The Department of Education (DOEd) released two solicitations for 2010 SBIR. One is a Phase I solicitation and the other is a FastTrack solicitation.
The Phase I solicitation, RFP Number: ED-IES-10-R-0009, and the Fast-Track, RFP Number: ED-IES-10-R-0008 (which is actually a combined Phase I and Phase II solicitation) have two main priority topics:
- Education Technology Products for Students
- Education Technology Products for Teachers
Phase I Award: not to exceed $100,000
Phase II Award: not to exceed $750,000
The purpose of the Fast-Track solicitation is to eliminate the gap in time and funding between a Phase I and a Phase II award. NOTE: In order to apply for Fast-Track funding, offerors must submit both 1) a full Phase I proposal and 2) a Fast-Track proposal. Fast-Track proposals that are submitted without a Phase I proposal will not be evaluated.
The Solicitation will close at 11:00 AM on January 11th. This is a paper submission, so be sure to allow time for mail/Fed-X delivery. While the delivery method is paper, companies must still be electronically registered in CCR and ORCA prior to submitting a proposal.
An exciting new series of educational events is launching across the country in October and November. Kirtsy has joined forces with Microsoft Office Live to offer five Hands On Small Business (#HOSB) sessions to cites throughout the US and Canada, including here in Atlanta.
These sessions promise to be very “Hands On” and interactive. They are designed to offer practical advice, direct instruction, and application tips to help small businesses and entrepreneurs effectively use online and social media solutions. The events will be held at ATDC in midtown with Tessa Horehled as the facilitator. The sessions are free and open to the public. You can sign up for one of the Atlanta sessions here.
ATDC is looking forward to hosting the Hands On sessions.
This is a call to all who plan on applying for CapVenture. Submit your application by this Fri 6/19. There's a $50 discount to those who are accepted to the program. Final application deadline is Weds 7/15.
As a reminder, ATDC, along with our partner TAG, are accepting applications for the 2009 CapVenture Program.
CapVenture
is a unique program that educates and equips CEOs and executives of
early-stage companies for smarter and more productive capitalization of
their businesses. Now in its 3rd year, CapVenture has been incredibly
successful; past
participants include Centrafuse, Global Crypto Systems, Purewire, and
Solo-Health.
Technology companies that are selected for this year's CapVenture will be guided
through extensive workshops on fund raising preparation, an elevator
pitch exercise and review, executive summary review, investor
communications and practice investor pitches. Participants will also
receive weekly mentoring from Atlanta investors and entrepreneurs.
CapVenture’s series of presentations and workshops prepare executives
for the opportunity to meet angel and venture investors and culminates
with an Investor Forum and Celebration. After the final event, the
top-rated CapVenture companies will also have an opportunity to present
at the 2nd annual Venture Atlanta conference in October.
ATDC, along with our partner TAG, are now accepting applications for the 2009 CapVenture Program.
CapVenture is a unique program that educates and equips CEOs and executives of early-stage companies for smarter and more productive capitalization of their businesses. Now in its 3rd year, CapVenture has been incredibly successful; past
participants include Centrafuse, Global Crypto Systems, Purewire, and Solo-Health.
Technology companies that are selected for this year’s CapVenture will be guided
through extensive workshops on fund raising preparation, an elevator
pitch exercise and review, executive summary review, investor
communications and practice investor pitches. Participants will also
receive weekly mentoring from Atlanta investors and entrepreneurs.
CapVenture’s series of presentations and workshops prepare executives
for the opportunity to meet angel and venture investors and culminates
with an Investor Forum and Celebration. After the final event, the
top-rated CapVenture companies will also have an opportunity to present
at the 2nd annual Venture Atlanta conference in October.
ATDC spends innumerable hours every week coaching entrepreneurs on their investment pitches. We see many entrepreneurs with good intentions make common mistakes and help them avoid common pitfalls as they prepare to present their companies in the best possible light. A great opportunity to observe fellow entrepreneurs in action is next Tuesday May 19th at MIT Forum of Atlanta’s Run it By the Pros workshop.
At Run it By the Pros four new companies will present their business plans to a panel of experts. The Venue : Law Offices of Carlton Fields, One Atlantic Center, 1201 West Peachtree Street, 49th Floor, Atlanta, GA, 30309; Time: 3:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. You can register here (members only but TAG members are eligible and can attend at the MIT Forum Member $25 rate). Clarification: You must be a member of the MIT Enterprise Forum to attend.
ATDC graduate entrepreneur Patrick Taylor of Oversight Systems will serve as the experienced entrepreneur on the panel along with VC’s Mark Johnson of Total Technology Ventures, Linnea Geiss of Arcapita, and Lawrence Gold from Carlton Field.
In addition to attending Run it By the Pros many an entrepreneur will find our articles on Telling a Compelling Story and Top VC Questions valuable resources when prepping to pitch their own deal.
