader Phase I opportunity opens in fall 2026 with no date given.Confirm this yourself |
| Metsoft rule | The pitch must fit one of the four Genesis Mission topic areas (AI, quantum, materials, biotechnology).Matches one of: biotech, quantum, advanced materials, AI. |
US DOT SBIR
U.S. Department of Transportation (administered by the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center) · 27 questions, 5 sections
5 of 11 rules met · 1 not met · 5 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for US DOT SBIR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | Offeror must be a for-profit small business concern under 13 CFR 121.701-121.705 (the solicitation points to those rules and SBA's SBIR eligibility guide for size and ownership) and at least 51% owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents.Meets the minimum of 51. |
| Met | No more than 500 employees including the employees of affiliates (SBIR size limit in 13 CFR 121.702; the solicitation itself refers to those regulations rather than restating the figure).Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | SBIR awards go to for-profit small business concerns; nonprofits are not eligible.Matches one of: c corp, s corp, llc, partnership, sole proprietorship. |
| Met | DOT does not use the authority for companies majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds or private equity firms; such proposals are not considered. Majority ownership by a single VCOC, hedge fund or private equity firm that is itself a small business concern is not excluded.Within the limit of 50. |
| Met | The research or R&D work must be performed in the United States (exceptions only with the Contracting Officer's written approval before award).Confirmed. |
| Not metsoft rule | Active registration in SAM.gov and in SBA's SBIR Company Registry is required at submission; proof of both goes in the Appendices A and B upload.Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | The Principal Investigator must be primarily employed (more than one-half of employment time) by the small business at the time of award and throughout performance.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Phase I: at least two-thirds (66.7%) of the research or analytical effort must be performed by the awardee; subcontractors and consultants are limited to the remainder.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Phase I performance benchmarks: firms with 21 or more Phase I awards in the past five years (excluding the latest year) need a Phase I-to-II transition rate of at least 0.25; firms with 16 or more Phase II awards in the past 10 years need minimum commercialization results. Verify eligibility on SBA's SBIR site before submitting.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Offerors must disclose foreign affiliations of owners and covered individuals (including to the People's Republic of China) on DOT's online disclosure form; DOT runs a risk-based due diligence review and will not fund an award that poses an unacceptable national security risk.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Only DOT SBIR Phase I awardees who complete Phase I may submit Phase II proposals; unsolicited proposals are not accepted.Confirm this yourself |
ED/IES SBIR
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences · 65 questions, 5 sections
6 of 12 rules met · 1 not met · 5 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for ED/IES SBIR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | Offeror must be a for-profit small business concern more than 50% owned and controlled by one or more U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens (or by other small businesses so owned), with no more than 500 employees including affiliates (13 CFR 121.702).Meets the minimum of 51. |
| Met | No more than 500 employees, including affiliates.Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | ED/IES SBIR invites for-profit small businesses; nonprofits are not eligible.Matches one of: c corp, s corp, llc, partnership, sole proprietorship. |
| Not metsoft rule | Active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity Identifier is required at submission; proposals without a UEI are rejected without review. Registration in SBA's SBIR Company Registry is also required, with the registration PDF in the proposal.Not confirmed. |
| Met | All work must be done by individuals located in the United States who are citizens or green-card holders; others in the U.S. without citizenship, visa or green card, and U.S. citizens working abroad, may not do contract work. R/R&D is performed in the United States.Confirmed. |
| Metsoft rule | Firms majority-owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds or private equity firms must file an extra certification and are capped at 15% of the agency's SBIR budget; firms with at most 50% combined VC/PE ownership are unaffected.Within the limit of 50. |
| Met | Track fit: Phase IA needs a novel edtech product with no or limited prior development (no functioning prototype before the October 5, 2026 start); Phase IB adds a distinct new component to an existing research-based prototype or product; Direct to Phase II needs an existing evidence-based innovation originally created by university or non-profit education researchers, not yet commercially deployed at scale (about 50+ schools or 5,000+ students).Matches one of: idea, proof of concept, prototype, early revenue. |
| To confirm | The Project Director must spend more than half their time as an employee of the awardee during performance (deviation only with written approval).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The small business prime must perform at least 66 2/3% of Phase I work (50% for Direct to Phase II); the Phase I budget must total exactly $250,000 and Direct to Phase II exactly $1,000,000.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Applicants with 20 or more Phase I awards over five years must meet ED's Phase I-to-II transition benchmark; check the SBIR.gov company page before submitting.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Foreign influence disclosures (Sections K, L, M, N) are required; risk-based due diligence can make a proposal ineligible regardless of technical score.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The same or similar proposal may not be submitted to more than one of the Phase IA, Phase IB and Direct to Phase II solicitations (rejected without review).Confirm this yourself |
