BIOCOM and CONNECT Host NCI Forum on SBIR Grants
Investors and executives gathered at Otterson Hall at UCSD's Rady School of Business to hear from Ali Andalibi, program director of the National Cancer Institute's SBIR development center.
On Monday, BIOCOM and CONNECT co-hosted a forum conducted by the National Cancer Institute’s Small Business Innovative Research program to provide information on new funding for small businesses. A sold-out audience of venture investors and company leaders attended the event at Otterson Hall at the Rady School at UCSD, which featured a presentation from Ali Andalibi, Ph.D., program director of the SBIR Development Center at the National Cancer Institute.
Providing an overview of the current SBIR activities, as well as an update on new programs, the discussion was effective for companies looking to secure federal funding, said attendee Ken Carpenter, chairman and CEO of MediVas.
"We already have SBIR grants but we're always interested in seeing what the new programs are and the changes to current programs," said Carpenter, whose company is working in oncology.
Here is more information on the presented topics:
New Contract Opportunities
The SBIR Program announced 18 new contract funding opportunities in a range of novel technology areas to help successfully finance and lead innovations to commercialization. The NCI SBIR Program solicits proposals for SBIR contracts once annually. As compared to grant funding opportunities, SBIR contract topics are focused in scope and require the completion of specific activities and deliverables. In order to catalyze targeted technology development in key need areas that will result in a commercial product, the NCI SBIR Program is moving more of its resources towards contracts. The SBIR and STTR Programs offer funding in nanotechnology, anti-cancer agents, biomarkers, proteomics, pharmacodynamics, and many more areas of interest to the NCI.
SBIR Phase II Bridge Award
The new Phase II Bridge award is specifically designed to augment previously funded NIH-wide SBIR Phase II projects that require additional funding in order to achieve key technical and regulatory milestones along the path toward commercialization. Phase II Bridge Award applicants may request budgets up to $1 million in total costs per year and project periods up to three years (a total of $3 million over three years) from the NCI.
About the SBIR and STTR Programs
The goal of the National Cancer Institute is to eliminate the suffering and death due to cancer. The SBIR and STTR Programs are NCI's engines of innovation for developing and commercializing novel technologies and products to prevent, diagnose, and treat cancer. For more information, please email ncisbir@mail.nih.gov or visit sbir.cancer.gov.
To participate in the SBIR Program, a company must be:
An organized for-profit U.S. business 500 employees or fewer, including affiliates Principal Investigator's primary employment must be with the small business concern at the time of award and forthe duration of the project period
Small business concern must be:
At least 51 percent U.S.-owned by individuals and independently operated, or; At least 51 percent owned and controlled by a for-profit business concern that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more individuals
Please stay informed with BIOCOM and the Biocommunique for info on upcoming events where you can learn about additional funding opportunities.