Standing on the Shoulders of Midgets: The U.S. Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR)

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program in the United States is one of the most important public policy programs,with a goal of generating innovative hi-technology firms and promoting competitiveness and growth. The purpose of this paper is to describe the SBIR, explain why it has emerged as an important policy instrument, and provide an evaluation of the impact of the SBIR. The findings of this paper suggest that the SBIR has generally accomplished its mission by contributing to the creation of high-technology small firms and enhancing U.S. competitiveness.