Key to Commercialization Success

1. Introduce myself. Introduce myself.

2. Today I want to focus mainly on the third objective, commercialization, because that is a topic that has received relatively little attention over the years, yet is extremely important in SBIR. My perspective on this is the NASA perspective so that is my bias. And NASA counts commercialization planning heavily in their evaluation process, esp. for phase II proposals. I should know. I�m a reviewer. For those companies that are previous phase II winners, commercialization track record is important. But there is plenty of evidence that other agencies also place significant weight on commercialization planning. Example: DOD fast track. Proposers with third party funding commitment are practically assured of getting funded for phase I and II. So remember, in today�s SBIR program, you ignore commercialization issues at your peril.Today I want to focus mainly on the third objective, commercialization, because that is a topic that has received relatively little attention over the years, yet is extremely important in SBIR. My perspective on this is the NASA perspective so that is my bias. And NASA counts commercialization planning heavily in their evaluation process, esp. for phase II proposals. I should know. I�m a reviewer. For those companies that are previous phase II winners, commercialization track record is important. But there is plenty of evidence that other agencies also place significant weight on commercialization planning. Example: DOD fast track. Proposers with third party funding commitment are practically assured of getting funded for phase I and II. So remember, in today�s SBIR program, you ignore commercialization issues at your peril.

3. Seed capital -- You wouldn�t go after seed capital from any other investor without having a business plan or commercialization plan and providing it to prospective investors. Seed capital -- You wouldn�t go after seed capital from any other investor without having a business plan or commercialization plan and providing it to prospective investors.

6. Don�t abandon your commercialization mindset, just as you wouldn�t abandon any of your solid business practices and principles, just because it is the government that is providing the seed funds through its SBIR program. SBIR is to fund your research activities, in part or in whole, but not your entire business operation. You should not plan on your business living off of SBIR. That is not the objective of the program nor should it be yours. Don�t abandon your commercialization mindset, just as you wouldn�t abandon any of your solid business practices and principles, just because it is the government that is providing the seed funds through its SBIR program. SBIR is to fund your research activities, in part or in whole, but not your entire business operation. You should not plan on your business living off of SBIR. That is not the objective of the program nor should it be yours.

8. Some of these are generic, others apply strictly to SBIR Some of these are generic, others apply strictly to SBIR