Few people bridge the worlds of engineering, venture capital, and biotech entrepreneurship the way Sam Tetlow does. After early years at General Electric and a successful run in venture capital, Sam founded The Grant Engine out of frustration with a broken system with too many brilliant innovators failing to secure the funding they needed to move lifesaving research forward. What began as a personal mission to write better grants for his own portfolio companies has evolved into a thriving 75-person firm that now submits more than five percent of all NIH SBIR applications in the United States, with win rates two to four times higher than the national average.

In this conversation, Sam talks about what makes The Grant Engine’s approach so different including the deep training every writer goes through before ever touching a client proposal, the collaborative “brain trust” culture that fuels problem-solving, and the rigorous external reviews that pressure-test every draft. He explains how the company’s structure mirrors that of a venture-backed startup by being focused, data-driven, and built for scale without the equity trade-offs. They help clients access non-dilutive funding that keeps ownership intact while accelerating innovation.

We also take a look at today’s funding landscape. Sam doesn’t shy away from describing 2025 as a turbulent, even “scary,” year for federal research programs. His message is to stay the course. He shares how The Grant Engine is guiding clients through political uncertainty, shifting budgets, and the sudden influx of AI-generated proposals that flooded agencies last year. Along the way, he offers grounded advice for tech transfer offices and startups, plus how to prepare when others freeze, where new opportunities are emerging, and why persistence, preparation, and quality still win.

In This Episode:

[00:33] Sam’s career journey from aerospace engineering to venture capital and entrepreneurship.

[01:40] The origins of The Grant Engine and how a failed grant experience sparked a new business model.

[02:52] The mission behind The Grant Engine by helping innovators secure non-dilutive funding that saves lives.

[03:45] How the company grew to 75 employees and achieved a win rate two to four times higher than the national average.

[05:12] What makes The Grant Engine’s approach different from traditional grant writing services.

[06:45] Why rigorous training and mentorship create consistently successful grant writers.

[07:58] The importance of subject matter expert reviews before engaging a client.

[08:38] External peer reviews and the “pressure test” process that elevates proposal quality.

[09:43] Discussion on the national drop in SBIR win rates and how The Grant Engine’s rates improved despite it.

[11:30] Understanding their higher success rates across Phase I, Phase II, and Fast Track programs.

[13:10] How The Grant Engine’s “X factor” lies in data, experience, and honest client feedback.

[15:02] Regular internal analysis: studying what makes a proposal win or lose.

[16:20] How understanding study section audiences helps tailor more competitive applications.

[17:09] The link between commercialization experience and strong grant proposals.

[18:50] The “Find, Win, and Manage” framework that defines The Grant Engine’s services.

[20:20] How the company helps clients identify the right solicitations and map funding to product roadmaps.

[22:00] Managing post-award compliance and staying “audit ready.”

[22:33] Addressing turbulence in federal funding and the ongoing government shutdown.

[24:00] Sam’s take on political uncertainty and how intentional disruption is affecting research programs.

[25:54] Why this is a time to double down rather than pull back from federal funding pursuits.

[26:58] The impact of AI-generated grant proposals on funding success rates.

[27:56] The case for staying persistent and why consistency eventually beats randomness in the review process.

[29:33] Outlook for 2026 and how to prepare for the eventual SBIR reauthorization.

[31:44] The shifting balance between academic and company-based research funding.

[32:24] Signs of hope: proposals to double SBIR allocations and bipartisan support for innovation funding.

[34:16] Advice to continue preparing proposals even while programs are paused.

[36:46] Why readiness for the next submission window creates a competitive advantage.

[38:20] The benefits of over-preparation and staying proactive through uncertainty.

[39:53] How The Grant Engine uses AI responsibly by augmenting research without replacing human expertise.

[41:30] The limits of AI writing tools and the danger of relying on them for winning proposals.

[42:38] The company’s acquisition of Streamline and its research on predictive grant modeling.

[44:50] New opportunities ahead in defense, cybersecurity, space, and life sciences.

[47:20] Observations on budget trends and where funding will likely expand or contract.

[50:29] Encouragement for startups and tech transfer professionals to stay motivated and adaptable.

[51:33] Viewing challenges as evolution and how adversity strengthens teams and innovators.

[54:05] Staying fit, staying ready, and building a stronger innovation ecosystem.

Resources: 

Grant Engine

Sam Tetlow - Grant Engine

Sam Tetlow - LinkedIn

[email protected]