America’s Seed Fund Week Spotlights Entrepreneurs and Innovation

America's Seed Fund Week, a free, online event, is set for May 15-18. Hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the event connects entrepreneurs working on advanced technologies and the organizations that support them to America’s Seed Fund. The program kicks off with America’s Seed Fund Startup Expo 2023 on May 15 from 2:30 to 5:00 pm. The Expo will feature select startups competing to showcase their technologies developed through America’s Seed Fund. The following days will include an introduction to SBIR, agency open houses, what evaluators are looking for, and resources available throughout the ecosystem. Learn more and register

ARPA-H to Establish Hub Sites and Opens First Agency-Wide BAA

The Advanced Research Projects for Health (ARPA-H) has opened its first agency-wide Open Broad Agency Announcement seeking funding proposals for research to improve health outcomes across patient populations, communities, diseases, and health conditions. The BAA calls for proposals to outline breakthrough research and technological advancements. Proposals should investigate unconventional approaches, and challenge accepted assumptions to enable leaps forward in science, technology, systems, or related capabilities.  

Time’s Running Out - Sign up NOW!

“From the Source’s Mouth” with NIST

May 11 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm EDT

Free, Virtual

If you are an entrepreneur, startup, or small business focused on developing and commercializing technologies that protect human health and the environment, you won’t want to miss this presentation by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SBIR Program Manager, Jacqueline Gray. NIST’s SBIR topics include Clean & Safe Water, Air Quality, Land Revitalization, Homeland Security, Sustainable Materials Management, and Safer Chemicals.

During this 1-hour overview of the NIST SBIR program, you’ll learn what technologies NIST looks for and what’s needed to submit a successful proposal. There will be ample Q&A time following the presentation.

BBCetc Advice: The Strategy Behind Winning Phase II Letters of Support

Letters of support (LOI) provide third-party validation of your project. Here’s some advice from BBCetc Senior Principal Consultant, Jerry Hollister, on getting the most benefit from your LOI’s:

“The biggest mistake (omission really) that I see as a commercial plan reviewer is when companies do not connect the letters of support to their written plan. The market section should connect how you will gain traction. i.e., “We have X# letters of support from Company A, Company B, Company C, etc. (see attached)”. And the finance section should connect the letters from customers to the estimated revenue volumes stated in your proformas, i.e., “We estimate XX revenue in Y1 based on the letter from Company A that states they will buy XXX units.” 

Success Story: Michigan Company Seeks to Unlock the Digital World for the Blind

NewHaptics, an innovative tactile display technology company, and BBC client, was awarded a Phase II SBIR grant by the National Science Foundation. This $1M grant is the fourth SBIR award received by NewHaptics to date and supports the company's continued progress towards delivering a multiline refreshable braille display for the blind at an accessible price point.

Catch up with BBCetc at

TechConnect World!

For over 25 years, the TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo have connected top applied research and early-stage innovations from universities, labs, and startups with government end-users, industry prospectors, and funders. Robust SBIR/STTR programming is an important part of the schedule and BBCetc will be there. Here's where to find us:

•  Join Sr. Principal Consultant, Jerry Hollister, for a session on Phase II Proposal Preparation on June 19 from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. In this session, Jerry will discuss key elements critical to writing a competitive Phase II proposal—including the concept of "managing your Phase I SBIR/STTR to get to Phase II. Register
• On the Expo floor, be sure to visit Jerry and Sr. Principal Consultant, Shannon Bass (pictured above), in Booth #414 for SBIR/STTR insights and information - or just to chat and catch up!



Jun. 19 - 21, Washington D.C. More information and register

Partners Gain from DOE Program 

The Department of Energy's Partner Pitch Programs in April/May and August/September provide an opportunity to meet the innovators behind cutting-edge technologies during free, virtual pitch sessions. Every company has an active DOE Phase II SBIR/STTR award and is looking to engage with stakeholders. DOE Phase II SBIR/STTR awards are competitively vetted at least through prototype development. Partnering with an SBIR/STTR-funded small business provides access to advanced technologies that can provide immediate competitive advantage and/or help companies meet net-zero and sustainability goals. Topics are organized into 14 pitch sessions that can be searched by keyword. More information and registration

SBA Adds Disclosure of Foreign Influence to SBIR Policy Directive

Last year's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) reauthorization included a new requirement that participating agencies work to identify foreign connections of applying companies. Certain types of connections to “countries of concern,” including China and Russia, could result in small businesses being prohibited from receiving federal funds. The U.S. SBA has published a template for disclosure of foreign relationships that will be part of the latest SBIR policy directive and that all agencies will be expected to use. More information

BBCetc Training

NIH SBIR/STTR Proposal Development

May 16, 10 am - 3 pm EDT

Virtual

If you are targeting the September 5, 2023 submission deadline, now is the time to get started! During this workshop, our experts will provide important information about SBIR/STTR funding, necessary registrations, crafting a competitive SBIR/STTR proposal that meets reviewer expectations, and avoiding common pitfalls.

SBIR/STTR

Funding Opportunities