NSF America’s Seed Fund
SBIR and STTR grants for science-based startups. Non-dilutive.
US small businesses. Calls open and close. Read the current solicitation before you write.
Funding · Updated Sep 2026
Startup Grants: Non-Dilutive Funding for Tech Companies
Grants are cash you do not repay in equity. They are not the credits on the perks page. Filter by field, then open the official call. If the round is closed, wait for the next one.
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Programs in the desk file
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Matching this field
Non-dilutive
Cash programs, not cloud credits
Field
NIH SBIR/STTR
Non-dilutive funding for health and life-science companies.
Standard NIH due dates. A university partner is required only for STTR.
DOE SBIR/STTR
Energy research grants for US small businesses.
Topics are published each release. Apply only to a topic that matches the work.
ARPA-E
High-risk energy programs. Not a standing startup coupon.
Watch open funding opportunities. Most teams are not eligible for every call.
NASA SBIR/STTR
Contracts and grants tied to NASA mission topics.
A space or aviation use is required. General SaaS does not qualify.
SBIR.gov
The US portal for open SBIR and STTR topics across agencies.
Start here if you do not know which agency fits. Then apply on that agency’s site.
AFWERX SBIR/STTR
Air Force and Space Force open topics for dual-use tech.
US small business. Read the specific open topic, not the homepage slogan.
EIC Accelerator
EU blended finance for high-risk tech companies.
EU-established company. The short proposal is a filter, not the grant.
Horizon Europe
The EU research and innovation work programme.
Most calls want a consortium. Read the topic text before you assemble partners.
Innovate UK
UK competitions for businesses, including smart grants when a round is open.
UK-registered business. Competitions rotate. Ignore closed rounds.
NRC IRAP
Canadian advisory and non-dilutive project funding for technology firms.
Canadian incorporated firm with the technology in-house. An industrial technology advisor is the path in.
Startup SG Founder
Singapore mentorship and a capital grant, matched to your own funds.
First-time founders in Singapore, through an accredited mentor partner.
Deadlines move. The official call is the only date that counts.
How to use this list
Pick the agency that already funds your kind of work
A US science company starts with SBIR.gov, then NSF, NIH, DOE, or NASA. A UK company starts with Innovate UK. An EU company reads the EIC Accelerator rules before it writes a 30-page proposal. Do not apply to all of them.
Cloud credits and software discounts are a different page. Startup perks
How to apply
- Read the current call, not a blog recap of last year’s round.
- Match one specific aim in the call. A general AI pitch fails topic grants.
- Check who may apply: company, university, or a pair.
- Put the deadline in a calendar the week you find it. These do not reopen because you were close.
- Keep the perks page for credits. Do not spend a week chasing AWS Activate when you needed a grant.
FAQ
What is a startup grant?
Money you can spend, usually without giving up equity. It is not a cloud credit, a software discount, or a place in an accelerator. Those are perks.
Are these grants open right now?
Only if the official page says so. Most of these open in rounds. A row stays here so you know the program exists. The deadline on the row is a label, not a promise.
Do I need to have raised venture capital?
Usually no. SBIR, IRAP, and many national funds want a small company, not a venture-backed one. Some EU calls want a consortium. Read the call.
Can a startup take a grant and a cloud credit?
Yes. They pay for different things. Do not list a cloud credit as a grant, and do not spend grant money on a tool the credit already covers unless the grant rules allow it.
Which field should I filter?
Pick the field of the work, not the field of the company slogan. An AI wrapper on a clinic is a health application if the call is about health.