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Background The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs were established by Congress to stimulate and support the involvement of U.S.-based small businesses in research and development. The SBIR/STTR program at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) plays a unique role in providing essential seed funding to advance cancer discoveries from the bench to the bedside. With an annual budget of approximately $200 million, the NCI SBIR/STTR program provides non-dilutive funding and commercialization support to small businesses developing a wide array of innovative cancer-related technologies, including immunotherapies. Through our funding model, the NCI SBIR program accelerates the translation of innovative immunotherapy discoveries into clinical applications.Methods The NCI SBIR/STTR program utilizes grant and contract mechanisms to support small businesses through various funding opportunities, with award sizes ranging from $300,000 to $4.5 million, tailored to the stage of technology development. As small businesses achieve product development milestones, they can progress through the SBIR/STTR funding pipeline, which supports a broad spectrum of technology readiness, from proof-of-concept studies to clinical trials. Additionally, our program developed a suite of non-funding resources, such as Investor Initiatives and Connecting Awardees to a Regulatory Expert, to assist small businesses on their path to market.Results To assess the role of the NCI SBIR/STTR program in advancing immuno-oncology discoveries, we utilized the NIH RePORTER database to analyze our funding portfolio from 2014-2024. Our analysis revealed that immuno-oncology projects accounted for 22% of our total funding during this period. We supported 345 small businesses, awarding $395 million across 428 projects focused on developing immunotherapies, including novel immune checkpoint inhibitors, bispecific antibodies, immune cell therapies, and advanced manufacturing technologies for efficient cell therapies. Additionally, our funding support for immuno-oncology initiatives has significantly increased from 2014-2024, from $9.7 million to $46.9 million. This trend reflects the recognition of immuno-oncology’s potential for patients and underscores the NCI’s commitment to addressing a funding gap for translating early-stage technologiesConclusions NCI SBIR has been a major and effective proponent of cancer research and translation. Between 2020-2024, NCI SBIR-funded innovations led to 15 immunotherapy regulatory approvals for six products in the U.S. and non-U.S. markets, spanning eight cancer indications. Additionally, 31 products reached clinical trial milestones in various cancer indications. As discoveries in cancer immunology emerge and immunotherapy development continues to advance, the NCI SBIR seeks researchers and small businesses interested in developing novel cancer technologies.