← Case studies Federal R&D & SBIR
Using federal R&D to buy down product risk—not to hide forever
SBIR/STTR and agency teaming as a deliberate path from technical risk to a commercial product.
Challenge
Grant-funded companies either chase awards without a product thesis, or treat SBIR as a lifestyle. Neither builds enterprise value.
Approach
- Pick the right prime entity and disclose affiliates honestly.
- Write proposals that name populations, metrics, and milestones—not press-release adjectives.
- Align Phase I/II work with design controls and IP that survive commercialization.
- Use university and agency teaming when it accelerates evidence—not when it dilutes ownership.
Outcomes
- Federal work that compounds into product capability.
- Cleaner diligence story for partners and investors.
- Less wasted proposal cycles on misaligned solicitations.
What this demonstrates
SBIR strategy · Teaming · Technical writing · Commercialization path