STTR Programs
The federal Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program funds collaborative R&D between small businesses and nonprofit research institutions — including organizations like INSTAR Lab. INSTAR is positioned and eager to serve as the research institution partner in STTR-eligible projects, bringing scientific rigor to federally relevant commercialization efforts. INSTAR Lab Inc. is a registered federal research entity and can be cited directly in federal proposals and agency systems. Our SAM.gov registration details and CAGE code are available on request.
The STTR Mechanism
STTR requires that at least 30% of the funded work be performed by a qualifying research institution such as a nonprofit. INSTAR is structured precisely to fill that role. Through the INSTAR Consortium — including Focus Hive, World Enterprise Group, Dream Limited, Curiosity Research Corp, Ravonics, Global Enterprise, and Tao Learning — we bring multi-disciplinary research capacity that strengthens any STTR proposal targeting AI, quantum, health, energy, HPC, space, or materials challenges.
How to Engage INSTAR as an STTR Partner
Small businesses pursuing an STTR award need a qualifying research institution co-investigator from the outset. INSTAR can serve that role. We work with prospective small-business leads during proposal development to scope the research component, identify appropriate principal investigators within our network, and draft the collaborative research plan required by the funding agency. Contact us early — well before a solicitation closes.
Research Domains Ready for STTR Collaboration
INSTAR's active research focus areas map directly to high-priority federal R&D topics: artificial intelligence and machine learning, quantum computing, health informatics, energy systems, high-performance computing, space and orbital technology, advanced materials, and data analytics. If your small business is targeting an STTR solicitation in any of these domains, INSTAR brings relevant scientific depth and institutional credibility to strengthen your proposal.
OUR PARTNERS
Grounded in Open Data
INSTAR's STTR research proposals and deliverables are grounded in transparent, publicly available datasets wherever the program domain permits. This approach strengthens the reproducibility of our research contributions, satisfies federal data management expectations, and gives partner companies a verifiable foundation for commercialization.
- Data.gov — U.S. federal open data portal; used for benchmarking, sector-specific datasets, and federal program alignment across partner domains.
- NIST — Standards, measurement science, and evaluation frameworks that underpin AI, cybersecurity, and materials research programs eligible for STTR funding.
- DOE OSTI — Department of Energy scientific and technical information; used for energy systems, HPC, and materials science programs.
- NSF — Research funding landscape, award data, and scientific literature that inform INSTAR's grant pipeline and STTR research directions.
Ready to Partner on an STTR Proposal?
Small businesses pursuing STTR awards need a qualifying research institution from the outset. INSTAR is registered, eligible, and experienced. Contact us early — before the solicitation closes — to scope the research component and align on a proposal strategy.