National Institutes of Health
Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP)
For Phase II SBIR Awardees

(Managed by Larta Institute)

Personalized Assistance • Knowledge Transfer • Business Outcomes • Stay on Track with CAP

Applications no longer accepted! / Program Selection: September 27, 2011

Program Description

What is CAP?

The NIH SBIR Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP), now in its eighth year, is designed to help some of the nation’s most promising small life science and healthcare companies develop their commercial businesses and transition their SBIR-funded technologies into the marketplace. 

Funded by NIH and managed through a contract with Larta Institute (www.larta.org) of Los Angeles, CA, the CAP provides selected participants with individualized assistance toward accomplishing their commercialization goals.  This is achieved through training workshops, individual mentoring and consulting sessions, as well as public events in which companies present their technologies to the investment community, potential strategic partners and licensees.

Who is Eligible to Participate?

• Companies whose NIH SBIR (not STTR) Phase II award is or was active in the past 5 years, including Phase IIB competing renewals (grant, contract, or cooperative agreement) and those in the Fast-Track program. SBIR projects that ended before August 2006 are not eligible.
• Companies that meet the current SBIR small business eligibility criteria as described in the NIH SBIR/STTR Omnibus solicitation. (The solicitation and its parent funding opportunity announcements are available from the NIH Small Business Funding Opportunities website)
• Previous NIH SBIR CAP participants with a different Phase II award. Please note that first time applicants to the CAP will be given priority due to the limited number of slots.

Is CAP Right for You?

The NIH CAP offers opportunities to “emerging companies” who are making their first foray into the commercial marketplace. The program is customized to meet the needs of early stage companies. 

• With forty slots available, this program will apply to the majority of NIH SBIR Phase II companies.  It is aimed at assisting participants with evaluating their commercialization options based on their specific technologies (including the need and prospect for investment, strategic partnerships or licensing) and to develop a solid market-entry plan covering an 18-month period. The assistance rendered under CAP is practical, oriented to addressing gaps that exist in your current commercialization status, to fully articulate a compelling case for market channels relevant to your business, establish a practical plan with time-limited milestones and budgets to accomplish commercialization goals and develop a clear understanding of potential customers, partners, investors and competitors, derived from contact with experienced advisors and live feedback from current industry executives and others.
• Company CEO participation is highly encouraged in this program. The commitment of time and resources with management support is vital. Past experience indicates that the best results are achieved when the CEO serves as the company’s CAP Leader and is actively involved.

CAP participation is free of charge for selected participating companies; however, participants are responsible for travel and lodging expenses associated with attending the mandatory Commercialization Training Workshop and for the time commitment associated with the Program.

Commercialization Assistance Program

The Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) is aimed at assisting participants evaluate their commercialization options based on their specific technologies (including the need and prospect for investment, strategic partnerships or licensing) and to develop a solid market-entry plan covering an 18-month period.  It also assists participants in the development of market-appropriate tools to accomplish these objectives.

Over a 10-month period, each CAP participant will:  

• Perform Business and Strategic Planning and develop a Management Toolkit
• Participate in a Commercialization Training Workshop
• Participate in mid-point Feedback Sessions
• Decide on the company’s next steps in Close-out Web Meetings   
• Provide Program Feedback and Tracking

By the completion of the program, each participant should have a solid understanding of the commercial value of their technology, and also how it positions with the current market landscape, what the true competitive posture of the company is, and what gaps remain to be addressed.  Each participant will have developed their own Management Toolkit which includes an 18-month Action Plan that addresses their next steps.

BUSINESS & STRATEGIC PLANNING: Development of Management Toolkit - October 2011 through July 2012

Upon selection as a CAP participant, your business and strategic planning begins immediately (October 2011).  A principal advisor (PA) is assigned to work closely with each participant and is matched with the company based on the advisor’s experience and expertise and the company’s needs. Your PA operates as a facilitator and counselor, helping you to prepare materials as needed, and serving as a sounding board throughout the program as you develop your strategic plan for commercialization. Participants work one-on-one with their PA on a regular monthly basis, and other investment and/or industry advisors/experts will be consulted when warranted.  Larta’s Principal Advisors are experienced consultants, serial entrepreneurs and business executives with a track record in successfully guiding innovative enterprises. NOTE: Larta Institute, as the managers of the CAP, and its Principal Advisors (PAs) who will work directly with participating companies, operates the program under CONFIDENTIALITY and NON-DISCLOSURE requirements. CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS will be sent to all selected companies PRIOR TO the commencement of the CAP.

