I spent some time doing an SBIR/STTR a few years ago. This is a program where the US government funds you to develop basic technology. Once we reached a certain

I spent some time doing an SBIR/STTR a few years ago. This is a program where the US government funds you to develop basic technology. Once we reached a certain stage, then you realize that the entire purpose of the program is for the US government to fund R&D that the “prime” contractors are unwilling to invest in, because their own R&D budgets are so pathetic. Even if you make something like software that the DoD could purchase directly, they will still drive you towards a relationship with the primes, so those contractors will get a big slice of the profits from the technology the government directly paid for you to develop. The entire process was sickening: it felt like a terrible abuse of taxpayer funds.