EPA SBIR
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · 48 questions, 6 sections
5 of 15 rules met · 1 not met · 9 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for EPA SBIR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | Applicant must be a U.S. small business concern. EPA states eligibility follows the SBA SBIR rules (sbir.gov/apply) and has the offeror certify on the cover sheet that it is a small business concern; Appendix 4 certifies the 13 CFR 121.702 ownership and control test and the 500-employee size standard.Does not have nonprofit. |
| Met | Company, combined with affiliates, must not exceed 500 employees (Appendix 4 certification refers to the SBA size standard).Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | More than 50% of the firm must be owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents (13 CFR 121.702, certified in Appendix 4). The machine check uses 51 as the threshold.Meets the minimum of 51. |
| Met | EPA does not accept proposals from or make awards to small businesses owned in majority part by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds or private equity firms (FY25 solicitation text; confirm the 2026 text). The check is conservative: it adds up VC/PE ownership.Within the limit of 50. |
| Not metsoft rule | Active SAM.gov registration with a UEI is required, set to allow contracts (or all awards), and renewed annually; EPA SBIR awards are contracts. Registrations can take 6-8 weeks.Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | Must register at the SBA Company Registry (sbir.gov) before submitting and enter the SBC Control ID on the cover sheet.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Must register on FedConnect.net, the only way to submit; proposals sent through the FedConnect message center are not evaluated.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | An EIN is required before an award is issued.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The proposing firm must perform at least two-thirds of the research and/or analytical effort (cover sheet certification).Confirm this yourself |
| Metsoft rule | The funded R&D work is expected to be performed in the United States (SBA program rule that EPA incorporates; Appendix 4 asks the awardee to confirm R&D at its own facilities and by its own staff).Confirmed. |
| To confirm | During the award the Principal Investigator must spend more than one half of their time with the firm (Appendix 4 certification).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | One proposal per small business per solicitation; if two subtopics fit, pick one. A re-submission before the deadline replaces the earlier one.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Phase I is for proof of concept: the technology should be beyond a literature search and have some data showing performance, but not yet be commercially viable. Not for effectiveness testing of an existing technology alone.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | EPA does not recommend Phase I proposals that need human subjects research (IRB approval can take 6-12 months against a 6-month period).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Proposals must be responsive to one of the ten 2026 topics (1A to 4B).Confirm this yourself |
NASA SBIR/STTR
National Aeronautics and Space Administration · 19 questions, 2 sections
5 of 11 rules met · 1 not met · 5 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for NASA SBIR/STTR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | Must certify at proposal submission and award that it is a small business concern meeting SBA size, ownership and other requirements (13 CFR 121.701-121.705). For-profit.Does not have nonprofit. |
| Met | The company combined with affiliates must not have more than 500 employees.Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | Majority U.S. citizen or permanent-resident ownership and control under SBA rules (13 CFR 121.702); the BAA incorporates this by reference. The check uses 51 as the threshold.Meets the minimum of 51. |
| Met | Small businesses owned in majority part by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds or private equity firms are not eligible for this BAA. The check is conservative: it adds up VC/PE ownership.Within the limit of 50. |
| Not metsoft rule | Must have an active SAM registration under the NAICS code stated in the BAA to be eligible for award; must also register firm-level information in ProSAMS.Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | Must be the primary performer: for SBIR Phase I, at least 67% of the effort by the small business and up to 33% by subcontractors or consultants.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The Principal Investigator must be primarily employed by the small business (more than half of a 40-hour week) at award and throughout; co-PIs are not allowed.Confirm this yourself |
| Met | Work must be performed in the United States; purchases of equipment and products should be American-made, with a Foreign Vendor Form for rare exceptions. NASA will not approve purchases from or work with Designated Country entities.Confirmed. |
| To confirmsoft rule | Firms with 21 or more Phase I awards must meet the SBA Phase I-to-Phase II transition benchmark to keep applying.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Each proposal is for one subtopic only and must be a unique innovation. Appendix 26A limits an offeror to two proposal packages; limits reset for each appendix.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A Phase I appendix must be open. The 2026 SBIR Appendix A and SBIR/STTR Appendix B closed 21 May 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET; later appendices have no announced date.Confirm this yourself |
