I-Corps at NIH — Commercialization Training for SBIR/STTR Phase I Awardees
U.S. National Institutes of Health — Office of Extramural Research, SEED (Small business Education and Entrepreneurial Development)
Up to $55,000
Researched for this program: 4 rejection traps · 5 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓
Validate before Phase II
An 8-week experiential entrepreneurship and customer-discovery program for small businesses that hold an active Phase I SBIR or STTR award from NIH, CDC, FDA, or ACL. Accepted companies receive an administrative supplement of up to $55,000 to cover program costs, with no out-of-pocket cost to the team. The curriculum — taught by biotech and life-science commercialization experts — drives teams through structured customer-discovery interviews to validate (or pivot) their business model before pursuing Phase II and private capital. Teams must field three members: a C-level corporate officer, a technical lead/expert (usually the Phase I PI), and an industry expert with business-development experience in the target market. Distinct from the NSF I-Corps Teams program and tailored to HHS life-science awardees.
- Funding type
- Program
- Level
- Federal
- Amount range
- Up to $55,000
- Realistic amount
- Accepted teams receive the supplement (up to $55,000) covering program costs; the company's tangible takeaway is validated commercialization evidence and a stronger Phase II proposal rather than discretionary cash.
- Deadline
- Cohort-based. Two cohorts typically run per year; applicants apply by cohort-specific deadlines tied to the relevant NOFO (e.g., 2026 cohort deadlines of March 27, 2026 and April 17, 2026).
- Status
- active
- States
- Nationwide
- Payment model
- advance
Who qualifies
- Business must hold an active Phase I SBIR or STTR award from NIH, CDC, FDA, or ACL (funded by one of the participating NIH/CDC institutes and centers)
- Must meet SBIR/STTR small-business eligibility criteria
- Team of three required: a C-level corporate officer (e.g., CEO or CSO), a technical lead/expert (typically the Phase I PI), and an industry expert with business-development background in the target industry
- Submitted as an administrative supplement to the existing Phase I award
Hard requirements
- Must be an incorporated business
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Program participation and curriculum costs
- Customer-discovery travel and outreach
- Personnel time allocated to the program (per supplement rules)
- Related direct program costs covered by the supplement
Ineligible expenses
- New R&D scope beyond the parent Phase I award
- Capital equipment
- Costs unrelated to commercialization training and customer discovery
How to apply
-
1
Confirm active Phase I award and assemble team
Verify your NIH/CDC/FDA/ACL Phase I SBIR/STTR award is active and from a participating institute/center. Recruit the three required team members: C-level officer, technical lead (PI), and an industry expert.
~4 hrs
-
2
Prepare the supplement request
Per the active NOFO (e.g., NOT-OD-26-037), prepare the I-Corps administrative supplement request — team justification, commercialization goals, and the up-to-$55,000 budget.
~8 hrs
-
3
Submit via ASSIST
Submit through NIH ASSIST as a Changed/Corrected administrative supplement ('Revision, Type A: Increase Award') against the parent Phase I award, by the cohort deadline.
~3 hrs
-
4
Complete the 8-week program
If accepted, complete the ~8-week curriculum: kickoff, 30+ structured customer-discovery interviews, weekly instruction with biotech-sector experts, and a final business-model presentation.
~80 hrs
Because it's an administrative supplement to an award you already hold (not an open competition), the binding requirement is simply having an active Phase I award and fielding the mandated three-person team — line up a genuine industry expert early, since teams missing a credible business-development mentor are the most common gap. Doing I-Corps materially strengthens the Commercialization Plan section of your eventual Phase II application.
Deadline & timing
Apply via the active NOFO (e.g., NOT-OD-26-037 / PA-25-212) by submitting an administrative supplement request through ASSIST against your existing Phase I award. Recurring cohorts each year; confirm the current cohort deadline on the NIH SEED I-Corps page.
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