Funding Opportunity

This grant application cycle is now closed. Please sign up to be notified when the next application cycle is announced.

The 2013 SMARTCAP awardee was announced on 3/12/2013.  See the NSBRI press release for more information.

The National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) was established by NASA in 1997 with a mission of ensuring safe and productive human spaceflight and applying discoveries made for space to enhance life on Earth. NSBRI established the Industry Forum to accelerate the development and commercialization of products to enhance health care in space and on Earth.

The NSBRI Industry Forum mission is two-fold: to foster the commercialization of biomedical discoveries made for space, and to challenge the private sector to develop space-compatible health care solutions.

To fulfill this charge, the NSBRI Industry Forum created SMARTCAP – Space Medicine and Related Technologies Commercialization Assistance Program, designed to provide gap funding to companies developing promising products that can address unmet health and performance needs in space and on Earth.

Aimed at small U.S. companies, the program will support essential steps on the path to commercialization for biomedical discoveries with the potential to make a significant impact on Earth and in space. 

Please visit www.nsbriforum.org to learn about some of our past recipients. More information about the medical challenges associated with space travel is available at www.nsbri.org or at humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov.

This award program is not intended for very early-stage product development. The proposed work should move the product along a commercialization path. Examples of desirable project goals are proof of concept studies, refinement of an existing prototype or drug candidate, or usability testing. The selected product must have the potential to generate a significant impact for the target population. Companies who are unfamiliar with NASA's research priorities are encouraged to contact NSBRI at (713) 798-7412.  NSBRI can assist in determining whether a product may be a fit with NASA's research plan and we can provide guidance in outlining an appropriate project.  Projects new to NSBRI and those previously supported will be considered.

SMARTCAP is intended to position selected companies for follow-on support from investors, potential industry partners, or other funding entities. Accordingly, awards may consist of a combination of direct funding and business services provided by experienced professionals, depending upon the needs of the awardees. We focus on helping selected companies identify and prioritize critical issues on the path to market and develop an action plan for the 18-24 months following completion of their projects. Assistance may include the preparation of market, regulatory, intellectual property or competitive analyses by NSBRI's experienced business consultants. The awardee and the Industry Forum Steering Council jointly determine which type of support will create the most value for the company.

On September 25, 2012, the NSBRI Industry Forum announced a new SMARTCAP funding cycle. The Industry Forum intends to award one or two grants with a maximum total value of $250,000.

To be considered for a SMARTCAP award, companies must be based in the U.S., have 500 or fewer employees and complete the Stage 1 Application.  Companies who need assistance with the Stage 1 Application, including determining their project's suitability and scope, are encouraged to contact NSBRI at (713) 798-77412 or by email. 

Applicants who are invited to submit a full Stage 2 proposal will be required to identify a source of matching funding from a non-federal entity. The matching funds may be in the form of cash to support the project or as services that will enable the company to perform the tasks outlined in the project plan. For questions about matching funds, please review our FAQ.

Please contact the NSBRI Industry Forum by email or by phone at 713-798-7412 with any questions.

This online application should take well-qualified applicants approximately an hour to complete. Review the questions before applying.

— a product that can enable safe and productive human space flight and can be implemented in the space environment. Generally, technologies of value in space flight address an important medical issue and are small, power-efficient, non-invasive, and easy-to-use. To learn more about what makes a product appropriate for use in space, please review some of the Industry Forum’s prior Success Stories. Please see nsbri.org and humanresearchroadmap.nasa.gov for further information on the medical challenges associated with space flight.

— a product with unique characteristics and a competitive advantage with the potential to fulfill a market need on Earth

— a defensible intellectual property position

— a solid foundation from which the company reasonably expects to accomplish the goals of the project through substantial leveraging and partnerships

— a strong technical/management team with an established track record of meeting deadlines and delivering products

Please contact the NSBRI Industry Forum by email or by phone at 713-798-7412 with any questions.

This online application should take well-qualified applicants approximately an hour to complete. Review the questions before applying.

Please contact the NSBRI Industry Forum by email or by phone at 713-798-7412 with any questions.

This online application should take well-qualified applicants approximately an hour to complete. Review the questions before applying.