AdvaMed Thanks President Trump, Congress for Legislation Restoring Programs That Jumpstart Early-stage Medtech Innovation

WASHINGTON-AdvaMed, the Medtech Association, the largest trade association representing medtech innovators, thanked President Trump and Congress for enacting the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S. 3971). Signed into law, the legislation reauthorizes the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

In addition to President Trump's signing, AdvaMed applauds the bipartisan efforts of Rep. Roger Williams, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Small Business; Rep. Nydia Velázquez, ranking member; Rep. Brian Babin, chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology; and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, ranking member; and in the Senate, Sen. Joni Ernst, chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship; and Sen. Ed Markey, ranking member, to reauthorize these important programs.

"The enactment of this legislation is great news for medtech small businesses and startups," said Scott Whitaker, AdvaMed president and CEO. "We thank President Trump and Congress for their leadership. The SBIR and STTR programs are invaluable to early-stage medtech companies. The competitive grants the programs offer advance U.S. innovation in health care, creating high-quality jobs, strengthening our nation's leadership in medtech, and most importantly, serving patients by jumpstarting the development of lifesaving, life-enhancing medtech. The certainty of these programs will promote the next era of transformational medtech at small businesses nationwide."

The President's signing of the bill into law this week follows bipartisan passage by the House and Senate last month. The drive to reauthorize the programs reflects a keen understanding of small business contributions to society and the economy. 

Small businesses and startups drive a large amount of medtech innovation yet struggle to fund the early-stage research and development necessary to bring next-generation medtech solutions to patients. The SBIR/STTR programs help fill the gap, allowing innovation to flourish.  

The majority of AdvaMed's 650 member companies are emerging and small businesses, represented through the  AdvaMed Acceldivision. In a survey, 89 percent of Accel members reported applying for SBIR/STTR grants, with 31 percent successfully securing funding. The programs' competitive grants across 11 federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense, are essential to jumpstarting small medtech businesses. 

Program authorization lapsed September 30, 2025. Restoring the programs will provide certainty and confidence to medtech startups in the early stages of their product innovation.