I've received money from the NSF SBIR grant program and know another half a dozen others who have as well, and while there is certainly a process, it isn't too

I've received money from the NSF SBIR grant program and know another half a dozen others who have as well, and while there is certainly a process, it isn't too bad. All the people I know who have received them are at startups and small companies. That said, the NSF does more than just SBIR and I can't speak to any of that.