NIH SBIR/STTR
National Institutes of Health (SEED office) · 26 questions, 4 sections
4 of 12 rules met · 1 not met · 7 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for NIH SBIR/STTR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | Only United States small business concerns may apply: organized for profit, with a place of business in the US, in a legal form such as a corporation, LLC, partnership or sole proprietorship, meeting the size and ownership tests at the time of award. Non-US organizations and non-US components of US organizations are not eligible.Matches one of: c corp, s corp, llc, partnership, sole proprietorship. |
| To confirm | Either (a) more than 50% directly owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents (or by other US-owned businesses, or an Indian tribe, ANC or NHO), or (b) more than 50% owned by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds or private equity firms with no single one owning more than 50% (unless that one is itself a majority US-person-owned small business). NIH accepts route (b) for SBIR; a company on route (b) must attach the VCOC certification. This is an either/or test, so it is not machine-checked from one profile field.Confirm this yourself |
| Metsoft rule | Only a company majority-owned by multiple VC, hedge or private-equity funds submits the 'SBIR Application VCOC Certification.pdf' (three questions, signed by the authorized business official). Companies that are not majority fund-owned must NOT attach it. Machine check: fund ownership of 50% or less means no certification is needed.Within the limit of 50. |
| Met | Not more than 500 employees, counting all affiliates; affiliation follows 13 CFR Part 121 (control or power to control, directly or through a third party). Also asked as G.440 question 1b (anticipated personnel at award).Within the limit of 500. |
| To confirm | Under SBIR, for Phase I and Phase II, the primary employment of the PD/PI must be with the small business concern at the time of award and during the project (G.440 question 10). With multiple PDs/PIs at least one must meet this. Deviations are occasionally allowed. (Under STTR the PI may instead be employed by the partner research institution.)Confirm this yourself |
| Not metsoft rule | All registrations must be finished before the due date and can take 6 weeks or more: SAM.gov with a UEI (renew at least yearly), SBA Company Registry (SBC Control ID), eRA Commons (organization with a Signing Official, and an account for each PD/PI, up to 2 weeks), Grants.gov (needs an active SAM registration), and an ORCID ID linked to every PD/PI's eRA Commons profile.Not confirmed. |
| Metsoft rule | No foreign subawards or subcontracts are allowed under this NOFO (such applications are non-compliant); unfunded international collaborations, foreign consultants and foreign equipment purchases are not barred. G.440 question 4 asks whether all R&D will be performed in the US and, if not, requires an explanation.Confirmed. |
| To confirmsoft rule | In SBIR Phase I, normally two-thirds (67%) of the research or analytical effort is done by the small business; all consultant and contractual arrangements with third parties are generally not more than 33% of the total requested (direct, indirect and fee).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | The project must fall within the mission of a participating NIH Institute/Center or CDC/FDA component. NIAMS, NIDCR, NCATS, ORIP and all FDA components do NOT accept clinical trials under this NOFO; a clinical-trial application that fits only one of them is not responsive and is not reviewed. Phase I appendix materials are not permitted.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | HHS cannot make an SBIR/STTR award if the company has an owner or covered individual in a malign foreign talent recruitment program, a business entity, parent or subsidiary in China or another foreign country of concern, or an owner or covered individual with a foreign affiliation with a research institution there. Applicants under consideration file the SBA Required Disclosures of Foreign Affiliations form during just-in-time.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Phase I applicants with more than 20 Phase I awards over the past five fiscal years must meet a 0.25 Phase I to Phase II transition rate or cannot apply for one year; firms with more than 15 Phase II awards in 10 years must show average revenue benchmarks. Does not affect first-time applicants.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | NIH Notice NOT-OD-25-132 (17 July 2025): NIH will not treat an application, or a section, substantially developed by AI as the applicant's original work, and caps each PD/PI at six new, renewal, resubmission or revision applications per calendar year. The notice itself could not be read (blocked); this is from university and consultant summaries of it.Confirm this yourself |
NOAA SBIR
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Technology Partnerships Office · 59 questions, 5 sections
5 of 14 rules met · 1 not met · 8 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for NOAA SBIR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | For-profit U.S. small business concern that is American-owned and independently operated.Does not have nonprofit. |
| Met | Majority U.S. citizen or permanent-resident ownership and control under SBA rules (13 CFR 121.702); certified by awardees at award (Appendix B). The check uses 51 as the threshold.Meets the minimum of 51. |
