Ann Arbor Firm Offers Path To NIH Funding For Life Science Startups
ANN ARBOR -- The National Institutes of Health has made another $1.5 million available to Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer grants to small businesses with evidence-based technologies that have the potential to prevent or reduce cancer risk, facilitate patient and provider communication, and improve disease outcomes.
"This is an excellent opportunity for Michigan companies involved in health IT," said Lisa Kurek, managing partner of BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consulting LLC (formerly Biotechnology Business Consultants).
BBC provides SBIR-STTR proposal development services to technology-based entrepreneurs and early-stage companies at little or no cost throughout Michigan via the Michigan SBIR-STTR Assistance Program. The program is funded by a grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund and administered through the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
Companies can compete for this funding if they have received a prior Phase I award, or through the NIH's Fast-Track (combined Phase I/Phase II projects). The goal is to transition technologies to commercialization with real products in the marketplace.
NIH anticipates that to accomplish the goals of the grant, partnerships will occur between small companies and large businesses or health-related organizations that have the skills and resources to commercialize technologies and disseminate products. Applications from small businesses must include a Commercialization Plan which includes details of how they plan to partner with larger organizations to accomplish this.
Research applications are being accepted and must be submitted to grants.gov by the standard dates of Dec. 5, 2012, April 5, 2013 and Aug. 5, 2013, to be eligible for the funding. View the full announcement at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-12-196.html.
BBC is a nationally recognized entrepreneurial consulting group specializing in helping emerging companies to win SBIR/STTR funding and using it strategically to propel growth. BBC-assisted proposals have a success rate 2-3 times the national average across several federal agencies. Its Michigan clients have been awarded over $100 million in funding since 2002.
Through training courses and one-on-one consulting, the BBC team guides small businesses through technology assessment, SBIR/STTR proposal development, commercialization planning, and grant and contract management.
