The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is now accepting applications for its Reliable Ore Characterization with Keystone Sensing SBIR/STTR Program.
Donor Name: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 09/25/2025
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
The objectives of the SBIR program are to (1) stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, (2) strengthen the role of Small Business Concerns in meeting Federal R&D needs, (3) increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal R&D activities, (4) foster and encourage participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned Small Business Concerns, and (5) improve the return on investment from Federally funded research and economic benefits to the Nation. The objective of the STTR program is to stimulate cooperative partnerships of ideas and technologies between Small Business Concerns and partnering Research Institutions through Federally funded R&D activities.
The ROCKS program seeks fundamentally disruptive technologies to transform the ore deposit characterization process. The program will pursue technology that targets order of-magnitude improvements in characterization with a primary focus on drilling, sensing, and analysis. These advances will shorten the timeline for feasibility assessments of REE and critical mineral deposits, leading to increased access to these resources. In addition, advances in sensing can aid assessment of currently untapped resources, such as seafloor mineral deposits.
Technical Categories of Interest
- Category A: Drilling Technology
- Category B: Sensing and Analysis
- Category C: Other.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $40,000,000
- Award Ceiling: $4,505,859
- Award Floor: $314,363.
Grant Period
June 2026 – June 2029.
Eligibility Criteria
Small businesses.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
