Apply To the Accelerator: SBIR/STTR Accelerator Project Pitch
The pitch is used to evaluate whether the company and the proposed project(s) show promise of commercial and/or societal impact and involve a level of technical risk that is required to be competitive in the programs. Transitioning from the laboratory to the marketplace is a long and risky road. SBIR/STTR funding does help de-risk the technology; however, business and market risks still exist.
Minnesota’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem is vibrant offering an array of resources to gain traction. Below are critical resources to start and grow your business:
- SBIR/STTR Tutorials: Learn more: https://www.sbir.gov/tutorials
- Minnesota Technology Association’s SciTech Internship Program enables small businesses to hire STEM interns with a wage match up to $2,500 per intern. Learn more: https://scitechmn.org/.
- The University of Minnesota’s Value Proposition Design Courses are important to many startups and certainly for a future SBIR/STTR proposal submission. Learn more: https://carlsonschool.umn.edu/mn-venture-builders/courses/value-proposition-design
- Launch Minnesota’s Business Operations Grant; up to $35,000; requires a 1:1 match. A SBIR/STTR Phase I award satisfies the match requirement. Learn more: https://mn.gov/launchmn/capital/launch-grants/
- Launch Minnesota and the Accelerator offer a SBIR/STTR Phase II Matching Program, up to $50,000; requires a 1:1 match. The grant is only for first-time Phase II awardees. The SBIR/STTR Phase II award satisfies the match requirement. Learn more: https://mn.gov/launchmn/capital/launch-grants/