The U.S. Small Business Administration is awarding an aggregate $20M in non-dilutive prizes, with winners receiving up to $6M each, to small businesses that can rapidly expand capacity at critical supply chain chokepoints. Award Focus Areas:
• Advanced Metals Manufacturing (including rapid tooling, precision casting and forging, heat treated components, strategic and critical minerals, and rare earth element recovery and magnet production)
• Advanced Materials Manufacturing (including large format additive manufacturing and materials transformation)
• Energy Systems, Energetics, and Components (including nuclear energy, battery energy storage systems, and standardization efforts)
Eligibility: U.S.-based small businesses that are currently profitable and generally creditworthy, can deploy funds immediately, and can achieve measurable production increases — or implement a production efficiency solution — within six months of award. Proceeds may not fund general overhead. One entry per business.
How to submit: Email your submission to investinnovate@sba.gov, preferably in the form of a company pitch deck and include in the subject line [Small Business Name - Critical Suppliers Prize Competition]. There is no fee to enter.
Submissions due Aug. 28, 2026, at 11:59 pm EDT. Winners expected to be announced mid-September.
For full eligibility criteria and submission guidelines, click the link below.
More details at: https://www.sba.gov/about-sba/priorities/sba-initiatives/critical-suppliers-prize-competition/