| Met | No more than 500 employees including affiliates.Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | NOAA elects not to use the authority for VC, hedge fund or private equity majority-owned small businesses; such applicants are not considered. The check is conservative: it adds up VC/PE ownership.Within the limit of 50. |
| Met | All R/R&D work performed in the United States unless the NOAA Grants Officer approves an exemption in advance.Confirmed. |
| To confirm | The PI must be primarily employed (at least 51% of time) by the small business at award and during the project; replacing the PI needs prior written approval.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Phase I: the awardee does at least two-thirds of the effort; consultants, leases, usage fees and subawards total no more than one-third of the award.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Register in the SBA Company Registry before applying and attach the registration PDF; update it before each submission.Confirm this yourself |
| Not metsoft rule | A SAM.gov registration with UEI (the cover page asks for it) and a Grants.gov submission are required; the NOFO sets out the submission steps in Section 6.Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | One application on one topic; multiple topics or multiple applications to the same topic are not reviewed.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Phase I budget must not exceed $190,000 and duration must not exceed six months.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Applicants and associated entities (guest researchers, CRADA partners) must have had no role in developing or reviewing the topic, no non-public topic information, and no DOC help preparing this proposal.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Firms failing the SBA Phase I-to-Phase II transition benchmark at the last assessment are disqualified from a new Phase I.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A NOAA SBIR NOFO must be open. The FY25 Phase I closed 30 Jan 2025; NOAA says the FY27 NOFO opens in Fall 2026 and has not posted it.Confirm this yourself |
NSF SBIR/STTR — America's Seed Fund powered by NSF
National Science Foundation · 15 questions, 2 sections
4 of 9 rules met · 1 not met · 4 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for NSF SBIR/STTR — America's Seed Fund powered by NSF| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | A for-profit small business concern with a place of business in the United States (13 CFR 121.702). NSF 26-510: the applicant must be a small business concern; NSF takes no equity.Matches one of: c corp, s corp, llc, partnership, sole proprietorship. |
| Met | More than 50% directly owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents (13 CFR 121.702), counted fully diluted. NSF has no venture-capital-majority exception: unlike NIH and some DoD components, a company majority-owned by VC, hedge or private-equity funds cannot apply to NSF. (The no-exception point comes from the SBA agency list read on 2026-09-30; the NSF 26-510 page read on 2026-10-08 does not restate ownership.)Meets the minimum of 50.01. |
| Met | 500 employees or fewer, counting all affiliates, domestic and foreign (13 CFR 121.702(c); NSF 26-510 states that the 500-employee size limit includes affiliates).Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | All activities on an NSF SBIR/STTR project, including consultants, must be carried out in the United States (the 50 states, territories and possessions, Puerto Rico, DC, and the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau). A foreign portion needs a rare, approved exception.Confirmed. |
| To confirm | The Principal Investigator must be primarily employed by the small business at award and throughout the award (at least 51% of work time; outside employment above 19.6 hours a week conflicts and needs written Program Officer approval) and must have US work authorization. For Phase I the PI must devote at least one calendar month per six months of performance.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A Project Pitch must be submitted first and the company must receive an official invitation before a Phase I full proposal. Limits: one pitch per submission window, one under review at a time, two per 12 months, three in total for the same project.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | The project must be a high-risk, unproven R&D effort based on fundamental science or engineering. NSF does not fund straightforward engineering, incremental product development, routine testing, customization or scaling of technology whose feasibility is already shown.Confirm this yourself |
| Not metsoft rule | An active SAM.gov registration (UEI) is needed to enter a full proposal in Research.gov (request 'financial assistance' authority only). Also required before a full proposal: Research.gov company registration and the SBA Company Registry (SBC Control ID). None of these is needed to write the pitch.Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | Agencies may deny an award on security-risk grounds, including ties to a foreign country of concern or a malign foreign talent recruitment program, as expanded by Public Law 119-83 (13 April 2026). Other foreign ties are disclosed and reviewed, not automatic bars.Confirm this yourself |
USDA NIFA SBIR
U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture · 29 questions, 5 sections
4 of 12 rules met · 1 not met · 7 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for USDA NIFA SBIR| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Met | For-profit business concern (13 CFR 121.105). Nonprofits are not eligible except as the STTR partnering research institution. If a subsidiary of a nonprofit parent, not eligible.Does not have nonprofit. |
| Met | More than 50% of equity directly owned and controlled by U.S. citizens or permanent residents, by other U.S.-owned for-profit small businesses, or a combination. (A multiple-VC majority option exists only for agencies using that authority; the RFA does not say whether USDA does, so it is not modelled as a hard rule.)Meets the minimum of 51. |
