Defend SBIRLogo Design Contest

Protect America’s Innovation Pipeline

This logo is for the following event:

Defend SBIR
Protect America’s Innovation Pipeline
Two-Day Fly-In Event | Washington, D.C. | September 9 & 10

The U.S. government’s largest and most successful competitive small business programs are set to expire on September 30, 2025. For decades, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs have fueled American ingenuity, delivering early-stage funding for breakthrough technologies that enhance national defense, improve public health, drive economic competitiveness, and power our nation's innovation ecosystem.

Today, these programs face a critical threat.

Critics of the SBIR program and some in Congress are pushing legislation that would cap the number of awards a small business can receive, undermining the merit-based principles of the programs. These proposed restrictions would penalize proven innovators and threaten the SBIR ecosystem. Worse, many of these critics would prefer to let the program expire entirely rath than allow it to continue without these harmful reforms.

To counter these efforts and ensure these critical programs are reauthorized and remain aligned with their founding principles, SMI is organizing an advocacy effort:

Defend the SBIR Program- A Two-Day Fly-In Event in Washington, DC
This event will bring together small businesses, federal agencies, and Members of Congress to advocate for the continued vitality of SBIR/STTR programs.

Day 1 – Capitol Hill Engagement & Evening Reception
Small businesses from across the country will travel to Washington, DC to meet with their Senators and Representatives to underscore the critical impact of the SBIR/STTR programs on their companies, local economies, and the broader national innovation ecosystem. These meetings will give small business leaders the opportunity to share firsthand stories of growth, job creation, and technological advancement made possible by SBIR/STTR funding, and to advocate for preserving the core principles that have made the program so successful.

That evening, participants will attend the Defend the SBIR Program Reception, bringing together small businesses, congressional staff, agency partners, and the SBIR community to foster new partnerships and build momentum for reauthorization of the program.

Day 2 Capitol Hill Briefing
The second day will feature a Capitol Hill briefing, convening Members of Congress, SBIR/STTR awardees, and researchers to highlight the national security, economic, and scientific value of the program. The briefing will examine what’s at stake if the founding principles of the SBIR program are not maintained during the reauthorization and why Congress must act to swiftly to protect America’s competitive edge.

Together, these events will reinforce why Congress must reauthorize SBIR/STTR without harmful limitations, and protect one of the most successful competitive, merit-based federal Research and Development programs.

If your company has benefitted from the SBIR program and/or if you hope to win future competitive SBIR awards, you need to join the fight. We urge you to come to Washington and add your important voice to our call to Save the SBIR Program!

Reds; blues; blacks; white background

technology, innovation, small business, research and development, defense industry, American made, national security, merit