There’s plenty to do while we wait for SBIR reauthorization. DOW Open Topics are likely coming back and smart teams are using this window wisely. History shows the program will return and in this case, preparation wins. Now is the time network and conduct Customer Discovery.
The Opportunity
Start with the problem, not the topic. The starting point is a mission pain. Topics are written later.
Before a topic exists, you should be able to answer:
- What mission is struggling?
- Where is time, money, or capability being wasted?
- What breaks under stress, scale, or contingency?
- If you’re waiting for a topic to tell you what to build, you’re already behind.
What To Do Now
Topics come from people, not portals.
Your goal is to find:
- The program office
- The capability owner
- The operational unit feeding requirements
Ask:
- Who would benefit if this problem were solved?
- Who has written similar topics before?
- Who complains about this problem internally?
Who To Talk To
- End users who feel the pain
- Program or capability owners
- Technical gatekeepers
- Skeptics who killed past efforts
Ask them:
- What breaks today?
- What happens if it never gets fixed?
- How is this funded?
- What stopped past solutions?
Socialize the idea, carefully (this is not pitching)
Share:
- The problem statement
- Why current approaches fail
- A plausible direction, not a finished solution
- The goal is alignment, not approval.
- If multiple people nod without flinching, you’re close.
What To Document
- Problem statements, in their words
- Current workarounds
- Funding paths
- Adoption blockers
- Leadership concerns
Why This Matters
Topics are an output. Customer discovery is the input.
If you wait for the topic, you compete. If you help shape the problem, you lead.
