The “Start an SUD Startup” Challenge is hosted by NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH) to support teams with research ideas in drug use, misuse, and substance use disorder (SUD) that have the potential to form successful biomedical startups. The competition is open to teams of 3–5 members who are committed to developing a startup product (broadly defined as a service, software, device, drug, or other solution addressing SUD).

Eligible participants must have a research idea relevant to SUD or adaptable to it, and the Team Leader must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The Challenge submission deadline is on February 4, 2026, at 6:00 PM ET. To begin your application, click here.