SBIR topic search
Topic profiles
Every DoD and NASA topic with at least 30 awards gets a full profile: award sizing, concentration, first-time winners, and computed conversion. NIH and NSF publish institute and subject-area codes rather than topic codes, so profiles aren't available for them.
| Topic | Agency | Awards | Firms | Top-3 share | Median Phase I |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J201-CSO1 | Department of Defense | 503 | 392 | 1.8% | $49,958 |
| AF192-001 | Department of Defense | 483 | 309 | 3.3% | $49,982 |
| AF211-CSO1 | Department of Defense | 427 | 281 | 4.7% | $49,926 |
| AF212-CSO1 | Department of Defense | 420 | 273 | 3.8% | $49,794 |
| AF193-CSO1 | Department of Defense | 416 | 299 | 2.2% | $49,978 |
| AF203-CSO1 | Department of Defense | 369 | 252 | 3.8% | $49,900 |
| AFX20D-TCSO1 | Department of Defense | 340 | 199 | 4.7% | $149,941 |
| X224-OCSO1 | Department of Defense | 335 | 231 | 3.9% | $74,943 |
| AFX235-CSO1 | Department of Defense | 328 | 233 | 4.3% | $74,757 |
| S1 | NASA | 323 | 132 | 10.2% | $124,950 |
| A1 | NASA | 286 | 120 | 14.3% | $124,997 |
| AFX237-PCSO1 | Department of Defense | 239 | 190 | 2.9% | $74,837 |
| AFX245-PCSO1 | Department of Defense | 206 | 167 | 2.9% | $74,857 |
| A3 | NASA | 193 | 63 | 26.9% | $125,000 |
| AF221-DCSO1 | Department of Defense | 188 | 148 | 7.4% | direct-to-II |
| AFX247-PCSO1 | Department of Defense | 166 | 141 | 3.6% | $74,656 |
| AF20C-TCSO1 | Department of Defense | 164 | 102 | 7.3% | $49,965 |
| AFX234-DCSO2 | Department of Defense | 155 | 119 | 5.8% | direct-to-II |
| AF191-005 | Department of Defense | 153 | 103 | 5.9% | $49,926 |
| AFX23E-TPCSO1 | Department of Defense | 147 | 112 | 4.8% | $109,856 |
| AF21S-TCSO1 | Department of Defense | 146 | 92 | 15.8% | $249,942 |
| S1.01 | NASA | 144 | 40 | 35.4% | $99,998 |
| AFX23D-TCSO1 | Department of Defense | 139 | 86 | 9.4% | $74,876 |
| Z8 | NASA | 134 | 72 | 13.4% | $124,994 |
| AF183-005 | Department of Defense | 133 | 83 | 6.8% | $60,284 |
| AFX236-DPCSO1 | Department of Defense | 129 | 119 | 4.7% | direct-to-II |
| X22D-OTCSO1 | Department of Defense | 127 | 62 | 16.5% | $74,896 |
| AF20R-DCSO1 | Department of Defense | 126 | 100 | 6.3% | direct-to-II |
| A2.01 | NASA | 124 | 75 | 15.3% | $102,880 |
| AF21B-TCSO1 | Department of Defense | 121 | 86 | 8.3% | $49,974 |
| A2 | NASA | 119 | 66 | 16.8% | $124,999 |
| S3 | NASA | 119 | 64 | 13.4% | $124,900 |
| OSD254-P001 | Department of Defense | 114 | 114 | 2.6% | $149,583 |
| H9 | NASA | 113 | 63 | 15.9% | $124,985 |
| A3.01 | NASA | 112 | 32 | 42.0% | $100,000 |
| S13 | NASA | 107 | 65 | 13.1% | $149,994 |
| AFX244-DPCSO1 | Department of Defense | 106 | 105 | 3.8% | direct-to-II |
| Z10 | NASA | 105 | 48 | 19.0% | $124,999 |
| S5 | NASA | 98 | 60 | 16.3% | $124,943 |
| S1.08 | NASA | 98 | 43 | 22.4% | $100,000 |
| S16 | NASA | 96 | 60 | 14.6% | $149,984 |
| AF203-DCSO1 | Department of Defense | 96 | 82 | 8.3% | direct-to-II |
