John Toon
Research News
For more than two decades, the Small Business
Innovation Research (SBIR) program has helped stimulate
innovation
and economic development by using small companies to
conduct research and development for the federal government.
Yet despite ranking 11th in the nation in terms of its
number of high-tech workers, Georgia slides to No. 25
when it comes to winning SBIR grants.
In response, the
state has launched a new service: the SBIR Assistance
Program for the State of Georgia. Housed
within Georgia Tech’s Office of Economic
Development and Technology Ventures, the program will help educate companies
about SBIR and its sister entity, the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)
program.
SBIR and STTR funding helps subsidize the cost of
product development for small businesses. Companies
conduct research to fulfill
some government need, but retain
rights to any technology developed from their research and are encouraged to
commercialize it. The government money, which comes in the form of grants or
contracts, isn’t a loan that must be paid back, nor do companies have to
give up equity.
“Although SBIR funding is an excellent source
of seed capital, many companies aren’t aware
of the program,” says John Mills, who will manage
the new SBIR Assistance Program. “Other companies
either don’t know how
to get started or have negative misconceptions, such as believing it’s
too difficult to submit a winning proposal.”
Georgia’s SBIR Assistance
Program will help companies determine if they should pursue SBIR funding
and then guide those with potential through the process.
Mills and his
staff will focus on hands-on counseling to help companies
understand the anatomy of a winning proposal and the nuances among agencies.
The assistance
program will also network with various research institutions, technology
associations and economic-development organizations to boost SBIR awareness.
In
cooperation with the Technology Association of Atlanta
(TAG) a daylong workshop is planned for Sept 8. The
event will be held at the Technology
Square Research
Building, where nationally known consultants will share their SBIR
expertise.
Georgia hopes to boost its SBIR award ranking
from 25th to 11th within the next few years, which
would triple the amount of annual funding
from $15
to $45 million. | 
