Inventor’s Conference April 2008 Powell, WY Kelly Haigler Cornish

1. Funding for Innovative Research-Based Small Businesses Inventor’s Conference April 2008 Powell, WY Kelly Haigler Cornish

2. Funding Challenges • High Risk • Funding Sources • Banks • Investor • Friends and Family • Angels • Venture Capitalists

3. SBIR/STTR Grants & Contracts • No Repayment • No Debt Service • No Equity Forfeiture • No IP Forfeiture • Support for Commercialization

4. SBIR/STTR Program Highlights • SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) • STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) • National competition sponsored by 11 federal agencies • Provide federal agencies with innovative concepts and solutions to government needs • Stimulate innovation & job creation in the nation’s small business sector (60%)

5. How Much Money? • SBIR • 2.5% R&D funding of the qualifying federal agencies • Approximately 2.2 Billion • STTR • .3% R&D funding of the qualifying federal agencies • Approximately 250 Million

6. Which Agencies Participate? Other is: DHS , USDA, EPA, DOC, ED, DOT

7. SBIR/STTR is a 3-Phase Program PHASE I • Feasibility Study • Up to $100K and 6-month Award (12 months for STTR) PHASE II • Prototype Development • Up to $750K and 2-year Award • PHASE III • Commercialization Stage • Use of non-SBIR/STTR Funds

8. SBIR/STTR Program Eligibility • Small business organized for profit • At Least 51% U.S. owned & independently operated • Located in the U.S. • Fewer than 500 employees

9. Eligibility Continued STTR Eligibility SBIR Eligibility • Must partner with a university, federally-funded R&D center, or nonprofit research institution • Small Business-40% of work; research institute-30% of work • Small Business manages STTR funding agreement • PI can be employed by either the Small Business or the Research Institute • Principal investigator (PI) primarily employed with the small business • During Phase I, a minimum of 2/3 of the effort must be performed by the proposing firm • During Phase II a minimum of ½ of the effort

10. Agency Differences • Contracting Agencies • Agency establishes plans, protocols, requirements • Highly focused topics • Procurement mechanism for DOD and NASA • More fiscal requirements • Granting Agencies • Investigator initiate approach • Less-specific topics • More flexibility DOD HHS/NIH NASA ED EPA DOT DOC HHS/NIH NSF ED USDA DOE

11. More Agency Differences http://www.zyn.com/sbir/scomp.htm

12. How Do I Participate? • Annually, each agency releases an electronic solicitation listing topics www.zyn.com • Small business selects topic best suited for their innovative concept • Small business prepares a proposal following solicitation guidelines • Submit proposal on or before due date.

13. very competitive… Depending on the agency, 8-15% of the Phase I proposals and 40-50% of the Phase II proposals are funded…

14. …and not for everyone • Principal Investigator and team must be qualified • Concept must be innovative and address a specific topic of interest to the federal agency • Innovation must have commercial potential • Only research and development - no sales, marketing or manufacturing costs • Proposal preparation is a daunting task • Computer literacy required • Process is slow

15. Wyoming’s Performance During the first 17 years of this program • Wyoming small businesses received a total of $5.5 million. During 2006/2007 of this program • 13 Wyoming small businesses received 20 awards and a total of $7.4 million.

16. Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative WSSI is an economic diversification program funded by The Wyoming Business Council and administered by The University of Wyoming Office of Research and Economic Development

17. What Does WSSI Do? • Provides state-wide outreach on an individual basis to encourage small business SBIR & STTR participation • Conducts state-wide conferences and workshops providing opportunities to meet with federal agency program specialists and Wyoming award winners. • Provides one-on-one guidance in the preparation of competitive proposals. • Publishes a monthly e-newsletter with current information on agency solicitations, due dates, regional and national conferences and workshops, a listing of additional resources, and other SBIR/STTR news and topics of interest.

18. Phase 0 Program • Up to $5,000 Contract • 24 Contract Awards per year – 2/month • Modeled after the federal program • Competitive Process prepares you for the SBIR competition • Reviewer feedback giving guidance for subsequent proposal preparation • Proposals due on the first day of each month • Award notification on the 10th day • Mentoring for Phase I proposal preparation from successful SBIR/STTR award winners

19. Pre-Phase 0 Workshop PrePhase 0/Phase I Workshop “Getting Ready To Write” The workshop will focus on preparing Phase 0 and Phase I SBIR proposals with an emphasis on the solicitations from NSF, DoD, EPA, USDA, NASA & NIH. Date: April 17Time: 10:00 to NoonCost:  FreeRegistration Deadline:  Thursday, April 10, 2008 (extended for conference attendees until Monday 14, 2008) Participants will need a phone and computer to fully participate in the workshop. https://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/SBIR/OnlinePrePhase0.html

20. How to Keep Up-to-date • WSSI Electronic Newsletter • Updates (award winners, etc.) • Agency openings/closings • Upcoming conferences, etc. • Sign Up for the WSSI Electronic Newsletter by sending an email to WSSI@uwyo.edu • www.uwyo.edu/sbir

21. Wyoming Business

22. Questions? Contact Information Eugene (Gene) Watson Program Manager 307-742-7162 307-760-0456 cell ewatson@wyoming.com Kelly Haigler Cornish Outreach Coordinator 307-766-2904 1-866-703-3280 toll-free haigler@uwyo.edu wssi@uwyo.edu