| S11 | NASA | 95 | 50 | 17.9% | $149,994 |
| S3.03 | NASA | 93 | 54 | 22.6% | $120,027 |
| Z1 | NASA | 92 | 51 | 15.2% | $124,998 |
| T12 | NASA | 92 | 60 | 13.0% | $148,646 |
| AF21A-TCSO1 | Department of Defense | 91 | 58 | 9.9% | $49,968 |
| S3.04 | NASA | 90 | 50 | 18.9% | $100,000 |
| Z7 | NASA | 89 | 45 | 20.2% | $124,998 |
| AFX24D-PTCSO1 | Department of Defense | 89 | 73 | 6.7% | $109,778 |
| H3 | NASA | 86 | 50 | 19.8% | $125,000 |
| H5 | NASA | 86 | 43 | 20.9% | $124,998 |
| AFX24E-TPCSO1 | Department of Defense | 86 | 65 | 7.0% | $109,605 |
| Z2 | NASA | 85 | 39 | 27.1% | $124,999 |
| AF192-D001 | Department of Defense | 84 | 70 | 7.1% | direct-to-II |
| A2.02 | NASA | 84 | 45 | 20.2% | $100,000 |
| A3.02 | NASA | 84 | 31 | 27.4% | $124,603 |
| S1.02 | NASA | 83 | 42 | 22.9% | $121,879 |
| H6 | NASA | 82 | 44 | 18.3% | $124,961 |
| AF203-001 | Department of Defense | 81 | 53 | 17.3% | $49,963 |
| AF211-DCSO1 | Department of Defense | 81 | 69 | 8.6% | direct-to-II |
| S2 | NASA | 81 | 41 | 21.0% | $124,930 |
| T8 | NASA | 78 | 43 | 20.5% | $149,782 |
| S3.02 | NASA | 78 | 41 | 16.7% | $124,881 |
| Z4 | NASA | 77 | 48 | 13.0% | $124,999 |
| AFX255-DPCSO1 | Department of Defense | 76 | 76 | 3.9% | direct-to-II |
| S4 | NASA | 76 | 39 | 21.1% | $124,985 |
| AF182-005 | Department of Defense | 75 | 50 | 12.0% | $49,918 |
| H4 | NASA | 73 | 40 | 17.8% | $149,776 |
| AF20A-TCSO1 | Department of Defense | 73 | 46 | 12.3% | $49,994 |
| S12 | NASA | 70 | 46 | 18.6% | $149,946 |
| N193-A01 | Department of Defense | 70 | 44 | 12.9% | $149,891 |
| S1.03 | NASA | 69 | 35 | 23.2% | $124,878 |
| S1.09 | NASA | 69 | 35 | 27.5% | $122,144 |
| AF203-CSO2 | Department of Defense | 68 | 46 | 13.2% | $49,968 |
| Z5 | NASA | 68 | 32 | 35.3% | $124,991 |
| S1.04 | NASA | 68 | 41 | 22.1% | $100,000 |
| A234-007 | Department of Defense | 66 | 38 | 12.1% | $149,719 |
| S1.07 | NASA | 65 | 38 | 21.5% | $124,948 |
| T8.01 | NASA | 62 | 32 | 21.0% | $118,647 |
| S4.01 | NASA | 61 | 41 | 14.8% | $99,998 |
| T3.01 | NASA | 60 | 39 | 15.0% | $100,000 |
| H10 | NASA | 59 | 32 | 20.3% | $124,994 |
| S2.01 | NASA | 57 | 31 | 22.8% | $99,988 |
| H8 | NASA | 56 | 32 | 23.2% | $124,994 |
| T6 | NASA | 56 | 35 | 16.1% | $124,999 |
| T1.01 | NASA | 56 | 29 | 25.0% | $100,000 |
| AFX246-DPCSO1 | Department of Defense | 55 | 54 | 7.3% | direct-to-II |
| S4.04 | NASA | 55 | 38 | 14.5% | $100,000 |
| S2.04 | NASA | 55 | 29 | 20.0% | $124,622 |
| AF19C-T010 | Department of Defense | 54 | 37 | 11.1% | $24,998 |
| S17 | NASA | 53 | 37 | 24.5% | $149,945 |
| X224-ODCSO1 | Department of Defense | 52 | 44 | 15.4% | direct-to-II |
| AFX245-PCSO2 | Department of Defense | 52 | 48 | 11.5% | $74,810 |
| T9.01 | NASA | 52 | 26 | 26.9% | $100,000 |
| S4.02 | NASA | 52 | 30 | 30.8% | $99,996 |
| S2.02 | NASA | 52 | 23 | 30.8% | $99,994 |
| T4.01 | NASA | 51 | 28 | 25.5% | $100,000 |
| A1.02 | NASA | 51 | 28 | 21.6% | $99,998 |