Advisors will not do the work for you, but will mentor, guide, and assist.

It must be emphasized that CAP does not provide business development as a specific outcome of the program i.e. access and assistance in connecting with specific industry contacts for the purpose of selling, licensing or marketing a specific product, service or offering of a CAP participant, whether derived from the CAP-related project or not.  Contacts with relevant industry leads are made throughout the program with the goal of providing participants with feedback and valuable insights on their plans and market approaches.  

All participants will be coached and mentored via face-to-face meetings and/or via remote communication tools, e.g., phone, email, Internet.

Your first communication with your PA will focus on your commercialization needs toward developing a CAP plan that targets solutions to obstacles/hurdles you may face when defining or entering the market. This plan is referred to as the CAP Planning/Assessment Template and will guide your work throughout the program.

Management Toolkit:  Each participant will also develop a Management Toolkit that will include materials useful for implementing their commercialization plan both during and after the program ends. While the Toolkit will be customized for each participant’s needs, it will include information relevant to the following components.

CAP Planning/Assessment Template: is used to help identify gaps in operations, systems, technology and/or product development, including those that may require additional research resources. This will be customized to your company’s specific situation. This document will be also be used to define your optimal path to market and commercialization, including aligning the steps you will need to take to resolve the gaps, leading to the development of an 18-month Action Plan.  In all cases, this is a valuable guide to the issues you currently face in your commercialization efforts.

Road Show Presentation: This is a short PowerPoint presentation to “pitch” the company to potential investors, strategic partners or licensees. It will provide a brief, but informative and compelling glimpse of the company, to attract the interest of a targeted audience at events such as investment forums, conferences, or trade shows.  This deliverable will be prepared in advance for the Feedback Sessions. (NOTE: THERE IS NO COMMITMENT MADE BY CAP IN ASSISTING PARTICIPANTS TO CHOOSE A PRESENTING VENUE OR ASSIST IN PREPARING THEM FOR SUCH AN EVENT). Note:  The Road Show Presentation is a high-level key or guide to the Company itself, and as such enables the company to lay out its “value proposition” to its intended targets.  Please note, that this may be shared in advance with mentors scheduled to be available to each participant at the Feedback Sessions scheduled for February 2012 (for a full description of the Feedback Sessions, please see below).

18-Month Action Plan:  At the end of the program, you should have strategies, tasks and milestones, associated with a timeline to cover the next 18 months.  This is a useful tool for you in managing and tracking your commercialization progress and outcomes after the CAP.  This Plan is specifically presented and discussed at the Feedback Sessions scheduled for each company with industry and other mentors in attendance. It enables mentors to provide you with valuable insights, guidance and information that will inform your commercialization efforts, your approach to the marketplace, your specific strategies and the points of emphasis necessary to the presentation of your Road Show presentation and other materials.  Your key takeaways taken from the Feedback Sessions, the progress made since the Feedback sessions, and your action plan for the next 18 months will all be presented at the Close-Out Web Meeting.  

Quad Chart/Virtual Showcase and Keywords:  Quad Charts will be posted on an NIH website to showcase and add visibility to your company and SBIR-supported technology. Your Quad Chart must include:  (1) specific company information, (2) your management team, (3) an overview of your technology and its competitive advantage(s), and (4) your company’s pipeline of products under development or a detailed description of the technology.. NOTE: The Quad Chart also serve as a distillation of the Company’s Executive Summary that will also be presented at the Feedback Sessions.

Commercialization Training Workshop* -- November 1 - 2, 2011, Los Angeles, CA

(The CEO is encouraged to attend.)

All CAP participants are expected to attend the Commercialization Training Workshop (CTW). (See previous note regarding travel costs.) This workshop offers in-depth interactive seminars led by Larta advisors and experts from the legal, investment, and industry communities. It also features a face-to-face meeting with your Principal Advisor, networking with fellow CAP participants, and introductions to other key people associated with the program. CAP leaders of selected companies will be contacted with logistics and details well in advance of the event.