| Met | The applicant combined with its affiliates must not have more than 500 employees.Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | For Phase I, the approved work must be performed in the United States (limited waivers in rare cases).Confirmed. |
| To confirm | SBIR: the PD/PI must be employed more than one-half (51%) of the time by the small business at award and throughout; the business performs at least two-thirds (67%) of the work by budget.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Must hold an SBC Control ID from the SBA Company Registry; used for the initial screen.Confirm this yourself |
| Not metsoft rule | Applications go through Grants.gov, which requires a SAM.gov registration and UEI (RFA points to the NIFA Grants Application Guide for the steps; not read in full).Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | Budget must be within $125,000 or $175,000 by topic (plus up to $6,500 outside-vendor TABA) or the application is returned without review.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | One research problem and one topic area per application; no more than two awards per small business under a Phase I RFA (extras are resubmittable under a future RFA).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Must be scientific research leading to a commercialized innovation: no demonstration projects, large equipment or vehicles, construction, financial assistance to start a company, patent applications, literature surveys or pure product development.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | A firm with more than 20 Phase I awards in five years must meet the SBA transition benchmark (25%, or 50% above 50 awards) to apply for Phase I.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A Phase I RFA must be open. The last one (FY25, USDA-NIFA-SBIR-010774) closed 17 Sep 2024. NIFA's open NOFO today (USDA-NIFA-SBIR-012221, 1 Oct to 17 Nov 2026) is Phase II only, for prior Phase I winners.Confirm this yourself |
Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) — Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency
U.S. Department of Agriculture (Rural Development) · 38 questions, 5 sections
- Not confirmed.
- Needs one of: agriculture, agtech, energy, renewable energy, cleantech, food and beverage.
2 of 13 rules met · 2 not met · 9 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) — Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Not metsoft rule | Active SAM.gov registration with a UEI, completed for "All Awards"; must stay current while the application is under consideration and while any award is active. An applicant applying as a Rural Small Business must also have an active SBA profile in SAM and show as a Small Business in the SBA Small Business Search.Not confirmed. |
| Met | Must be organised or incorporated under state, tribal or federal law and be an Agricultural Producer or a Rural Small Business (a Small Business located in a rural area) at the time of application. Individuals are ineligible.Does not have not_incorporated. |
| To confirm | Must be an Existing Business at least 12 months before the start of the Project Period.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The applicant must be the Highest-Level Owner (or wholly owned by an Indian Tribe), must own the renewable energy system (RES) or energy efficiency improvement (EEI), and must own or control the project site for at least 12 months before the Project Period through application and until the final payment.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Financial capability: current ratio of at least 1:1 on the most recent fiscal year balance sheet, positive cash flow on the most recent fiscal year cash flow statement, and sufficient revenue to operate and maintain the project for its useful life.Confirm this yourself |
| Met | The project must be located in a rural area (generally outside a city or town of more than 50,000 inhabitants, including areas determined as "string exclusions" or "rural in character").Confirmed. |
| To confirm | The RES or EEI must be completed, installed and operating, and the project period must end between 12 and 24 months before the application date (12 to 36 months for the first application window after the rule takes effect).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Grant request minimum $1,500; maximum $500,000 for an RES project and $250,000 for an EEI project.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Cost sharing of at least 75 percent of the project cost, from sources available during the project period and for allowable expenses.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The project must use Commercially Available technology and be technically feasible and sustainable.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | No more than one award per federal fiscal year per Highest-Level Owner and entities owned by its individual owners. An applicant with an active REAP award running past September 30 of the application year is ineligible.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Ineligible: outstanding federal judgment; delinquent federal income tax or federal debt; debarred or suspended; felony conviction within 24 months; unpaid assessed federal tax liability; headquartered in a foreign-adversary country; income from gambling, sexual activities, racing or illegal activities.Confirm this yourself |
| Not metsoft rule | REAP funds agricultural producers and rural small businesses installing renewable energy systems or making energy efficiency improvements.Needs one of: agriculture, agtech, energy, renewable energy, cleantech, food and beverage. |
Advanced Industries Accelerator — Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant
Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) · 21 questions, 7 sections
- Needs one of: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy/natural resources, infrastructure engineering, technology/it.
