1) SBIR/STTRs are specific solicitations that serve the specific goals of funding agencies. If you don't see one that matches your tech exactly, it's a nonstarter.
2) Often times, the call for proposals are written with a specific company in mind that the funding agency already has some relationship with or interest in funding. Breaking into this can be challenging for a new company to learn the landscape.
NCI SBIR/STTR applications can be contract solicitations for specific problems, as you point out. The majority are (as I understand it) funded however through the omnibus solicitation, which can be directed to high-priority research areas or to general problems within the scope of the NCI. I assume the same is true for other NIH agencies.
1) SBIR/STTRs are specific solicitations that serve the specific goals of funding agencies. If you don't see one that matches your tech exactly, it's a nonstarter.
2) Often times, the call for proposals are written with a specific company in mind that the funding agency already has some relationship with or interest in funding. Breaking into this can be challenging for a new company to learn the landscape.