National Science National Science Foundation Foundation SBIR/STTR Program SBIR/STTR Program F. C. Thomas Allnutt F. C. Thomas Allnutt Division of Industrial Partnerships & Division of Industrial Partnerships & Innovation Innovation Vermont June 2008 – Gran Writing
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National Science Foundation SBIR/STTR Program F. C. Thomas Allnutt Division of Industrial Partnerships & Innovation Division of Industrial Partnerships.
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National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation
SBIR/STTR ProgramSBIR/STTR Program
F. C. Thomas AllnuttF. C. Thomas Allnutt
Division of Industrial Partnerships & InnovationDivision of Industrial Partnerships & Innovation
Vermont June 2008 – Grant Writing
Bridging the “Valley of Death”Bridging the “Valley of Death”
Private Sector or Private Sector or Non-SBIR Non-SBIR InvestmentInvestment
Unique Unique to NSFto NSF
Phase I BPhase I BThird-PartyThird-Party
Investment + Investment + 1:2 NSF 1:2 NSF
MatchingMatching
Phase I - Solicitation TopicsPhase I - Solicitation Topics
2 Solicitations released per calendar year, typically: – Sept. for Dec. closing– March for June closing
Each Solicitation will offer 1 or more topics that represent:– Investment/business-focused technologies– Market-driven technologies– Special topics in response to National needs
Keep a watch on the topic offerings of the current solicitation for opportunities most relevant to you
New Developments!New Developments!Current solicitation is only SBIRThree topics:
• Bio/Chemical Technologies (BC)• Software & Systems (SS)• Electronics, Components, and Engineering
Systems (EL)June 10th and Dec 4th DeadlinesSTTR will be a separate solicitation
NSF is not the Final Customer
NSF is not buying a product, process, software, or intellectual property
NSF wants to see the grantee successfully commercializecommercialize the innovation
Company needs investment dollars beyond NSF SBIR/STTR
Doing Business with NSFDoing Business with NSF
Commercialization Analysis Commercialization Analysis Phase II NSF ProjectsPhase II NSF Projects
The Data– Success rate ~ 40% for 240 projects (multi-year analysis) – Success criteria – product sales I year after completion and $1
MM sales after 6 years
Risks– Market Failures > Technology Failures– 50% more likely to fail based on Market Forces
Importance of Partnerships– ~60% of successful projects have a “strategic partnership” – ~30% close university tie – Phase IIB funding: 75% success rate (vs. 31% without)
Key TakeawaysKey Takeaways
Market risks > Technical risksPartnerships and External Financing
are Critical indicators of successPartnerships take time
Most Proposals Fail BecauseMost Proposals Fail Because Lack of identified opportunity (science projects) Lack of perceived technology risk Lack of clarity (e.g. poor work plan) Other issues
– IP ownership and landscape– No clear technology advantage– Competitive landscape– Path/Time to market– Distraction to the company mission
Didn’t read the directions
TakeawayTakeaway Many SBIR/STTR programs out there!
At NSF ~$100M/year granted primarily for seed-stage development in…
– Software & Systems (SS)
– Biotechnology & Chemical Technologies (BC)
– Electronics (EL)
Program to mitigate technical risk and bridge the “Valley of Death”
BC. Bio/Chemical TechnologiesBC. Bio/Chemical Technologies A.1 Agricultural Biotechnology: Such applications include but are
not limited to pathogen and toxin diagnostics, genetic engineering, methods to reduce the use of fertilizer and/or increase efficiency of plant nutrient assimilation.
A.2 Food Biotechnology: Such applications include but are not limited to real-time methods for detection of pathogens and toxins in the food, novel tracking methods, improved sterilization methods.
A.3 Environmental Biotechnology: Such applications include but are not limited to methods to reduce human ecological and environmental impacts, microbial contamination sensing and control, removal of toxic compounds for human and animal safety, point of use water treatment, midstream wastewater treatment technologies, treatment of runoff, environmental compatibility and sustainability, pathogen and toxin diagnostics, control of exotic diseases, nanobiotechnology solutions, and water treatment.
A.4 Marine and Aquatic Biotechnology: Such applications include but are not limited to improved or novel marine species hatchery technologies, replacement of marine sourced materials in feeds, disease control, diagnostics, vaccines, alternative technologies, sensors and biosensors; marine environment extremophilic enzymes for extreme temperatures.
NSF Merit Review ProcessNSF Merit Review Process
NSF Merit Review– Typically reviewed by panel meetings– Panelists from Academe, Investment Community,
Industry– Confidential with signed CDAs by panel
Phase I – all proposals receive a minimum of 3 reviews & both technical and commercial review
Phase II – 3 reviews & both technical and in depth commercial review
Commercial Review– Team– Market Opportunity– Technology, IP, and Competition– Financial Plan
Why does NSF care about Why does NSF care about commercializationcommercialization??
What is the NSF Vision?
What is the NSF SBIR/STTR Vision?
“…catalyze the strong progress in science and engineering needed to establish world leadership and secure the Nation’s security, prosperity, and well being”
To be the pre-eminent federal resource to leverage high technology through small businesses to stimulate our nation’s innovation leadership and contribute to the U.S. economy and society