Affectionately referred to as the "Tibbie", these national awards are made annually (since 1998) to those small firms, projects, organizations and individuals judged to exemplify the very best in SBIR achievement.

Tibbetts Awards recognize accomplishments where, in the judgement of those closely involved and often most immediately affected, the stimulus of SBIR funding has made an important and definable difference.

Selection

In selection for Tibbetts Awards, the focus is primarily on:

• Economic impact of technological innovation
  Innovation
  Innovation is the creation of better or more effective products, processes, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society...
  
  
• Business achievement and effective collaborations
• Demonstrated state and regional impact and proven support

Hiatus and Return

In 2007 the Tibbetts award went on hiatus and was not awarded for the years 2008, 2009, and 2010. Nominations for the 2011 Tibbetts award opened on November 15, 2010. In 2011, Forty-four companies and eight individuals were selected to receive the award. Tibbets Awards were awarded to businesses ranging from medical device companies such as MedShape Solutions, to electronics manufacturers such as Qualcomm, Inc

Qualcomm

Qualcomm is an American global telecommunication corporation that designs, manufactures and markets digital wireless telecommunications products and services based on its code division multiple access technology and other technologies. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, USA...

; to nanobiotechnology companies such as ANP Technologies.

About the SBIR Program

Roland Tibbetts began the SBIR program as a tiny experimental project at the National Science Foundation. Today, the SBIR program has developed more than $21 billion worth of research by more than 15,000 firms—resulting in more than 45,000 patents. SBIR companies employ more than 400,000 scientists and engineers—making the program the largest concentration of scientific and engineering talent in the United States, exceeding the combined total of all American academic and non-profit institutions. Each year, 11 federal agencies award $2 billion in research contracts as part of the SBIR program.

Past winners

2010

Winner	Location
Network Foundation Technologies Network Foundation Technologies (NiFTy) Network Foundation Technologies, LLC is a U.S. based online broadcasting company foundedby Dr. Mike O’Neal, a computer scientist at Louisiana Tech University, and Marcus Morton, a music, film and multi-media entrepreneur...	Ruston, La.
ANP Technologies	Newark, Del.
Vecna Technologies, Inc.	Cambridge, Mass.
Fiber Materials	Biddeford, Maine

2007

Winner	Company
Eric Adolphe, Esq	OPTIMUS Corporation
Houston Baker	National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S...
Mark Bakotic	Northrop Grumman Ship Systems
Dr. James I. Finley	Deputy Undersecretary of Defense (A&T)
Dr. James Nolan	Decisive Analytics Corporation Decisive Analytics Corporation Decisive Analytics Corporation is an employee-owned engineering company headquartered in Arlington, Virginia with offices in Huntsville, Alabama, Jeffersonville, Indiana, and Colorado Springs, Colorado...
Patty Forbes	Formerly Senate Committee on Small Business Small business A small business is a business that is privately owned and operated, with a small number of employees and relatively low volume of sales. Small businesses are normally privately owned corporations, partnerships, or sole proprietorships...

2006

Winner	Company
Mr. Allen Baker	Vital Strategies, Inc.
Mr. Stephen Guilfoos	Air Force, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
Dr. Patrick Guire	Innovative Surface Technologies, Inc.
Mr. Richard Hendel	Boeing Boeing The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001... Company
Dr. Mahendra Jain	Kentucky Science & Engineering Foundation