Be "Pitch Perfect" When You Talk to  Program Managers
Imagine you are in an elevator with someone who is important to your business. You have from the time you step in until the doors re-open to present your busy listener with a succinct understanding of your technology, the problem-solving impact it will make and why they should take note. And, you must do this in a way that is both engaging and intriguing.
This is your "Elevator Pitch," and when recited to an SBIR/STTR Program Manager, a successful one can result in a dialog that will validate relevance to that agency's needs, prompt further discussion about your company and technology, and possibly generate a request from contracting agencies for you to develop your topic for a future SBIR solicitation.
Talking to your relevant Program Manager(s) is high on BBCetc's list of must-do's for SBIR/STTR funding seekers, so we've provided these three tips to get you started on your Pitch*:
- Define your position based on the target segment you intend to dominate and the value proposition with which you intend to dominate it.
- In this context, set forth your competition and the unique differentiation that you expect to drive the decision your way.
- What you leave out is as important as what you put in-don't include the kitchen sink! Brevity and relevance wins the day. Read on
*Based on the Elevator Test presented in "Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Technology Products to Mainstream Customers" by Geoffrey A. Moore
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Don't Make These NIH Submission Mistakes
Navigating the maze of registrations, forms, the ins and outs of submission through the NIH's web-based Application Submission System & Interface for Submission Tracking (or
ASSIST) can be a challenging process for even the most experienced SBIR/STTR applicant. With the NIH September 5 deadline approaching, we thought we'd share our top 5 mistakes to avoid at submission time:
1. Not completing all
required registrations well in advance
BBCetc response: Uh oh. Every company planning to submit an
 NIH SBIR/STTR application, must be registered with
Grants.gov as well as
eRA Commons. If the application deadline is imminent, you have waited too long to complete this mandatory task and will have to wait until the next deadline. Grants.gov and NIH advise you to allow 4-6 weeks to complete the
necessary registrations, so make sure you start this well in advance of the proposal deadline. Your AOR (authorized organization representative) is the only person who can submit your proposal via grants.gov, so it is his/her log in that will be needed.
Read on
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DOE Phase I SBIR/STTR Topics
Released
 Topics for the Dept. of Energy's FY 2017 SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 1 solicitation have been released from the four participating offices: Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, and Nuclear Physics.
Topics and subtopics include:
- Big data technologies
- Cybersecurity for high performance computing
- High performance materials for nuclear application
- Advanced materials and components for solid-state lighting
- Biofuels and bioproduct precursors
- CO2 capture
The solicitation is scheduled to be released August 15 with a submission deadline of October 17, 2016. DOE has also announced that beginning in FY2017 its SBIR/STTR programs will no longer accept Fast-Track applications (that is, combined Phase I/II applications).
View topics
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NIH CAP Program Helps Phase II Awardees
The NIH Commercialization Accelerator Program (CAP) provides individualized assistance to help HHS Phase II awardees transition their SBIR and STTR developed products into the marketplace. The  CAP helps small businesses evaluate their commercialization options based on their specific technologies (including the need and prospect for investment, strategic partnerships, or licensing) and helps them develop a solid market-entry plan covering an 18-month period.
CAP is customized to meet the needs of participating companies in three tracks: the Commercialization Transition Track (CTT) for emerging companies; the Advanced Commercialization Track (ACT); and the Regulatory/Reimbursement Training Track (RTT) for "seasoned" companies. The CAP's eighty (80) available slots will be distributed between the three tracks.
The 2016-2017 CAP Application Portal has just launched, and eligible companies may now apply to participate by completing a short online application that should take an average of no more than 30-60 minutes to fill-out.
Application Deadline: August 30, 2016 (11:59 p.m. PDT)
Selection to Program: Late September 2016
Attend the Information Session Webinar about the NIH CAP on August 18, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. EDT (11:00 a.m. PDT) The session is free, but pre-registration is required. Register
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More Funding Opportunities
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Agency
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Title
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FOA #
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Posted/Due Date
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NIH/National Inst. on Aging
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T1 Translational Research on Aging
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Posted: 7/22/16
1st Due Date: 1/5/17
Standard due dates through 9/6/19
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NIH/National Inst. on Aging
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T2 Translational Research on Aging
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Posted: 7/22/16
1st Due Date: 1/5/17
Standard due dates through 9/6/19
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who we are
BBCetc is nationally recognized for its expertise in helping technology-based entrepreneurs win federal funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs and use it strategically to propel growth. BBCetc capabilities include:
- Commercialization Planning
- Research Grant Assistance
- SBIR/STTR Training (Course Catalog)
- Grants/Contracts Management
- Tech-Based Economic Development Programs
734-930-9741
Copyright © 2016
BBC Entrepreneurial Training
& Consulting, LLC
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Onsite
BBC's Becky Aistrup on Preparing a Strong Proposal, SBIR Road Tour
Lisa Kurek on Ph I / Ph II Grant Writing,
Multi-NIH Institutes Small Business Workshop
SBIR/STTR Proposal Prep for DoD
Managing SBIR/STTR Grants and Contracts
Grant Writing Workshop
SBIR/STTR Proposal Prep for NIH
SBIR/STTR 101: Intro and Overview
ABCs of SBIR/ STTR Funding
Intensive SBIR/STTR Proposal Prep for NIH
SBIR/STTR Proposal Prep for NSF
Webinars are 1 - 2 p.m.
Aug. 10 - Tips on Electronic Submission to NIH
Oct. 26 - Essentials of SBIR/ STTR Commercialization Planning
NIH Regional Conference, Oct 26-26
Chicago, IL
18th Annual HHS SBIR/STTR Conference,
Nov 15 - 17 Orlando, FL
Free to Michigan Companies
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The NIH and CDC SBIR Contract Solicitation (
PHS 2017-1) has been released with a proposal deadline of 5:00 p.m. ET on October 21.
Click here for a quick view of the topics. As always, reading the full solicitation is strongly recommended!
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Released June 5, 2016
Closes Sep 6 (5th is Labor Day this year), Jan 5, April 5
Closes Oct 21
Closes Jan 8, 2017
Closes Oct 6
Opens Aug 15; Letter of Intent due Sep 6, closes Oct 17
Pre-released Aug 26; Opens Sep 26; Closes Oct 26
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