- Needs one of: prototype, seed, early stage, early revenue, growth.
2 of 8 rules met · 2 not met · 4 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for Advanced Industries Accelerator — Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Not met | Creates a disruptive technology that directly impacts at least one Colorado advanced industry (advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy and natural resources including cleantech, infrastructure engineering, technology and information), created or manufactured in Colorado. Using currently available technology does not count.Needs one of: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy/natural resources, infrastructure engineering, technology/it. |
| To confirm | Registered with the Colorado Secretary of State and in Good Standing.Confirm this yourself |
| Met | Headquarters in Colorado, or at least 50% of employees based in Colorado. A company that moves out within 24 months of the grant ending must repay the award.Matches Colorado. |
| To confirm | Matching non-State funding of 2 to 1 against the grant (company to state), in cash held in the grantee's account, committed to the project; in-kind does not count and OEDIT or other state money cannot be the match. Eligible sources: third-party investors, federal grants, company revenues. A conditional award is possible without the match, which must then be raised within six months of the award notice or the award is forfeited.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Received fewer than $20 million in grants and third-party investment since inception.Confirm this yourself |
| Met | Annual revenues of fewer than $10 million.Within the limit of 9999999. |
| Not metsoft rule | Technology shown to be viable through the proof-of-concept phase: proof-of-principle study, own valid IP and trade secrets, a completed prototype, technical validation, a commercialization plan with a market assessment, and initial start-up activities.Needs one of: prototype, seed, early stage, early revenue, growth. |
| To confirm | Past recipients must apply for a different technology or project (no continuation projects) and must have successfully closed the previous award. A holder of an earlier award under $250,000 may request the remaining funds as a transition request.Confirm this yourself |
Pre-Seed Fund
Connecticut Innovations · 21 questions, 2 sections
3 of 7 rules met · 1 not met · 3 to confirm · 10 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for Pre-Seed Fund| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Not met | Company must be located in Connecticut or willing to relocate or expand to Connecticut. The form says a company that is neither is not eligible for funding consideration.Needs Connecticut. |
| To confirm | Principally located in Connecticut and registered with the Connecticut Secretary of the State; registration is required before CI funds the company.Confirm this yourself |
| Metsoft rule | Technology-based company. CI looks for innovators in bioscience, IT, clean tech, photonics and advanced materials, but says it is flexible.Matches one of: bioscience, it, clean tech, photonics, advanced materials. |
| Metsoft rule | In operation for less than seven years. CI lists this as a common characteristic and says it is flexible when evaluating a partner.Incorporated within the last 7 years. |
| Metsoft rule | Non-recurring revenue from non-grant sources of less than $2 million. CI lists this as a common characteristic.Within the limit of 1999999. |
| To confirmsoft rule | At least 50 percent of employees in Connecticut. CI lists this as a common characteristic.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Able to meet a 50 percent match requirement, with at least 50 percent from private sources.Confirm this yourself |
EDA Build to Scale (B2S)
U.S. Economic Development Administration, Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship · 16 questions, 7 sections
- Needs nonprofit.
- Not confirmed.
