CEOs and Innovation Leaders Urging Prompt Action from Congress to Protect US Innovation
Prolonged Lapse in SBIR/STTR Authorization Has Devastating Effects on US Innovation
Over 1,300 CEOs and innovation leaders representing all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico are calling for immediate Congressional action to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.
In a letter sent today to Congressional leadership, the CEOs underscore that SBIR/STTR has been one of the federal government’s most successful innovation programs, enabling small businesses to translate cutting-edge research into commercial products, high-quality jobs, and national security solutions. Federal authorization for the SBIR/STTR programs lapsed on September 30, 2025, disrupting thousands of small businesses, halting federal agencies’ innovation pipelines, and weakening the broader U.S. economy. The reauthorization delay is already impacting small businesses nationwide, leading to layoffs of skilled workers, stalled technology development, and company closures.
“SBIR and STTR are lifelines for America’s most innovative startups. Reauthorization is essential to ensure that small businesses can continue to pursue high-risk, high-reward research that would otherwise go unfunded, strengthening our economy and delivering solutions to critical national challenges.”
Eva Garland, Ph.D., CEO, Eva Garland Consulting
For more information on SBIR/STTR reauthorization, including the full letter to Congress and case studies from those impacted by the lapse, click here.