The growing population of older adults creates enormous demand for better diagnostics, therapies, assistive technologies and care-delivery solutions.

The National Institute on Aging Small Business Program provides non-dilutive SBIR and STTR funding for U.S. startups developing products that improve healthy aging or address diseases associated with later life.

NIA describes its small-business programme as one of the largest sources of early-stage funding for aging-related research and development and reports providing roughly $150 million annually through SBIR and STTR grants.

What Does NIA Fund?

NIA’s current interests fall across several major areas.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias

NIA supports technologies for prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias and cognitive decline.

Examples include biomarkers, imaging, AI and machine learning, cell and gene therapies, digital interventions and research tools.

Biology of Aging

Startups may develop therapeutics, biomarkers, personalised-medicine tools or platforms that improve understanding of biological aging and age-related disease.

Aging in Place and Care Delivery

NIA also supports products that help older adults live independently and improve the efficiency or quality of caregiving.

Potential products include robotics, sensors, assistive technologies and digital-health platforms.

How Much Funding Is Available?

NIA has unusually generous small-business budget limits.

For projects focused on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, NIA may support up to:

$700,000 for Phase I

$3 million for Phase II

For other projects within NIA’s mission, its current guidance lists up to:

$500,000 for Phase I

$2.5 million for Phase II.

NIA can support Phase I projects for up to two years and Phase II projects for up to three years.

The institute also accepts Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough and Commercialization Readiness Pilot projects.

SBIR and STTR Options

Startups can use SBIR where the company will lead the R&D internally.

STTR is designed for small businesses working formally with nonprofit research institutions.

This can be particularly useful where an Alzheimer’s biomarker, therapeutic platform or assistive technology originated in university research.

Clinical Trials

NIA currently accepts clinical trials through:

• SBIR;
• STTR;
• Phase IIB;
• CRP.

This provides a wider range of pathways than several other NIH institutes.

However, founders should speak with NIA staff before designing an application containing human-subjects research.

Who Can Apply?

Only eligible U.S. small business concerns may receive SBIR or STTR awards.

The business must generally have no more than 500 employees and satisfy federal ownership and operating rules.

An international founder may participate in a qualifying U.S. company where the overall company structure satisfies applicable SBIR/STTR rules, but a foreign company cannot simply submit as a foreign applicant.

What Makes a Strong NIA Proposal?

A compelling proposal should combine scientific rigor with an obvious unmet need.

For example, a technology helping older adults remain safely at home should not only describe novel sensors or AI.

It should explain how the product reduces falls, hospitalisations, caregiver burden, cost or another measurable outcome.

Alzheimer’s technologies should clearly explain why the proposed approach improves on available methods and how it could eventually become affordable and broadly accessible.

NIA specifically values projects with clear competitive advantages and realistic commercialisation potential.

Application Support

NIA provides sample applications, applicant guidance, an SBIR/STTR application process flowchart and other educational materials.

It also encourages founders to contact the Small Business Programs team before applying.

Next Deadline

The September 2026 parent deadline has passed.

The next standard receipt date is January 5, 2027, followed by April 5.

Explore NIA Small Business Programs and funding opportunities

For startups working on Alzheimer’s disease, healthy aging or care technologies, NIA provides a rare combination of meaningful capital, specialised scientific expertise and non-dilutive ownership.