In 2007, Clara Asmail as NIST SBIR Program Manager pioneered a new methodology facilitating US small businesses to spin-out commercially-viable technologies emerging from NIST’s focused research. Using its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program funds, NIST incentivizes small US companies to create financially rewarding innovations by researching, developing and advancing NIST-originated technologies with the goal of transitioning NIST intramural research into the market.

To date, more than 35 SBIR TT awards have been made at NIST and several other agencies are at various stages of implementation.