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Thursday, May7, 2009
7:30 to 9am
Ashford Club
75 5th Street, NW
5565 Glenridge Connector # 100
Atlanta, GA Map
Click here to register!
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This week the TAG/ATDC Entrepreneurs Society partnered up with the TAG Featured Speaker Series to present Don Yaeger, New York Times best seller and author of "What Makes the Great Ones Great" on Thursday at the Ashford Club.
Yaeger, author of 16 books, was formerly Associate Editor of Sports Illustrated, and has led to guest appearances on every major talk show in America – from Oprah to Nightline; from CNN to Good Morning America. In his 20-plus years as a journalist, he has conducted interviews with some of the greatest athletes of our time – Michael Jordan, Mia Hamm, Emmitt Smith, Serena Williams, Jimmy Connors and countless others. He has lived with Walter Payton, writing the NFL legend’s autobiography as Payton courageously battled cancer, and even interviewed the President of the United States in the Oval Office.
Using lessons learned from a lifetime in sports, Don will share the formula that he has seen in the great winners he’s worked with – and explains how that formula can work for others.
Characteristics necessary for entrepreneurial success are in many cases quite similar to those of great athletes – a PHD – persistence, hard work and determination.
As an athlete, I look forward to getting inspired by Don and perhaps hearing some interesting stories about the great individuals Don has worked with over his very interesting career.
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Thursday, April 2, 2009
7:30 to 9am
Entrepreneurs-only Roundtable 9:15-10:15am
Centergy One Building
75 5th Street, NW
Hodges Room (335)
Atlanta, GA Map
Click here to register!
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"Georgia Innovators in Financial Services and Payments Technology"
The TAG/ATDC Entrepreneurs event for April features a panel of two ATDC member companies, FTRANS and Cardlytics, and the Georgia-based VC firm, Total Technology Ventures. Blake Patton, our newest entrepreneur-in-residence, will be moderating the session and brings his own experience in financial services start-ups to the discussion. This panel will be an informative resource as executives from the featured companies discuss their business models and best practices. The event will be a great way to showcase some of the exciting developments in Georgia's technology industry.
Check out the bios of the panel participants:
Lynne Laube, COO and Co-Founder, Cardlytics
Daniel Drechsel, CEO, FTRANS
Gardiner Garrard, CFA, Investment Partner, Total Technology Ventures
Register now!
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Thursday, March 5, 2009
7:30 to 9 am
Entrepreneurs-only Roundtable 9:15-10:15am
Centergy One Building
75 5th Street, NW
Hodges Room (335)
Atlanta, GA Map
Click here to register!
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Come meet TechOperators, a team of experienced and successful entrepreneurs-turned-VCs, at the TAG/ATDC Entrepreneurs event in March.
Dave Gould, Glenn McGonnigle, and Said Mohammaidoun formed TechOperators last year because they believe that early-stage investing means helping companies operationalize ideas for success. Their collective experience includes Witness Systems, ISS, and Synchrologic.
Their willingness to share the lessons they have learned is a valuable asset to the Georgia technology community.
You don’t want to miss the practical advice this team will be providing, so register today!
I am excited to announce a twist to this month’s Meet the VC event. We are bringing in three active angel investors to talk to you about investing in the Georgia area. Sig Mosley from Imlay Investments, Mitch Free, founder of MFG.com, and Gordon Rodgers, angel investor, will sit on our panel for February’s Meet the Angel event. The session will take place on Wednesday, February 11th from 7:30 to 9:30 am.
The basic format of these gatherings is a question and answer session delving into the fundraising process, venture capitalists’ investment criteria, and specific venture capital firm profiles (or angel investors, in this case). I plan to ask the panel a few questions to kick things off, followed by questions that you can submit in the comments below, and then audience questions.
The series is free but you need to register to attend.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Qcept – ATDC graduate company specializing in non-visual defect detection. Their inspection systems allow fabs to improve yield by detecting non-visual defects such as sub-monolayer metallic and organic contamination.
Qualified Stock Options – Also known as Incentive Stock Options, provide tax advantages to an employer that non-qualified stock options do not and are subject to more strict requirements.
Quality Control Manager – directs the quality control program designed to ensure continuous production/service consistent with established standards.
Restricted Stock – A method of executive compensation that has come into prominence since stock options fell out of favor. The restricted stock must meet certain conditions such as a length of time or other business performance metrics before the stock can be transferred.
Return On Investment (ROI) - A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or to compare the efficiency of several investments. To calculate ROI, the benefit (return) of an investment is divided by the cost of the investment, the result is expressed as a percentage or ratio.
Revenue – The amount of money brought into a company by its business activities. It is the "top line" or "gross income" figure from which costs are subtracted to determine net income.
Reverse Merger – the acquisition of a public company by a private company, allowing the private company to bypass the usual lengthly and complicated process of going public. According to DealFlow Media's Reverse Merger Report, only 12 reverse mergers were completed in November and December 2008, capping the worst year for reverse mergers since 2004.