May 30, 2006
Wyoming SBIR/STTR
Initiative (WSSI) Newsletter
No. 6-06
(Past Newsletter Issues)
The May 30, 2006 Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI) Newsletter is available in its entirety at http://www.uwyo.edu/sbir/newsletter/nwsltr_060530.htm.
This monthly newsletter is published by the Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI). Please visit our website at www.uwyo.edu/sbir for complete program information (including links to participating federal agencies, support agencies, conferences, archives of this newsletter, etc.) Contact WSSI@uwyo.edu to be added to or removed from the Distribution List for this newsletter.
SOLICITATION COUNTDOWN
WSSI Phase 0:
due
5:00 p.m., 6/1/06; 2 days – submit to
WSSI@uwyo.edu
NSF SBIR/STTR:
open 5/13/06; due 6/13/06; 15 days
DoD SBIR 2006.2: due
6 AM EST 7/14; 46 days
HHS/NIH SBIR/STTR: due 8/1; 63 days
2006 SBIR/STTR
SOLICITATION RELEASE SCHEDULE – All Agencies
CONTENT
1.0 Congratulations to our May WSSI Phase 0 Award Winners
2.0 USDA Solicitation to Be Released About June 1 - New
Submission Process
3.0 Register Now for The 8th Annual NIH SBIR Conference - July
13
4.0 Nomination for 2006 Tibbetts Awards Open - Close on July 15
5.0 Federal Agency SBIR Program Managers Visit Wyoming September
13
6.0 Clusters of Innovation - The Latest in State ED Initiatives
7.0 Recalling The Founding Of A High-Tech Venture
8.0 Acknowledgements and Publication Information
1.0 Congratulations to our May WSSI Phase 0 Award Winners
Alces Technology, Inc.
Principal Investigator: Mark Peterman
Email: Peterman@alcestech.com
Phase 0 Title: High-Speed, High-Resolution Sterolithography
Phase I Target: National Science Foundation, Manufacturing Innovation
Vision Agrobotics, Inc.
Principal Investigator: Bryan L. Aivazian
Email: bryana@tribcsp.com
Phase 0 Title: Development of a control system for an autonomous tractor
suitable for small, family farms.
Phase I Target: USDA: Plant Production and Protection
GOOD QUESTION - One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?" Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white." The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?"
2.0 USDA SOLICITATION TO BE RELEASED ABOUT JUNE 1
The USDA FY 2007 SBIR solicitation will be posted to the USDA Web site http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/sbir/sbir.html on or around June 1, 2006. All FY 2007 proposals must now be submitted electronically via Grants.gov. This is not a simple process – and it takes days to complete the registration so start now if you intend to submit a proposal to the USDA. For registration instructions, go to www.grants.gov .
3.0 WYOMING ON FEDERAL SBIR AGENCY "SWIFT" TOUR - SEPT 13
This year the conference will be held in Cleveland Ohio. For registration and other details, visit http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/SBIRConf2006/index.htm
NO PROBLEM - A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah". The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?" The little girl replied, "Then you ask him ".
4.0 TIBBETTS AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN – CLOSE JULY 15
Named for Roland Tibbetts, the person acknowledged as the father of the SBIR program, these prestigious, national awards are made annually to those small firms, projects, organizations and individuals judged to exemplify the very best in SBIR achievement. The emphasis is on recognizing those accomplishments where, in the judgment of those closely involved and often most immediately affected, the stimulus of SBIR funding has made an important and definable difference. Please note that the nomination period closes July 15, 2006. Visit http://www.tibbettsawards.org/ for additional details.
5.0 FEDERAL AGENCY SBIR PROGRAM MANAGERS VISIT WYOMING
The Federal SBIR agencies annually participate in a ”SWIFT” bus tour, an outreach program to bring the SBIR story to the nation’s rural areas. Sponsored by the Navy’s SBIR/STTR program, this year’s tour will begin in Bozeman on Tuesday September 12, will stop in Casper on Wednesday September 13 and end on Friday September 14 in Denver. The Casper event will be hosted by the WSSI and will consist of a full morning of federal agency presentations, a luncheon and a full afternoon of WSSI presentations. This major SBIR event will provide a rare opportunity for one-on-one interactions with all of the SBIR sponsoring agency experts. Below is the tentative schedule for the events in Casper on September 13 – mark you calendar for this important SBIR learning opportunity.
7-8:00 AM
Networking Buffet Breakfast - One-on-One Signup
8-12 noon
Federal SBIR Agency Presentations
8-12 noon
One-on-One Counseling
12 noon - 1 PM Networking Buffet Lunch
1 PM
Federal Agency contingent departs for Denver
1 PM - 4 PM
WSSI SBIR Workshop
SMART KID - The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic
elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of
apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God
is watching." Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table
was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. A child had written a note, "Take
all you want. God is watching the apples.
6.0 "CLUSTERS OF INNOVATION" – THE LATEST IN STATE ED INITIATIVES
The nation’s governors are getting serious about promoting innovation and
entrepreneurship. That’s one important message in a new issue brief from the
National Governors’ Association (NGA). The report summarizes recent trends in
state-led economic development initiatives. A diverse set of program offerings
can be expected from fifty different states, but a couple of key themes do
emerge. Most of the new initiatives focus on supporting “clusters of
innovation,” i.e., “fast growing groups of businesses that share markets, labor,
new ideas and products.” Because of an improving economy, governors have had
more funds to invest in economic development. Tax revenues were up in every
state, and forty-five states increased expenditures in 2005. The report
highlights dozens of new initiatives such as efforts to create state
entrepreneurship centers (e.g., Illinois, Wisconsin), to provide tax credits to
angel investors (e.g., Arizona), or to streamline regulations for small
businesses (e.g., Arkansas, Virginia). The report’s appendix includes short
descriptions and web links to dozens of programs.
To access the May 2006 National Governors’ Association Issue Brief, Enhancing
Competitiveness: A Review of Recent State Economic Development Initiatives—2005,
visit http://www.nga.org/files/pdf/0604ENHANCECOMPIB.pdf.
7.0 RECALLING THE FOUNDING OF A HIGH TECH VENTURE
On May 26th, WSSI Program Manager Gene Watson attended the 40th anniversary of the founding of Coherent, Inc., a leading manufacturer of lasers and related instruments, located in the heart of Silicon Valley. He was joined by five of the six founding members and took the occasion to relate his experiences as the organizing founder in establishing the vision, putting the team together and obtaining the initial financing. It is a story of a few lessons learned the hard way - but with a happy ending. Read More
REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL
8.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND PUBLICATION INFORMATION
TO BE ADDED TO OR REMOVED FROM THE DISTRIBUTION LIST FOR THIS NEWSLETTER, SEND NAME, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, AND EMAIL ADDRESS TO WSSI@uwyo.edu
This newsletter is published monthly as part of the Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI). The mission of the Initiative is to increase the number of federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program awards to Wyoming. The Wyoming Business Council (WBC) funds the initiative which is administered by the University of Wyoming Research Office. Please contact Gene Watson ewatson@wyoming.com with your comments.
END