Stacy L ChinFounder, KeepYourEquity · I get the government to write you checks

Delaying SBIR? You Might Be Losing Millions

21 Apr 2026 · 0 min

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In this segment, Stacy Chin emphasizes that securing an SBIR Phase I award is the essential first step to unlock larger funding streams such as Phase II, Phase III contracts, and major FOAs/BAAs. She explains that most Phase II opportunities are reserved for Phase I awardees, so postponing a Phase I application directly delays access to these substantial grants, potentially causing innovators to miss out on multimillion‑dollar financing for research and commercialization.

Securing an SBIR Phase I application is the first critical step of accessing larger funding opportunities, whether it's Phase II, Phase III contracts, or even the largest FOAs or BAAs. And this is where significantly more capital is available to advance your research and commercialization efforts. And since a lot of Phase II funding is only available for Phase I awardees, delaying your application might mean delaying your ability to access these larger grants in the future. So you're kind of missing out on multimillion dollars of funding if you delay today.