STTR
Also known as: Small Business Technology Transfer
Small Business Technology Transfer — a federal grant program requiring collaboration between a small business and a research institution.
Full Definition
STTR is similar to SBIR but requires that at least 30% of the work be performed by a partnering research institution (university, hospital, or federal lab). This makes STTR particularly relevant for healthcare innovators who have technology licensed from or developed in collaboration with academic medical centers. The partnership requirement formalizes the relationship between the company and its academic origin.
Example
A startup licensing technology from MGH applies for an NIH STTR grant, with MGH performing the clinical validation component. The STTR structure formalizes the company-institution relationship and leverages the institution's clinical infrastructure.