The National Institute of Health's SBIR/STTR Niche Assessment Program is a nationwide program funded by NIH to help jump-start an SBIR/STTR Phase I awardee's commercialization efforts.  Services are provided by Foresight Science & Technology of Providence, RI.

Technology Niche Analyses® (TNA®) are provided by Foresight for one hundred twenty five (125) NIH SBIR/STTR Phase I awardees.  These analyses assess potential applications for a technology and then for one viable application, it provides an assessment of the:

1. needs and concerns of end-users;
2. competing technologies and competing products;
3. competitive advantage of the SBIR/STTR-developed technology;
4. market size and potential market share (may include national and/or global markets;
5. barriers to market entry (may include but is not limited to pricing, competition, government regulations, manufacturing challenges, capital requirements, etc.);
6. market drivers;
7. status of market and industry trends;
8. potential customers, licensees, investors, or other commercialization partners; and,
9. the price customers are likely to pay

Each participant receives an in-depth report of Foresight's findings.  Oftentimes the small businesses can use this information in their commercialization plans which are part of their Phase II applications.

For more information, see Notice NOT-OD-12-146 that was placed in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts on August 31, 2012.

Contact:

Robert Vinson
NIH SBIR/STTR Program
Office of Extramural Programs
Office of Extramural Research
Phone:  301-435-2713
Email:  SBIR@od.nih.gov