| A1.03 | NASA | 51 | 29 | 25.5% | $100,000 |
| S1.05 | NASA | 51 | 28 | 27.5% | $100,000 |
| S2.05 | NASA | 51 | 32 | 19.6% | $99,933 |
| S3.01 | NASA | 50 | 27 | 30.0% | $124,698 |
| A1.01 | NASA | 49 | 33 | 14.3% | $109,869 |
| S1.06 | NASA | 49 | 30 | 28.6% | $124,528 |
| Z13 | NASA | 48 | 25 | 20.8% | $149,911 |
| Z3 | NASA | 48 | 31 | 25.0% | $124,942 |
| T11 | NASA | 47 | 34 | 23.4% | $139,878 |
| SB082-007 | Department of Defense | 47 | 38 | 12.8% | $98,990 |
| AF19B-T001 | Department of Defense | 46 | 33 | 13.0% | $24,999 |
| A224-025 | Department of Defense | 45 | 24 | 20.0% | $149,947 |
| Z12 | NASA | 45 | 20 | 33.3% | $128,234 |
| T7 | NASA | 44 | 25 | 27.3% | $149,973 |
| A2.04 | NASA | 44 | 21 | 40.9% | $99,577 |
| H12 | NASA | 43 | 30 | 20.9% | $124,997 |
| S2.03 | NASA | 43 | 29 | 23.3% | $124,516 |
| A4.01 | NASA | 43 | 26 | 20.9% | $99,999 |
| AFX255-DPCSO3 | Department of Defense | 42 | 42 | 7.1% | direct-to-II |
| AF203-CSO3 | Department of Defense | 42 | 23 | 21.4% | $49,612 |
| X3.01 | NASA | 42 | 23 | 26.2% | $99,994 |
| T5.01 | NASA | 41 | 26 | 22.0% | $100,000 |
| X10.01 | NASA | 41 | 26 | 14.6% | $99,984 |
| T15 | NASA | 40 | 18 | 40.0% | $125,000 |
| A234-P010 | Department of Defense | 40 | 28 | 20.0% | $249,840 |
| T10 | NASA | 40 | 27 | 17.5% | $149,751 |
| AF191-004 | Department of Defense | 40 | 21 | 22.5% | $50,000 |
| A1.04 | NASA | 40 | 29 | 15.0% | $115,419 |
| MDA04-111 | Department of Defense | 40 | 26 | 25.0% | $99,946 |
| S14 | NASA | 39 | 19 | 38.5% | $149,997 |
| T6.01 | NASA | 39 | 27 | 15.4% | $100,000 |
| S3.05 | NASA | 39 | 26 | 23.1% | $124,842 |
| A2.09 | NASA | 39 | 23 | 28.2% | $99,953 |
| X6.01 | NASA | 39 | 23 | 25.6% | $99,938 |
| A2.06 | NASA | 38 | 24 | 23.7% | $99,488 |
| T2.01 | NASA | 37 | 18 | 29.7% | $100,000 |
| H1.01 | NASA | 37 | 21 | 29.7% | $124,825 |
| H7.01 | NASA | 37 | 19 | 35.1% | $124,976 |
| S4.03 | NASA | 37 | 23 | 29.7% | $124,586 |
| X8.01 | NASA | 37 | 19 | 37.8% | $99,992 |
| A2.10 | NASA | 37 | 24 | 18.9% | $99,946 |
| T5 | NASA | 36 | 24 | 27.8% | $149,300 |
| A224-016 | Department of Defense | 36 | 23 | 19.4% | $249,639 |
| S3.07 | NASA | 36 | 20 | 44.4% | $124,961 |
| H5.01 | NASA | 36 | 20 | 27.8% | $124,933 |
| S6.02 | NASA | 36 | 19 | 30.6% | $99,875 |
| X1.01 | NASA | 36 | 19 | 30.6% | $99,976 |
| X2.02 | NASA | 36 | 23 | 22.2% | $99,782 |
| AF193-DCSO1 | Department of Defense | 35 | 28 | 17.1% | direct-to-II |
| MDA04-020 | Department of Defense | 35 | 23 | 31.4% | $99,957 |
| AF05-192 | Department of Defense | 35 | 21 | 25.7% | $99,882 |
| X7.01 | NASA | 35 | 23 | 22.9% | $99,976 |
| AFX234-DCSO1 | Department of Defense | 34 | 26 | 20.6% | direct-to-II |
| X7.02 | NASA | 34 | 18 | 29.4% | $99,790 |
| X2.03 | NASA | 34 | 23 | 17.6% | $99,944 |
| N07-076 | Department of Defense | 34 | 17 | 38.2% | $70,000 |
| T4 | NASA | 33 | 21 | 30.3% | $124,894 |
| AF21A-TCSO2 | Department of Defense | 33 | 21 | 24.2% | $149,989 |
