“America’s Seed Fund is dedicated to transforming scientific and engineering discoveries into products and services with commercial and societal impact. The deep technologies we fund are promising but have yet to be fully validated. Each year, the program awards over $200 million in research and development (R&D) funding to approximately 400 startups across the United States.
America’s Seed Fund operates as part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and is housed within the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships. It focuses on supporting early-stage ventures that push the boundaries of innovation and technological advancement.
Funding Amount
Phase I: Up to $305,000 for research and development (R&D) to build your prototype or proof-of-concept over six to 18 months.
Phase II: Up to $1,250,000 over 24 months. You can apply for supplements that may add up to more than $500,000 during that second award.
Target
Startups creating the next game-changing technologies—often based on fundamental science or engineering—need research and development to develop new products, services, and other scalable solutions.
Focus Areas
Fundamental Science and Engineering
Eligibility
Private for-profit US companies with over 50% ownership by American citizens or permanent residents. The company cannot have more than 500 employees, but no revenue limits exist.
