Resources
How dual-use funding actually works.
Plain-English explainers on STTR, the RI requirement, and getting from a feasibility win to a funded transition.
STTR 101
What an STTR actually asks of you.
If you haven't run one before: STTR and SBIR are close cousins, separated by one structural difference — the research institution.
In an STTR, the small business still leads and still owns the work. But at least 30% of the effort must be performed by a qualified research institution — a university, a federally funded research center, or a nonprofit research institution like TDIF. You cannot submit without one. The award is usually a little larger to account for it, and the field is often less crowded than the equivalent SBIR.
The part that catches people is what that 30% is allowed to be. It has to be research and development as the government defines it— the three categories in SBA STTR Policy Directive § 3(dd). Business development, customer discovery, market research and proposal writing are all necessary work, and none of them count toward it. A statement of work that fills the research institution's share with those activities can be sent back before the subcontract is allowed to proceed.
So the research institution you pick is not an administrative choice. It determines whether your technical volume is credible, whether your workshare survives contracting review, and how much of your award actually buys you research.
Choosing a research partner
University or nonprofit research institution?
Both satisfy the same statutory requirement, and they are genuinely different tools. Where each is strongest, what changes for your timeline and your IP — and the cases where a university is the better answer.
From the founders
Deeply rooted in defense innovation and Austin, TX.
FAQ
Questions we hear a lot.
What is a Research Institution, and why does an STTR require one?
The STTR program (15 U.S.C. § 638) requires the small business to subcontract at least 30% of the work to a nonprofit Research Institution (RI) — and that 30% must be genuine technical, scientific, or engineering R&D. The RI doesn't have to be a university; it has to be a U.S. nonprofit operated primarily for research. TDIF is a 501(c)(3) qualified RI.
What's the difference between SBIR and STTR?
They're nearly identical funding programs, with two differences: STTR requires the 30% RI partnership, and the award is usually a bit larger to account for it. Many small businesses find STTR an attractive (and less crowded) path.
What if our topic isn't a fit for TDIF?
You'll get a straight answer on the first call instead of finding out in six weeks. That's most of the value here: the usual route is emailing a dozen universities, waiting on each one to decide whether someone in the right lab is interested, and often never hearing back — while your submission date doesn't move. We'll tell you on the call whether we're the right research institution for your topic, and if we're not, we'll point you to who is. We've recommended a university over ourselves when that was the honest answer.
How quickly can TDIF turn around partnership paperwork?
Hours — sometimes same-day. We use a simple teaming agreement and allocation-of-rights document, and our subcontracting process can run the same day, so the paperwork never threatens your deadline.
Does TDIF claim any IP from the work?
No. Our baseline is a 0% claim on resulting IP — all of it is allocated to your company.
What happens after Phase I — can we do Phase II together?
Our Phase I work plan is built to de-risk the transition to Phase II. We can also help with dual-use strategy and the path through compliance (CMMC/FOCI/ATO).
How is TDIF different from a university research partner?
Universities are the gold standard for deep research, and we partner with them when your topic calls for a specific lab or researcher. What TDIF adds is a partner built around the small business and the dual-use journey: agreements signed in hours, a 0% claim on your IP, and a named, DoW-experienced research lead — with the flexibility to pivot as your program evolves. When a university is the right technical fit, we bring it in without the IP entanglement.