1 of 7 rules met · 2 not met · 4 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for EDA Build to Scale (B2S)| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Not met | Eligible applicants: a State; an Indian tribe; a city or other political subdivision of a State; or an entity whose application is supported by a State or political subdivision and that is a nonprofit organization, institution of higher education, public-private partnership, science or research park, Federal laboratory, venture development organization, an economic development organization or similar entity focused primarily on improving science, technology, innovation or entrepreneurship, or a consortium of these. EDA cannot fund individuals. A for-profit startup is not an eligible applicant (it can only be a beneficiary of a funded program).Needs nonprofit. |
| To confirm | Non-public applicants (nonprofits, private universities, etc.) must submit resolutions or letters showing the application is supported by one or more States or political subdivisions covering all or a substantial portion of the communities served.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A minimum 1:1 match is required: non-federal share of at least 50% of total project cost, shown with signed commitment letters from each entity providing match (cash or in-kind; the committing entity must sign, a contractor cannot provide match).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | An organization still implementing a prior-year Build to Scale or Regional Innovation Strategies award is not considered unless that award's activities and final reporting were completed by December 1, 2024, or the new application is clearly non-duplicative and complementary.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Not allowable under any award or match: construction; equity investments or loans (neither federal nor match funds may be invested in startups); subsidies or pass-through of funds to participant companies and individuals; advertising and promotion of the applicant; internships, wages or stipends for interns; cloud service credits for startups. No duplication of other federal funding.Confirm this yourself |
| Not metsoft rule | The applicant must register in EDA's EDGE system (which needs SAM.gov / UEI registration) before submitting; EDA estimates 3-4 weeks for first-time registrants.Not confirmed. |
| Metsoft rule | Funded work must be operational and programmatic activity supporting regional technology entrepreneurship ecosystems; EDA expects awards in the United States (project service area and FIPS codes are required).Confirmed. |
EDGE Grant Competition (Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion)
Delaware Division of Small Business · 29 questions, 3 sections
2 of 11 rules met · 1 not met · 8 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for EDGE Grant Competition (Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion)| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Not met | Business must be majority (more than 50%) located in Delaware: employees and real property. Out-of-state companies may apply if they would move at least 51% of their business to Delaware after an award and before funds are paid. Online-only businesses need the sole owner, or at least 51% of employees, physically working in Delaware.Needs Delaware. |
| Met | Applicant must have been in operation less than 7 years (a business that has not yet opened may apply, as a sole proprietorship if not yet formed).Incorporated within the last 7 years. |
| To confirm | 15 or fewer full-time employees. Full-time counts as 1, part-time as one half; people working under 10 hours a week or under 4 months a year, and contractors, do not count.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Net assets (assets minus liabilities) may not exceed $700,000.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Applicant must provide the 3:1 match: $3 state to $1 business, in cash, equipment or non-state/local-government grants tied to the project. It does not have to be in the bank at application but must be proven after a win; the match and the grant must be spent within 1 year, on costs incurred after award notification.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | A current (not expired) State of Delaware business license issued by the Division of Revenue is mandatory; a city license does not count. Temporary licenses are accepted if current. No license means automatic elimination.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Good standing under Delaware law and in other cities, towns and states where the applicant does business; current business and professional licences required under Titles 24 and 30 of the Delaware Code.Confirm this yourself |
| Met | Private for-profit companies only; 501(c)(3) organisations are ineligible.Does not have nonprofit. |
| To confirm | Companies that have received money from the Delaware Strategic Fund are ineligible (DTIP SBIR/STTR funding does not count). Prior EDGE winners, including owners who form a new business and former co-owners of a past winner, cannot win again.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | One category per application: STEM (science, technology, engineering or math is core to the business) or Entrepreneur (everyone else). A company cannot win in both with one application, though an owner may apply for several separate businesses.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | No grant money may go to owners or guarantors (anyone holding 20% or more), and the grant cannot pay for the application writer.Confirm this yourself |
One North Carolina Small Business Program
North Carolina Department of Commerce (Office of Science, Technology & Innovation) · 3 questions, 2 sections
3 of 15 rules met · 1 not met · 11 to confirm · 10 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for One North Carolina Small Business Program| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Not met | For-profit Small Business with its Principal Place of Business in North Carolina.Needs North Carolina. |
| Met | The applicant must be a for-profit business; nonprofits are not eligible.Does not have nonprofit. |
| Met | Meets the federal SBIR/STTR eligibility requirements for the federal solicitation applied to. The federal size limit is 500 employees including affiliates.Within the limit of 500. |
