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Resources from the SBIR/STTR Road Tour
As a follow-up to the Virtual Road Tour held in September, the SBA has put together a nice compilation of SBIR/STTR agency overviews:
Please set aside time to review the very important information about the participating agencies.
Agency program managers also participated in multiple panel sessions during the Road Tour. Key points made during the agency panel presentations:
- Focus - don't spread your team too thin. Focus on the thing that your company does best. Especially when it comes to commercialization.
- Proposal reviewers - Expect that the vast majority of reviewers will be technical experts, but not necessarily as expert as you are when it comes to your niche area of R&D.
- Communication - Connect with program staff as per the agency guidelines to discuss the fit between your R&D interests and the agencies' missions.
- Administrative criteria - 10% or more of submitted proposals to some agencies do not meet the required administrative criteria. For example, missing pieces of the proposal, budget request is too high, etc. Read the instructions and follow them to a tee. If the proposal does not meet the administrative requirements, it will not move on to receive a technical review.
- Request feedback - If your proposal is reviewed, but not selected for funding, be sure to request feedback. This is key information that can be used to strengthen future proposal submissions.
- Dual use technologies - For proposals submitted to contract agencies (DoD, NASA, etc,) be sure to cover commercial opportunities both within and outside the agencies.
Funding Update: One NC Match Program
On September 4, 2020, the NC General Assembly and Governor agreed to appropriate $1.5 million to the One NC Small Business Fund for FY 2021. The source of the funding is the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF), which has restrictions regarding the use of funds and thus may change eligibility and reporting requirements under the One NC Small Business Program.
A FY 2021 solicitation for the Program was issued on October 1, 2020. Before applying, potential applicants are strongly encouraged to read the solicitation, particularly:
- SECTION II. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA & LIMITATIONS ON AWARDS
- SECTION III. AWARD STRUCTURE; MILESTONES
- ATTACHMENT A-1
- ATTACHMENT A-2
These two sections differ from what was in previous solicitations, and the attachments are a new requirement, due to the source of funding, the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) of 2020.
A Decade in Review:
SBIR/STTR Award Agency Representation in NC
SSTI recently analyzed SBIR/STTR award data over the past decade. Their analysis delved into the representation of each agency based on percent of total funding received in each state.
In North Carolina, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in which NIH is the main component, funded 68% of all SBIR/STTR awards in the state. No other state had such a high percentage of NIH SBIR/STTR orientation over the past decade. In 2019, NIH awards made to NC small businesses totaled $43M.
The next highest percentage of agency representation in NC is DoD at 20% ($8.6M in 2019) followed by NSF at 5% ($4.2M in 2019).
This data demonstrates North Carolina's strong affinity to health-oriented research and development that fits with the mission of HHS.
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Percent of total SBIR/STTR funding received in the last decade in NC by agency
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SBIR/STTR Advisory Services at SBTDC
If you are considering a submission of a Phase 1 or Phase 2 proposal to any of the current open solicitations this fall and winter, now is the time to start preparing. Schedule a meeting with one the SBTDC's technology commercialization team members to have a confidential one-on-one counseling session. Our no-fee services include strategizing, brainstorming, providing proposal guidance and outlines and proposal reviews. Our contact information is included on the side bar of this newsletter.
NIH SBIR/STTR Virtual Conference
NIH will be hosting - 2020 NIH VIRTUAL SEMINAR ON PROGRAM FUNDING AND GRANTS ADMINISTRATION - October 27-30, 2020 and the event is free. The event will cover SBIR/ STTR mechanisms and several other general topics related to NIH grant process. The link to the event page for the agenda and for registration is https://nihvirtualseminar2020.vfairs.com/en/agenda-page
The 2020 NIH Virtual Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration has been designed to provide you with a unique opportunity to learn about the NIH grants process, programs, and policies directly from NIH & HHS experts.
This event is intended to help:
- Demystify the application and review process;
- Clarify federal regulations and policies; and
- Highlight current areas of special interest or concern.
Who Should Attend?
This seminar is designed for those who are new to working with the NIH grants process - administrators, early stage investigators, researchers, graduate students, etc. For those with more experience, NIH experts provide a few sessions that are designed for participants that are more advanced and are focused on more in-depth polices and processes.
SBIR/STTR Solicitation Dates
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Registration Open: Virtual Investor Ready Entrepreneur
The SBTDC Technology Commercialization team will be hosting a virtual version of the popular "Becoming and Investor-Ready Entrepreneur" event. The event will span two afternoons on December 2nd and 9th.
