One N.C. Small Business Program
Mr. John Hardin, Ph.D.
Executive Director
(919) 814-4639
jhardin@nccommerce.com
Purpose of Initiative
The Phase I Matching Funds Program is designed to award matching funds to North Carolina businesses who have been awarded a SBIR or STTR Phase I award.
Application Process
For FY 2018, no funding is available although solicitations may be available in subsequent fiscal years. If funding becomes available, additional information will be provided.
Award Details
Maximum Grant Award: 50% of the Federal SBIR/STTR Program award, not to exceed $50,000.
Biotechnology Innovation Grant (BIG)
Ms. Deborah De
Sr. Director, Grant Process Operations, Science and Technology Development
North Carolina Biotechnology Center
15 T.W. Alexander Dr.
PO Box 13547
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
(919) 549-8845
deborah_de@ncbiotech.org
Purpose of Initiative
The purpose of the Biotechnology Innovation Grant (BIG) is to support research studies that explore potential commercial applications of early-stage university inventions. A BIG award provides funding for a technical research project conducted by a faculty investigator alongside a related commercial development project undertaken by a commercial development adviser. BIG projects are intended to inform strategic decision-making regarding pursuit of intellectual property protection and/or commercial product development.
Eligibility
Proposals may be submitted by any North Carolina university or non-profit research organization. Eligible projects support inventions that have been disclosed to the university’s technology transfer office but have not yet been converted to a full nonprovisional or PCT patent application. The Principal Investigator (PI) must hold a full-time tenure-track or tenured faculty appointment, or an equivalent appointment as full-time research faculty with a dedicated independent lab at the applicant institution. The PI may not have a financial relationship with the Commercial Development Adviser or with any firms funded by this award. Any potential conflicts of interest MUST be disclosed in the application. Ä The PI may have no more than two active awards from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center at the same time.
Application Process
Application materials are located on the BIG webpage. The BIG proposal is comprised of five documents: 1. Signed Coversheet 2. Technical Proposal 3. Commercial Development Narrative 4. Budget Form 5. Supporting Documentation. For FY 2018, Cycle I is due by 7/19/17 and Cycle II is due by 2/21/18.
Award Details
A maximum of $100,000 for project periods ranging from 6 to 18 months may be requested. There is a minimum 10% match required from the university. In addition to the minimum 10% match, any equipment costing over $40,000 requires a direct 25% cash match. Funds should be allocated toward both the technical and commercialization aspects of the project. A minimum of 15 – 20% of the requested funds is expected to be directed toward commercial development activities.
Institutional Development Grant (IDG)
Ms. Deborah De
Sr. Director, Grant Process Operations, Science and Technology Development
North Carolina Biotechnology Center
15 T.W. Alexander Dr.
PO Box 13547
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
(919) 549-8845
deborah_de@ncbiotech.org
Purpose of Initiative
The goal of the Institutional Development Grant (IDG) program is to enhance and grow the infrastructure for biotechnology research in North Carolina. Grant funds support the purchase of research equipment that serves multiple users at a North Carolina academic or nonprofit research institute.
Eligibility
The principal investigator must have a Ph.D. and be employed by a North Carolina academic or nonprofit research institute on a permanent, fulltime appointment. Other scientists associated with the research projects described in the proposal may have industry, government or other affiliations. The requested equipment must serve at least three investigators EXCEPT for requests from Duke University, North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Requests from these campuses must serve at least six investigators, with exceptions for some satellite campuses. Contact Program Staff for details.
Application Process
Application materials are located on the IDG webpage. The IDG proposal is comprised of three documents: the Proposal, Budget Form and Supporting Documentation. For FY 2018, ‘the funding deadline was 8/30/17 with decision notification in mid-February 2018.
Award Details
A maximum of $200,000 may be requested. A 25% match is required, representing the institution’s contribution toward the purchase of the requested equipment. All award funds are disbursed directly to the university or nonprofit research institute of the principal investigator.