| T6.02 | NASA | 33 | 21 | 30.3% | $100,000 |
| X6.02 | NASA | 33 | 26 | 18.2% | $99,989 |
| N193-A02 | Department of Defense | 32 | 20 | 21.9% | $149,957 |
| DLA152-001 | Department of Defense | 32 | 16 | 28.1% | $149,809 |
| S5.01 | NASA | 32 | 19 | 40.6% | $124,598 |
| A2.03 | NASA | 32 | 19 | 31.2% | $99,653 |
| X11.01 | NASA | 32 | 17 | 31.2% | $99,626 |
| X9.01 | NASA | 32 | 20 | 25.0% | $99,953 |
| X5.01 | NASA | 32 | 18 | 25.0% | $99,916 |
| A2.05 | NASA | 32 | 23 | 21.9% | $99,900 |
| N234-P02 | Department of Defense | 31 | 19 | 19.4% | $174,221 |
| OSD234-P002 | Department of Defense | 31 | 28 | 19.4% | $149,963 |
| SB102-002 | Department of Defense | 31 | 21 | 25.8% | $99,000 |
| H6.01 | NASA | 31 | 18 | 22.6% | $124,896 |
| T4.02 | NASA | 31 | 18 | 35.5% | $124,631 |
| S5.05 | NASA | 31 | 20 | 29.0% | $112,530 |
| X2.01 | NASA | 31 | 22 | 19.4% | $99,880 |
| A2.08 | NASA | 31 | 17 | 35.5% | $99,773 |
| T13 | NASA | 30 | 16 | 33.3% | $137,324 |
| N201-X02 | Department of Defense | 30 | 15 | 30.0% | $199,947 |
| X224-ODCSO2 | Department of Defense | 30 | 25 | 20.0% | direct-to-II |
| S5.02 | NASA | 30 | 18 | 36.7% | $99,970 |
| X3.02 | NASA | 30 | 18 | 33.3% | $99,972 |
Sourced vs computed: Phase I/II selection rates (applications → awards) come from the SBA's SBIR/STTR Annual Report — FY2022 is the latest published edition, and SBA itself calls the rates estimates because proposal cohorts span fiscal years. Phase I→II conversion and first-timer shares are computed by us from sbir.gov's public award records. Per-topic conversion uses only cohorts old enough to have had a full 3-year Phase II window; younger awards show as “too recent”, never as failures. Firms are identified by federal UEI where available (99.5% of 2025 awards, down to 54% for 2001), with a normalized-name fallback for older records.
Fast-track and Direct-to-Phase-II: no agency publishes a fast-track flag, so we derive it — HHS/NIH: a Phase I record carrying a Phase II activity code (R44/R42/U44) plus its linked Phase II; NSF: the 2024 Fast-Track pilot solicitation (NSF 24-582). Where fast-track exists, conversion is shown both organic (fast-tracks excluded) and all-inclusive, because a fast-track Phase II was committed at award time, not competed. DoD's Direct-to-Phase-II share is different in kind: there is no marker at all, so our number is an inference (Phase IIs with no same-firm DoD Phase I in the prior 3 years), always labeled an estimate and kept visually separate from measured stats.
What nobody publishes: per-topic application counts are published by no one — not the agencies, and not the $500–$42,000-a-year intelligence platforms either; the data simply isn't public. Any per-topic number on this site is award-side only (who won, how often winners repeat), never your odds of selection.
Sources: sbir.gov award data · SBA FY22 Annual Report. Free to use; verify anything critical against the originals.