November 1, 2011- Interactive seminars and networking workshops

Agenda topics may include:

• Introduction and Orientation to NIH-CAP
• Partnering/investment Planning
• Intellectual Property Management
• Early Stage Branding and Marketing Your Company
• Financing and Funding Issues for Life Science Companies
• Healthcare IT Commercialization Issues and Barriers to Market Entry
• Regulatory and Reimbursement Issues

November 2, 2011- Face-to-Face Meeting with your Principal Advisor

A 1-hour face-to-face meeting with your Principal Advisor will be scheduled the day after the workshop. It will be a continuation of your October discussions with your PA and will include an in-depth discussion of the company’s status, commercialization needs, and its work plan (Planning/Assessment Template). Participants will also discuss various elements of the program including program timeline and the program’s management toolkit. At the end of this meeting, there should be a clear understanding of all program details, a customized commercialization approach, and a firm commitment from the participant to invest the required time and effort to the CAP. 

*Space is limited so only (1) representative per company will be permitted to attend the event.  There is a nominal fee of $150.00 for additional participants to attend this event.  Breakfast and lunch will be provided on November 1, 2011. 

Feedback Sessions - February 2012

Feedback Sessions are face-to-face working meetings for the participant to present its Management Toolkit to a group of mentors and life science industry experts and all CAP participants are expected to attend. (See previous note regarding travel costs.) These outside experts will provide objective and frank feedback on the company’s commercialization opportunity and strategy (as presented) with fresh perspectives and, perhaps suggestions for new directions to consider. You will have the opportunity to adjust and amend materials in your Management Toolkit based on the advice and recommendations provided. In addition, you will have the unparalleled opportunity to meet and network with industry experts, thus providing you contacts for future reference.  At the Feedback Sessions, participants will present their Quad Chart (see above, under Management Toolkit) to the outside experts.

Feedback Sessions are designed to be as convenient as possible for participating companies, and also to cultivate local networking.  Participants need attend only one day at any one location of the following three Feedback Sessions:

Los Angeles, CA                      February 15 - 16, 2012
Washington, D.C.                    February 27 - 28, 2012

Dates are tentative and may change due to unforeseen circumstances. Participants will be informed in a timely fashion should any changes occur.

Following the Feedback Sessions, participants will continue to work with their Principal Advisors (PAs) on refining their strategies, action plans, presentations, and other Management Toolkit documents. If there is a need for other advisors from a particular specialty area, e.g. legal, regulatory, etc., such expertise may be brought in during this period as well.

Close-out Web Meetings - May - June 2012

A Close-out Web Meeting is the final CAP event. This is an opportunity for the participant to provide NIH program managers, your Principal Advisor and key Larta program staff a “live” look at the company’s progress at the end of the program.  The primary focus of this event is for you to present to NIH SBIR program managers the feedback received from the Feedback Sessions, what you and your company has accomplished since the Feedback Sessions, your 18-month Action Plan (next steps/goals), and your plan to achieve the milestones set out in the Plan. The meeting is informal, similar to the monthly teleconferences with the Principal Advisor, and will last approximately 30 minutes. A Web tool will be used to facilitate the sharing of the documents being discussed.

Program Feedback and Tracking - At completion of program

All participants will be expected to provide feedback concerning their experiences with the program as well as commercialization tracking information for 18 months in three intervals: (1) Baseline: immediately upon completion of the program, (2) First Interval Tracking: nine months following completion, and (3) Second Interval Tracking: eighteen months following the program’s completion. The feedback will allow NIH to assess the program and its implementation, and the tracking will keep NIH informed of the progress your company has made with commercializing the NIH SBIR-developed product.

Contacts

The NIH SBIR CAP is offered by the National Institutes of Health and is managed by Larta Institute, 606 South Olive Street, Suite 650, Los Angeles, CA, 90014; www.larta.org; tel. (213) 694-2826. For all matters related to this program, please contact:

NIH        

Lenka Fedorkova, Ph.D.
SBIR CAP Program Manager
SBIR/STTR Office
National Institutes of Health
Ph: (301) 435-0921
E-Mail: fedorkoval@od.nih.gov

Larta Institute

Judy Hsieh
Programs Manager
Larta Institute
Ph: (213) 538-1444