Knoxville, TN – Winter Innovations Inc., a medical device company developing solutions for orthopedic soft tissue surgery, has been awarded a $500,000 Phase IIB Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The award will support continued research and development of Winter Innovations’ proprietary two-part needle platform as the company advances from early commercialization toward broader adoption.
The Phase IIB program provides supplemental R&D funding to NSF Phase II awardees that have demonstrated progress toward commercialization and secured qualifying third-party investment. NSF matches up to 50% of qualifying investment, with awards of up to $500,000 to support continued R&D that accelerates commercialization.
NSF funding has supported Winter Innovations through multiple stages of development. The company received a $256,000 Phase I SBIR award, followed by a $1 million Phase II award and a $200,000 Technology Enhancement for Commercial Partnerships (TECP) supplement in 2025. The new Phase IIB award brings Winter Innovations’ total NSF funding to nearly $2 million.