November 24, 2008
Wyoming SBIR/STTR
Initiative (WSSI) Newsletter
No. 12-08
(Past Newsletter Issues)
This Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI) Newsletter is available in its entirety at http://www.uwyo.edu/sbir/newsletter/nwsltr_081124.htm.
It 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., 12/1/08; 7 days – submit to
WSSI@uwyo.edu Square One Systems Design, Inc., Jackson
the
Congressional sbir program authorization expired on september 30, 2008 but
remains temporarily in place on a 'continuing resolution’ basis. The future of
the program is uncertain and will remain so until sometime after the 111th
congress convenes next year.
Rick Shindell posts his insights in his latest sbir insider
newsletter:
http://www.zyn.com/sbir/insider/sb-insider11-05-08.htm
NSF SBIR Grants - due
12/4/08; 10 days
HHS/NIH SBIR/STTR
Grants - due 12/5/08; 11 days
DHS SBIR Contracts - due 1/5/09; 42 days
NOAA SBIR Contracts
– due 1/14/09; 51 days
DoD SBIR 2009.1 Contracts - due 1-14-09; 51 days
NIST SBIR Grants due 1/22/09; 59 days
NSF STTR Grants - due
2/25/09; 93 days
2008 SBIR/STTR
SOLICITATION RELEASE SCHEDULE – All Agencies; Courtesy of ZYN Systems at
www.zyn.com
CONTENT
1.0 Congratulations To Our November Phase 0 Award Winners
2.0 SBIR Reauthorization Update!
3.0 Wyoming Ranks 46th in 2008 State New Economy Index
4.0 Colorado Governor Outlines $12M Economic Stimulus Plan
(SSTI Weekly Digest)
5.0 University of Texas Uses New Approach to Turning Research Into Companies
(NASVF NetNews)
6.0 Start-ups Looking Hard for Capital, but Finding Little
(NASVF NetNews)
7.0 SBA Loans Become Scarce in These Hard Times
(NASVF NetNews)
8.0 Subscription and Publication Information
1.0
Congratulations to our November phase 0 award winners
Principal Investigator: Robert Viola
Email:
viola@sqr-1.com
Phase 0 Title:
An Energy Tunable X-Ray Delay Device
Phase I Target: DOE2.0
SBIR Reauthorization
update!
3.0 Wyoming Ranks 46th in 2008 State New Economy (SSTI Weekly Digest)
While which
states top the list in the 2008 edition of the State New Economy Index will
capture the attention of the media and therefore the majority of decision
makers, the most important contribution of the 2008 Index in the current fiscal
environment is its overview and final chapter. The Index, released Nov. 18 by
the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and the Kauffman
Foundation, goes beneath and well beyond the results of the 29 indicators to
explain the need for fundamental change to how states and regions approach
economic development. The final chapter goes a step farther and identifies key
strategic shifts required to address the challenges of the New Economy. "Success
in the New Economy requires that a whole array of institutions-universities,
school boards, firms, local governments, economic development agencies-work in
new and often-uncomfortable ways. At the end of the day, this is a challenge of
leadership," the Index concludes.
The 2008 State New Economy Index is available at:
http://www.itif.org/index.php?id=200%20or%20LH/www.kauffman.org/Details.aspx?id=5812
4.0 Colorado governor outlines $12M economic stimulus plan (ssti weekly digest)
Gov. Bill Ritter announced his administration's plan to inject $12
million into initiatives that promote job training, provide small businesses
with access to capital, and invest in the state's New Energy Economy and
bioscience sectors. From the 2009-10 General Fund, the governor recommends $4.9
million for economic development incentives divided among three priorities:
• Helping small businesses gain access to capital and
creating education and outreach programs to improve the
availability of credit to small businesses;
• Establishing job training programs at community colleges in
the areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency. This proposal would use the
existing structure of Colorado FIRST, a workforce development program that
focuses on science and technology; and
• Renewable energy economic activities within the Governor's
Energy Office.
The remaining $7 million will be held in reserve until the end of the fiscal
year in 2010. In addition to the above-mentioned priorities, the governor's
office will consider increased investments in the state's Clean Energy Fund and
new infrastructure and commercialization projects under the Bioscience Discovery
Evaluation Grant Program. Gov. Ritter's budget proposal calls for a total $77
million to be deposited into the reserve fund, which will become available on
June 30, 2010, if economic conditions allow.
5.0 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS USES NEW APPROACH TO TURNING RESEARCH INTO COMPANIES (NSVF NetNews)
The University of Texas is creating a new entrepreneur-in-residence program, in
which experienced startup executives will scour the school's wealth of research
discoveries to find breakthroughs that could become companies. Before the end of
the year, UT expects to hire two or three executives for six-month stints in the
program. The goal is to accelerate the school's ability to turn its research
into startups and generate more licensing revenue:
Austin American Statesman
6.0 Startups LOOKING HARD FOR CAPITAL, BUT FINDING LITTLE (NASVF NetNews)
Will this downturn bring pain to Silicon Valley? But the timing couldn't be more
difficult. Because of the turmoil in financial markets, few small companies have
been able to launch initial public stock offerings this year, forcing venture
capitalists to divert money from start-ups to more mature companies that would
normally be able to go public. In addition, some say the burgeoning recession
and sharp stock market decline last month have made some investors increasingly
nervous about gambling on novel ventures:
Boston Globe
Craig Sherman didn't mince words last week when asked at Entrepreneur University
about the current climate for venture and angel investing. "Things suck," said
Sherman. Just how bad is it? The partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
said he is working on two deals right now where the companies previously
commanded a post-money valuation of $10 million to $15 million. Now, investors
want to value the companies at $500,000 to $1 million. (Talk about a down
round.)
TechFlash
7.0 Sba loANS BECOME SCARCE IN THESE HARD TIMEs (NASVF NetNews)
When
entrepreneurs can't get conventional loans, they traditionally turn to loans
backed by the Small Business Administration. But in recent months -- as many
banks turned away businesses and slashed credit lines -- SBA lending also has
dried up substantially. The big decline in SBA lending is fueling new criticism
that the federal government isn't doing enough to help businesses when they are
in dire need of cash:
Indianapolis Star-News
8.0 Subscription 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