After my last post on SBIR/STTR lessons, several people reached out with appreciation or follow-up questions. Here are the questions I received from Hua Jin and my answers.
Q: How can I get involved as a reviewer?
Contact program directors or officers directly. Let them know your expertise and interest. They are always looking for reviewers with relevant backgrounds.
Q: DIY or hire a consultant?
I tried a consultant before and it didn’t work well.
With today’s AI tools, you’d need to find one that’s better than AI. The key is your idea. For the rest, AI can help a lot if you use it well. And never underestimate talking with a good friend for feedback.
Q: Best practices for team building?
Keep expanding your network. Talk to old contacts and meet new people who might fit into your team.
One lesson I learned: people are the most important factor in success. Don’t fill a role just to fill it. Finding the right partner takes time and the wrong one can sink a startup.
Q: How do agency focuses differ?
Each agency publishes its own priorities.
For example, NSF doesn’t fund treatments for specific diseases. Frame those as platform technologies that can apply broadly. For disease-focused projects, NIH is usually a better fit.
Q: Should I wait for the perfect topic match?
If there’s a specific call that fits your project, apply to it. Otherwise, go for the general program. Don’t wait too long — getting feedback early is better than waiting for “perfect.”
Q: How much does IP matter early on?
It helps and is always discussed on the panel, especially for STTRs where technology transfer is key. Even if IP isn’t critical for your business, it often strengthens your proposal and signals tangible innovation.
Q: When (and how) it makes sense to resubmit after a rejection?
Read between the lines in the reviewer comments. If they offer no constructive suggestions, it’s likely a firm “no.” It is always helpful to talk directly to the program director. They’ll tell you whether resubmission makes sense — most are open and willing to help. You may get suggestions not written in the comments.
Hope these help someone preparing an SBIR/STTR proposal. If you have other questions I have not answered, feel free to let me know.
If you’ve been through the process, what lessons would you add?
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