NSF's three-phase program helps the small-business innovator bootstrap an idea to commercial success

A new National Science Foundation (NSF) program, introduced in part as a result of interest on the part of the U.S. Congress, has among its objectives greater utilization of small science and technology firms in U.S. Government R&D, and conversion of that research to technological innovation in the private sector. Called “Small Business Innovation Applied to National Needs,” the new program solicits high-risk, potentially high-payoff, proposals from small business relating to the research objectives of the Applied Science and Research Applications (ASRA) Directorate.