I think you are exaggerating. The goal of SBIRs is to fund high risk research. Solar roadways are high risk; even if it fails completely it's not like a lot of

I think you are exaggerating. The goal of SBIRs is to fund high risk research. Solar roadways are high risk; even if it fails completely it's not like a lot of money is wasted, and something valuable is still learned. Qualcomm was the result of SBIRs, for example.