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ED/IES SBIR (Education Technology)

Phase I and Phase II contract ceilings are set by each solicitation; typical pathway is feasibility followed by prototype development and evaluation. · US Department of Education — Institute of Education Sciences (IES)

The Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences SBIR program funds small businesses (and partners) to develop and evaluate education-technology products for students, teachers, and administrators in real classroom settings. Distinct Phase IA/IB tracks and a Direct-to-Phase-II option. Current lifecycle: closed. Real economics: Phase I and Phase II contract ceilings are set by each solicitation; typical pathway is feasibility followed by prototype development and evaluation..

Tier 2sbireducationedtechies

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Key facts

FunderUS Department of Education — Institute of Education Sciences (IES)
AmountPhase I and Phase II contract ceilings are set by each solicitation; typical pathway is feasibility followed by prototype development and evaluation.
Decision timeThe solicitation publishes evaluation and anticipated award milestones; timing changes by annual competition.
EligibilityUS for-profit small business (<500 employees), >50% US-owned; PI primary employment with the SBC. US-based work. (ED participates in SBIR only.)
RestrictionsContractors meet research, prototype, usability and commercialization deliverables; submit technical and invoice documentation; and comply with federal contract terms. Support is restricted to the approved work plan, eligible costs and award period; unsupported, unrelated, double-funded or noncompliant expenditure is excluded.
Statusclosed

Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.

Application process

  1. Register in SAM.gov and required federal systems
  2. Match an open IES SBIR topic
  3. Submit technical, research, commercialization and cost volumes
  4. Peer and contracting review
  5. Phase I award and competitive Phase II follow-on

Background

US Department of Education — Institute of Education Sciences (IES) operates ED/IES SBIR (Education Technology). This pass separates direct cash, repayable finance, credits, incentives and umbrella programs so later ranking does not compare unlike instruments. IES publishes funded ED/IES SBIR projects and products. The pathway supports commercially viable education technology with rigorous research. Phase II is a competitive follow-on rather than automatic continuation.

How the application really works

Register in SAM.gov and required federal systems → Match an open IES SBIR topic → Submit technical, research, commercialization and cost volumes → Peer and contracting review → Phase I award and competitive Phase II follow-on

Tips

Watch out for

Track record

The reviewed official corpus does not publish an applicant denominator and comparable selection rate.

Frequently asked questions

Is this actionable now?
closed. ED/IES SBIR runs topic-specific annual solicitations; the reviewed solicitation is closed and no later actionable deadline was verified.
What is the real economic value?
Phase I and Phase II contract ceilings are set by each solicitation; typical pathway is feasibility followed by prototype development and evaluation.
Who is eligible?
US for-profit small business (<500 employees), >50% US-owned; PI primary employment with the SBC. US-based work. (ED participates in SBIR only.)
How does selection work?
Register in SAM.gov and required federal systems; Match an open IES SBIR topic; Submit technical, research, commercialization and cost volumes; Peer and contracting review; Phase I award and competitive Phase II follow-on. The solicitation publishes evaluation and anticipated award milestones; timing changes by annual competition.
What burden and restrictions apply?
Contractors meet research, prototype, usability and commercialization deliverables; submit technical and invoice documentation; and comply with federal contract terms. Support is restricted to the approved work plan, eligible costs and award period; unsupported, unrelated, double-funded or noncompliant expenditure is excluded.
What evidence exists?
IES publishes funded ED/IES SBIR projects and products. The pathway supports commercially viable education technology with rigorous research. Phase II is a competitive follow-on rather than automatic continuation. The reviewed official corpus does not publish an applicant denominator and comparable selection rate.

Related grants

NSF SBIR/STTR — America's Seed FundPhase I up to USD 305,000; Phase II up to USD 1.25 million, with later supplements and commercialization support possible. · National Science Foundation (NSF)NIH SBIR/STTR (Small Business Programs / SEED)Phase I guideline up to USD 400,000 and Phase II up to USD 2.15 million; approved waiver topics may reach about USD 700,000 Phase I and USD 3 million Phase II. · National Institutes of Health (NIH) — HHSDoD SBIR/STTR (Defense-wide, via DSIP)Phase I typically ~$100,000–$250,000 (component-dependent); Phase II typically ~$1,000,000–$2,000,000 · US Department of Defense (DoD) — components incl. Army, Navy, Air Force, DARPA, DTRA, DLA, MDA, SOCOMAFWERX SBIR/STTR — Department of the Air Force (incl. AFRL)Open Topic Phase I ~$75,000 (SBIR) / ~$110,000 (STTR) feasibility; Phase II ~$0.75M–$1.9M; STRATFI up to ~$15M with matching · Department of the Air Force (AFWERX / Air Force Research Laboratory)OpenAI Startup Fund — Converge AcceleratorUSD 1,000,000 maximum; see notes for structure · OpenAI Startup FundEIC Pathfinder (Open & Challenges)Pathfinder Open grants up to EUR 4 million; Challenges commonly allow up to EUR 4 million unless the specific challenge states otherwise, normally at 100% eligible costs. · European Innovation Council (EIC) / European Commission — EU

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