Technology transfer / STTR
STTR research institution partner
INSTAR Lab participates as a nonprofit research institution partner in Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects. This page explains the roles, the research areas we can bring, and how an engagement moves from a first conversation to an agreement.
Who does what in an STTR project
An STTR proposal is submitted by a small business, which is the prime applicant and leads the commercial path. The research institution is a formal partner that performs a defined share of the research. Agencies set the exact rules in each solicitation, so treat the roles below as the general pattern.
- Small business Leads the proposal, performs at least 40 percent of the work, and owns the route to a product or service.
- Research institution Performs at least 30 percent of the work, supplies scientific depth, laboratory capability, and independent research direction.
- Principal investigator Many solicitations allow the lead scientist to come from either partner; the agency’s current rule controls, so confirm it before you plan the team.
- Agency Publishes the topic, runs the review, and decides the award. INSTAR Lab and the small business cannot promise that decision.
Research areas INSTAR Lab brings
INSTAR Lab is a nonprofit research institute working across artificial intelligence and machine learning, quantum science, high-performance computing, health research, energy, space, and materials. A fit is judged topic by topic and scientist by scientist, not by this list.
- AI and machine learning Method development, evaluation, and responsible-AI practice for applied problems.
- Quantum science Quantum computing, sensing, and the classical methods that support them.
- High-performance computing and data science Simulation, large-scale data analysis, and reproducible workflows.
- Health, energy, space, and materials Applied research questions where a small business needs independent scientific validation.
From first conversation to agreement
- Brief You send the topic, the technical question, and the work split you have in mind, using the checklist on the partner page.
- Fit review INSTAR Lab scientists review scientific fit and capacity and answer within a reasonable time, or say plainly that it is not a fit.
- Scope Both sides draft the research plan, the research institution’s share of the work, and how data and inventions are handled.
- Commitment If the work is a fit, the research institution provides a letter of commitment and the agreement is signed before submission.
- Submission and after The small business submits. Nothing in this process guarantees an award; if one comes, the agreement governs the work.