Congress revives SBIR funding, creates new large award

Congress has reauthorized the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, reopening a critical funding pipeline for early-stage life sciences companies and making more than $1 billion in non-dilutive capital available to biotechs in 2026.

The legislation, which extends the programs through Sept. 30, 2031, ends a nearly six-month lapse, the first sustained interruption since SBIR was created in 1982...