NC IDEA SEED
NC IDEA
320 Blackwell St.
Suite 400, Durham, NC 27701
(919) 941-5600
info@ncidea.org
Purpose of Initiative
NC IDEA SEED provides grant funding to innovative startups, typically between proof of concept and profitability, offering up to $50,000 to selected companies. NC IDEA SEED supports business activities that validate target markets, reduces risk associated with early stage companies and helps companies get to the point of suitability for growth funding; be that crowd funding, angel or venture capital investment.
Eligibility
Grants are specifically targeted at young ventures in the State of North Carolina. Applicants must either 1) conduct a majority of corporate operations in North Carolina or 2) plan to relocate to North Carolina. Selected companies must agree to maintain the majority of corporate operations in the State of North Carolina for at least 2 years after receiving grant funding. NC IDEA provides seed grants to innovative companies with proprietary intellectual property or other means of sustained competitive advantage that are solving large problems. Qualified companies typically fall under one of the following business categories: biotechnology, cleantech/Greentech, computer/digital hardware, consumer products, digital media, healthcare IT, medical devices, medical diagnostics, nanotechnology/advanced materials, semiconductors, social media and software.
Application Process
NC IDEA solicits seed grant applications twice per year, typically in February and again in August. The application window is open for approximately four weeks. All applicants are required to complete NC IDEA’s pre-proposal, which can be accessed online during each active application cycle. Following the application deadline, pre-proposals will be reviewed by a review team. Typically, 20-30 applicants will be selected to progress to the semi-finalist phase. Semi-finalists will have a week to 10 days to complete a full proposal. Each semi-finalist will also schedule a 15-minute phone interview with NC IDEA. Full proposals are then reviewed by a review team. Approximately 10-12 semi-finalists will become finalists and be invited to pitch to NC IDEA’s review team. Each company will be given 10 minutes to pitch and have 15 minutes for Q&A. Ultimately, 5-6 companies will be awarded a grant.
Award Details
NC IDEA SEED provides $50,000 in non-dilutive funding to selected companies.
KickStart Award Program
Mr. Tim Martin
Program Contact
(919) 843-2554
tim.martin@unc.edu
Purpose of Initiative
The KickStart Award Program helps early-stage companies meet commercial milestones either on the technical side (prototype development, animal studies) or on the business side (regulatory pathway, freedom to operate). The program also provides funding and access to internal and external business experts to assist faculty with the commercial translation of concepts for novel therapeutic small molecules, biologics, diagnostics, devices or digital health.
Eligibility
The program is open to any early-stage company based on research innovations at UNC-CH where at least one of the founders is a faculty member/student/staff at UNCChapel Hill (or primary appointment at UNC for the joint UNC-NCSU Biomedical Engineering (BME) department) or using the research innovation from a UNC faculty member. Priority will be given to companies developing intellectual property (IP) owned by UNCCH and disclosed to UNC-CH in the form of a Report of Invention (ROI). Low priority will be given to companies who have previously acquired significant funding from other sources (SBIR, Venture capital, angel investment, etc). The company must be incorporated and have a non-faculty business leader or advisor. The company must have a business strategy for commercializing the product or service and have licensed IP or a license anticipated within the six months of the award.
Application Process
Application deadlines are January 31 and July 31 each year. Given the wide range of technologies and their stage of development, faculty are encouraged to contact KickStart Venture Services prior to submitting an application. By contacting the program, a preliminary assessment of the appropriateness of a Commercialization Award can be provided. Applications are only accepted through a web-based system, which can be found here.
Award Details
The KickStart Venture Services Commercialization Grant Program will make a limited number of awards of up to $50,000, with the number and size of the awards dependent upon the quality of the proposals received and the availability of funds.
Innovation Pilot Award
Mr. Tim Martin
Program Contact
(919) 843-2554
tim.martin@unc.edu
Purpose of Initiative
The KickStart Award Program helps early-stage companies meet commercial milestones either
Eligibility
The program is open to any early-stage company based on research innovations at UNC-CH
Application Process
Application deadlines are January 31 and July 31 each year. Given the wide range of technologies
Award Details
The KickStart Venture Services Commercialization Grant Program will make a limited number of
Updated March 2018 by Rachel Werth
