If you recall, last month we announced that the incubator model in Atlanta (and Georgia) was changing. The SBIR Assistance Program for Georgia was merged into the newly expanded ATDC (Advanced Technology Development Center). This new relationship has enabled (and will continue to enable) more Georgia companies and researchers to learn about SBIR and STTR as well as expose those seeking SBIR/STTR funding to additional resources/assistance outside of SBIR/STTR.
In a move that will help foster the awareness of the full range of services ATDC offers, the SBIRGA.com blog will be incorporated with ATDC’s existing blog and portal. You do not need to do anything differently on your part if you don’t want to. You will still be able to to read the SBIR/STTR posts by going to SBIRGA.com or you can go directly to the ATDC section dedicated to SBIR (http://www.atdc.org/sbir). We hope, though, you WILL stop and take a look at all the services and opportunities provided at ATDC as there might be additional services which could help your business.
ATDC member PlayOn! Sports and the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) and announced the launch of the GHSA Digital Sports Network, a partnership providing multi-platform distribution of Georgia high school sports content, beginning in Fall 2009. Postseason coverage of all, yes all GHSA sports, will be made available to fans in a variety of live and on-demand formats across television, broadband, DVD, and download-to-own.
The initial content will contain archived prior-year playoff and championship events in football, basketball, volleyball, and wrestling. Inaugural events for the 2009 season are four football games from the Corky Kell Classic, on Saturday, August 22 at the Georgia Dome. Full game, on-demand access for these premier matchups (Starr’s Mill vs. Etowah; Brookwood vs. McEachern; Camden County vs. Grayson; Walton vs. Norcross) will be available on GHSA.tv immediately following the conclusion of play. Additional fall events will include postseason play in football, volleyball and softball.
Congrats to PlayOn! as they continue their drive to provide the tools necessary for media companies, academic institutions, and sport associations to produce high quality video coverage of live events that don’t get TV exposure.
There is more to being a successful SBIR company than just receiving the funding award. Understanding how to run and grow your business is critical. Learning about and making connections through networking can put your company (and technology) in front of just the right people that will make a difference when it comes time to commercialize your innovation or integrate your technology into another’s product.
The nationally recognized Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) helps Georgia technology entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies. Founded in 1980, ATDC has helped create millions of dollars in tax revenues by graduating more than 120 companies, which together have raised more than a billion dollars in outside financing. Since SBIRGA is now a service of ATDC, you, as Georgia entrepreneurs, can take advantage of the assistance ATDC provides.
This Thursday, ATDC will be hosting an Open Forum where you can come hear what ATDC has to offer and ask questions about all their services. Click here to learn more and to register.
This is a cross post from Stephen Fleming’s personal blog Academic VC. Stephen is a Vice Provost at Georgia Tech and the acting director of ATDC.
So by now you’ve seen the press release about reorganizing ATDC, VentureLab, and the SBIR Assistance Program under the single banner of ATDC. And that we’re throwing open the doors of ATDC to all technology entrepreneurs in Georgia.
This is different.
ATDC is almost thirty years old. (We’re going to have a thirty-year birthday bash next year; be sure to come!) And, throughout most of ATDC’s history, it’s been a very exclusive club. We usually get a couple of hundred applications a year, and usually accept about a dozen into membership.
(more…)
Once again the SBIR program has been saved by Continuing Resolution (CR). The House passed the Senate’s CR S.1513 which will postpone the program until September 30, 2009. Debates on the merit of VC involvement, increased award amounts and Phase III programming will continue.
Stay tuned …
This morning a new ATDC opened for business. A more open ATDC. A more embracing ATDC. By now you may have seen the official announcement and perhaps even had a chance to read the article by Stephen Fleming about why we are doing this. I am sure the range of reactions to the announcement will ran the gamut from shock to glee to indifference to skepticism. Personally I am excited. Very excited.
Excited that ATDC is greatly extending its reach to serve more technology companies regardless of their stage of development or preferred path of growth.
Excited that ATDC is reaching down to help entrepreneurs at the earliest stage of their venture development when we may be able to impact their success the most.
Excited that ATDC is becoming inclusive.
Excited that ATDC is increasing the number of member companies from 45 to something that could reach the hundreds.
Excited that ATDC is going to leverage the community to serve it better and scale.
Excited that ATDC is opening it's doors to any technology startup.
The door is open. Come in.
Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) President, Tino Mantella, interviewed Connie Ruffner this week for his show "Tech Talk With Tino" on TAG Radio. Connie discussed SBIR and what it means for Georgia's technology community.
Topics included:
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What is SBIR and who qualifies?
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Trends in Georgia for SBIR funding
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SBIR Reauthorization
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Changes in the economy and how that’s affected SBIR
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SBIR and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Listen to the broadcast.
As previous
reported both the Senate and House have passed bills reauthorizing both the
SBIR and STTR programs. However, there
are significant differences in the two bills.
Unlike last year, the House appears more willing to compromise with the
Senate. Reports are that “good faith”
negotiations are ongoing. Due to
procedural rules, a deal must be reached by next Tuesday, July 28th,
for the bill to obtain final approval by both the House and the Senate before
the July 31st expiration of the current Continuing Resolution. So we are down to the wire again, but hopeful
that a reasonable bill will be passed and everyone will know what the rules are
going forward. Stay tuned for the final
results!
GlobalCrypto recently announced the release of Bunkermail, an encryption-based file transfer system. BunkerMail is a web based application that enables users to send messages and files to other users that are fully encrypted with the receiver’s keys so that only the intended recipient can unpack the message. Building on top of their RealMe authentication software, Bunkermail uses cryptographic keys embedded into images to make sure files are fully encrypted from the sender’s computer all the way to the receiver’s computer.
Bunkermail is a breeze to use. Bunkermail looks and feels like web-based e-mail, even with the strong cryptographic security. Founder and CEO Todd Merrill says, “If you can send a web-based email, you can use Bunkermail.” Adoption is also easy for your IT staff.
Congrats to Todd and GlobalCrypto on their newest release!
In an effort to make the peer review process more transparent the NIH has been phasing in new guidelines for grant review. Of interest to the SBIR/STTR applicant the scale on which an application is scored has been changed.
Instead of being scored 1 to 5 (exceptional to poor) and the average multiplied by 100, SBIR/STTR grants are now scored 1 to 9 (exceptional to poor) with the average multiplied by 10. In addition, applications that were not discussed in study section will now receive their initial criterion score as part of their summary statement. This may give you some insight into why your application was not discussed.
But what do these new scores mean? How can you know whether your application is likely to be funded? Previously a score of 180 or below meant you had a pretty good chance of being funded. If you extrapolate that to a 90 point system would a score of 32 or below translate into an awarded grant?
Only time will tell.