Mapping tool highlights NIH-funded small business successes: Over $1 billion in annual investments drive critical biomedical innovation and discovery

A new interactive mapping tool from the National Institutes of Health showcases just some of the many small businesses that have developed successful healthcare products with the help of NIH small business funding, which totals over $1 billion annually. Highlighting 50-plus small businesses across the United States, the interactive map links to the story behind healthcare products and services that the NIH small business program has supported through grants.

NIH small business funding, for example, helped set the stage for BioMedomics of North Carolina to pivot from a rapid blood test for diagnosing sickle cell disease to a rapid COVID-19 blood test that provides results within 15 minutes. The company recently teamed up with BD, a global medical technology company, to distribute the test in the U.S pending authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.

The interactive tool can also help users find stories by stage of development, funding institute, woman or minority owned businesses, and more. Investors can get a good understanding for how NIH involvement strengthens cutting-edge technologies that move toward improved patient access, while entrepreneurs can be inspired by the successes of their peers. Additionally, Congressional representatives can find NIH-funded small business successes in their own state or district using the filters. The first 50 stories are just the start — stories will be added regularly to highlight NIH-supported small businesses that are changing people’s lives.

Read the full story from NIH here.

View the interactive mapping tool here.