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Advantages of SBIR for entrepreneurs

Last checked on:
3 April 2023
Published on:
6 May 2024

The SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) instrument has many advantages to offer entrepreneurs.

The advantages

  • Securing an R&D contract from the government helps entrepreneurs when positioning themselves regarding their financiers. SBIR awards contracts to entrepreneurs, and turnover is then generated on this basis.
  • SBIR competitions give entrepreneurs direction and create new markets over time. Putting together an SBIR tender is well suited for business operations. An SBIR competition is a contract with a client that comes with a result obligation, and that is why it is given high priority.
  • The government makes every effort to create the right conditions to ensure the success of the project. For instance, we arrange for matchmaking with other companies or help to solve non-technical issues, such as regulations or certification.
  • SBIR speeds up the time-to-market and helps to get the financing required for the riskiest phases of an innovation.
  • SBIR offers the opportunity to work together with other entrepreneurs and research institutions.
  • SBIR takes smaller companies into account thanks to the short lead times and phasing of projects.
  • With SBIR, entrepreneurs can develop innovations that match government agencies’ demands. This improves the likelihood of the innovations being bought. The government can procure the innovation as the first customer (‘launching customer’)The entrepreneur keeps the intellectual property rights. This may not always be the case, depending on the circumstances. Read more about intellectual property.
     

On the page Submitting tenders you will find the ‘Manual for entrepreneurs’ (in Dutch), which includes information on the tendering process.

The SBIR competition is subject to the General Government Terms and Conditions for Public Service Contracts (in Dutch: Algemene Rijksinkoopvoorwaarden voor diensten, ARVODI). 

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