How to apply
Learn about our Phase I application timeline, how to prepare your Project Pitch, and what to expect once you submit your Project Pitch or full proposal.
See What we Fund
What we look for
Here’s what we look for when determining which companies to fund:
Transformative: Your innovation could make a difference to people worldwide or revolutionize an industry.
High-risk: Your product is based on unproven technology that needs further testing (and funding for that testing).
Market pull: You have evidence that your product or service could meet an important, unmet need for your customers.
Scale: If you successfully bring your product or service to market, it could form the foundation for a scalable business and make a large impact in your target market.
Technology topic areas
Review this list of technology topic areas (sectors we fund) to see which best aligns with your company’s work. If none of the technology topic areas quite reflects your work, but you feel your company is otherwise a good fit, you can apply under the Other Topics.
Determine Eligibility
Make sure your company meets these eligibility requirements
Your company must be a small business (fewer than 500 employees) located in the United States.
At least 50% of your company’s equity must be owned by U.S. citizens or permanent residents. NSF does not permit companies that are majority-owned by multiple venture capital firms, private equity firms, or hedge funds, to participate in SPNF.
All funded work needs to take place in the United States (including work done by consultants and contractors).
The project’s principal investigator (tech lead) must be legally employed at least 20 hours a week by the company seeking funding. The PI doesn’t need any advanced degrees.
The principal investigator needs to commit to at least one month (173 hours) of work on a funded project per six months of project duration.
Preview the Project Pitch
Preview the information we look for in a Project Pitch.
Startups or entrepreneurs who submit a three-page Project Pitch will know within three weeks if they meet the program’s objectives to support innovative technologies that show promise of commercial and/or societal impact and involve a level of technical risk.