ATTENDEES WILL LEARN:
- What investors look for and expect
- The equity investment process and terminology
- How investors approach valuation and deal structure
- The impact of COVID19 on the investment landscape
INVESTOR PANEL Q&A SPANNING THE ENTIRE EVENT
- Eva Doss (The Launch Place)
- Robbie Hardy (xElle Ventures)
- Kip Johnson (Morningstar Law Group)
- Jeff Kaplan (Venture Ashville)
- Lou Anne Flanders-Stec (Launch Greensboro)
- Tom Droege (Resilient Ventures)
ENTREPRENUERIAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER:
- Robert Preville (CEO, KWIPPED, Inc.)
INVESTOR REVERSE PITCHES:
- Learn about regional equity investment groups and what they fund
REGISTRATION:
- $95 fee
- Register online here
MORE INFORMATION:
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Aid Through Innovation: USAID's SBIR-ish Funding Program
It is said that every rose has its thorn, and, in the case of the SBIR program, those thorns tend to be rooted in the eligibility requirements of the small business concern (SBC), the primary market restrictions, the competitive landscape of the US market, and the rigid sequencing of winning Phase I to get to Phase II. SBTDC counselors routinely face the following questions:
- What if my SBC has substantial foreign ownership or is a not-for-profit entity?
- What if the US is not a good market for my innovation?
- What if my innovation is simple and economical, but customers in the US are not price sensitive?
- What if I am past proof-of-concept, and a Direct-to-Phase II is not an option?
- What if I need undiluted funds beyond Phase II?
- What if my innovation is a system, process, or curriculum?
- What if my company mission is a true blend of altruism and capitalism, and I have an innovation that can make many lives better?
Any and all of those concerns may be addressed with a program similar to SBIR that is sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), named the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) program.
From www.usaid.gov, "USAID leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance and help people progress beyond assistance." The interesting thing for innovators is that USAID promotes INNOVATION to effect desired changes, which is not consistent with the stereotype of the traditional aid agency. Through the DIV program, USAID seeks to provide innovators funding to solve critical problems, much like SBIR, but the eligibility is much more flexible, there is no requirement to enter the program at Stage 1, and there is a true, funded third phase. The "thorns" of the DIV program include that the innovation should be developed for a market in one or more developing economies within the focus of USAID. However, the innovator retains full ownership to any IP developed. Also, a funded project will have a high benefit-to-cost ratio with substantial potential for scale-up. DIV funding levels are listed below:
Stage 1: Proof-of-Concept (Up to $200,000)
Stage 2: Testing and Positioning for Scale (Up to $1,500,000)
Stage 3: Scaling (Up to $5,000,000)
Finally, consider DIV to be a program requiring an innovation and a program to get that innovation to the masses. However, USAID does NOT expect the innovator to provide charity. To the contrary, a solid application will include funding partners, such as national/local governments and non-government organizations (NGOs), to participate in the financial viability and distribution of the innovation. For more information go to www.usaid.gov/div . FYI, Grand Challenges for Development is another innovation-based funding program that deserves consideration (https://www.usaid.gov/grandchallenges).
Please contact Chris Veal, Tech Commercialization Counselor for more information on funding sources through USAID.
Business Strategies for Coping with Covid
In the last six months of the new normal of COVID-19, business owners have showcased agility, developing strategies to help their businesses survive in the new landscape. We discussed survival strategies with Small Business and Technology Development Center (SBTDC) clients in a recent meeting. Here are some of the strategies that have worked for them during the pandemic.
Read More:
https://bit.ly/2RQL8p3
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MORE SBTDC TARGETED SERVICES
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SELLING TO THE GOVERNMENT
The North Carolina Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) educates business associates on how to obtain contracts by providing comprehensive assistance in selling products and services to local, state and federal government agencies.
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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
The SBTDC's International Business Development Specialists assists small and mid-sized businesses with export planning and exporting.
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The Team
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The Technology Commercialization Services team provides one-on-one business counseling and advice to: small business owners, university researchers, and entrepreneurs looking to advance their innovations to the marketplace.
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Director, Technology Development
and Commercialization
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SBIR/STTR Specialist & Newsletter Editor
Statewide
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Technology Commercialization Counselor
Eastern NC
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Technology Commercialization Counselor
North Central NC
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Technology Commercialization Counselor
Western NC
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