| Met | Meets the federal SBIR/STTR ownership requirement: more than 50% owned and controlled by US citizens or permanent residents (13 CFR 121.702).Meets the minimum of 51. |
| To confirm | At least 51% of the activities in the federal Phase I proposal will be performed in North Carolina, and significant NC operations are kept for the whole Phase I project (Matching: also for any Phase II). Sworn in the Application Certification / Location Certification.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State before the federal SBIR/STTR submission, or at least 90 days before applying to the Incentive Program, and able to produce a Certificate of Existence or Authorization dated no more than 90 days before the application.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Incentive: has submitted a Phase I or Fast Track proposal to a participating federal agency, with the agency's receipt notice dated between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027 (proposals filed 1 July to 14 September 2026 are accepted if the other rules are met). Direct-to-Phase II and Phase II proposals are not eligible.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Matching (Stage 1): has received an official federal notice of a Phase I or Fast Track award dated within the solicitation period, and applies within 45 days of that notice (the Executive Director may grant an exception). Phase II and Direct-to-Phase II awards are not eligible.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | No concurrent funding from other sources that duplicates the purpose of the Incentive award.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Has a formal policy addressing conflicts of interest (Exhibit D of the solicitation), attested in the sworn statement.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | No overdue tax debts (attested in the sworn statement).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Previous One NC recipients must be compliant with all earlier awards including reporting, must not be on the State Suspension of Funding list, and must not have an uncorrected material breach.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | At most one award per solicitation period and ten awards over the company's lifetime, for each of the Incentive and Matching programmes (an award to a business partnered with a public NC university does not count toward the limit, subject to the budget).Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Matching only: the business is in a Development Tier 1 or 2 county, or in a Tier 3 county and has not received more than two earlier Match awards. The Tier 3 limit does not apply in the Hurricane Helene-impacted counties.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | STTR only: substantial cooperative research with a single research institution. Only the small business's share of the expenses (Incentive) or of the federal award (Matching) counts.Confirm this yourself |
Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG)
U.S. Department of Agriculture (Rural Development) · 17 questions, 4 sections
- Not confirmed.
- Needs one of: agriculture, agtech, food and beverage, agritech.
1 of 12 rules met · 2 not met · 9 to confirm · 20 credits when eligible
See every rule
Every eligibility rule for Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG)| Result | Rule |
|---|
| Not metsoft rule | Active SAM.gov registration with a Unique Entity ID (UEI) and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) at the time of application; Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations completed in SAM.Not confirmed. |
| To confirm | Must be one of four applicant types: Agricultural Producer, Agricultural Producer Group, Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, or Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Venture.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | The applicant must produce and own more than 50 percent of the agricultural commodity to which value will be added, and keep ownership from raw state through marketing of the value-added product. Producers who only grow under contract, or who contract out production, are not Agricultural Producers.Confirm this yourself |
| Met | More than 50 percent owned by individuals who are U.S. citizens or nationals, or who reside in the U.S. after legal admittance for permanent residence.Meets the minimum of 50.01. |
| Not met | The project must add value to an agricultural commodity the applicant is currently producing, through processing and/or marketing (a Value-Added Agricultural Product).Needs one of: agriculture, agtech, food and beverage, agritech. |
| To confirmsoft rule | Producer Groups, Cooperatives and Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Ventures must show they are entering an Emerging Market; a single Agricultural Producer that has produced and marketed the product for under 2 years must too.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Matching Funds of at least $1 for every $1 of grant, as cash or eligible in-kind. Projected project income cannot count. Matching Funds must be spent in advance of, or in proportion to, grant funds.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Only one application per solicitation; one active VAPG award at a time. A prior Planning Grant for the same project bars another Planning Grant; a prior Working Capital Grant for the same project bars any further grant for it.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Not ineligible under the appropriations riders: a corporation convicted of a federal felony in the past 24 months, or with unpaid assessed federal tax liability not being paid under an agreement, is ineligible unless an agency determines debarment is unnecessary. USDA checks the Do Not Pay portal.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Working Capital projects must be ready for implementation and cannot include planning activities or depend on outside facility or capital work to start. Planning Grants may only pay a Qualified Consultant for a Feasibility Study, Business Plan and/or Marketing Plan.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirm | Grant funds cannot pay costs incurred before the date of grant approval. Period of performance is up to three years; activities must start within 90 days of award.Confirm this yourself |
| To confirmsoft rule | Alcohol projects need a valid active TTB permit and TTB compliance; hemp projects need a valid state, tribal or federal hemp licence. Both are verified before award.Confirm this yourself |
