Knoxville, TN – Winter Innovations Inc., a medical device company developing solutions for orthopedic soft tissue surgery, has been awarded a $500,000 Phase IIB Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). The award will support continued research and development of Winter Innovations’ proprietary two-part needle platform as the company advances from early commercialization toward broader adoption.

The Phase IIB program provides supplemental R&D funding to NSF Phase II awardees that have demonstrated progress toward commercialization and secured qualifying third-party investment. NSF matches up to 50% of qualifying investment, with awards of up to $500,000 to support continued R&D that accelerates commercialization.

NSF funding has supported Winter Innovations through multiple stages of development. The company received a $256,000 Phase I SBIR award, followed by a $1 million Phase II award and a $200,000 Technology Enhancement for Commercial Partnerships (TECP) supplement in 2025. The new Phase IIB award brings Winter Innovations’ total NSF funding to nearly $2 million.

“This award comes at an exciting inflection point for Winter Innovations,” said Lia Winter, co-founder and CEO of Winter Innovations. “NSF has supported the development of our technology from early research through commercialization, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue building on that work. The Phase IIB award will support additional evidence generation, manufacturing readiness, and continued development of the EasyWhip^® platform as we work to bring our technology to more surgeons and patients.”

The Phase IIB award follows closely behind another major milestone for Winter Innovations. In July 2026, the company received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the expanded EasyWhip^® Family, adding six products across multiple suture sizes and needle geometries. The clearance also included authorization for a Predetermined Change Control Plan to support future product expansion.

“Phase IIB is particularly meaningful because it connects the technical progress made through NSF-funded R&D with commercial progress we are seeing in the market,” said Preston Dishner, co-founder and COO of Winter Innovations. “Combining this funding with private investment gives us additional resources to continue strengthening the technology while scaling the infrastructure needed to support growth.”

About the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Programs: 

America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $9 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. For more information, visit seedfund.nsf.gov. 

About Winter Innovations: 

Winter Innovations is an award-winning medical device company dedicated to developing simple, impactful tools that address unmet needs in orthopedic soft tissue surgery. Its flagship product, EasyWhip^®, is a patented two-part needle system that simplifies stitching, enhances biomechanical security, and improves efficiency in ligament and tendon surgeries. Winter Innovations has secured multiple research grants, prizes in national pitch competitions, and placements in top-tier accelerator programs. Building on strong early clinical adoption, the company is expanding the EasyWhip^® product family and accelerating commercialization to improve surgical outcomes at scale.

For more information about Winter Innovations, visit www.winter-innovations.com and follow them on LinkedIn and Instagram. 

Media Contact: media@winter-innovations.com