NOT-OD-06-081: NIH Offers Commercialization Assistance Program to SBIR Phase II Awardees

NIH Offers Commercialization Assistance Program to SBIR Phase II Awardees

Notice Number: NOT-OD-06-081

Key Dates
Release Date: July 10, 2006

Issued by
National Institutes of Health (NIH), (http://www.nih.gov/)

The purpose of this Notice is to announce the availability of a Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) for NIH SBIR Phase II awardees from 2001 to 2006. Now in its third year, this program is designed to help some of the nation’s most promising life science small companies develop their commercial businesses and transition their SBIR-developed products into the marketplace. (NIH has engaged the services of Larta Institute to help implement the program. Larta has considerable experience helping businesses bring technologies to the marketplace and has helped companies raise over $1.5 billion in capital.)

The CAP consists of training workshops, individual mentoring and consulting sessions, and it culminates with an opportunity for companies to present their business opportunities to potential investors and strategic partners at the NIH Life Sciences Showcase. Participation is free; however, selected participants are responsible for their travel expenses to attend two required workshops and the optional showcase.

Selected participants will receive individualized assistance toward accomplishing the following goals:

Develop or improve strategic business planning
Develop or improve market research capabilities
Identify investors
Develop licensing opportunities
Establish strategic partnerships
Seek regulatory approvals and perform clinical trials

Over a ten-month period beginning in September 2006, each participant will:

Engage in monthly consultations with a Larta Institute Principal Advisor on the company’s commercialization strategy to equip it with the tools to address its commercialization challenges. Larta’s Principal Advisors are experienced consultants and business executives with track records of helping the growth of innovative enterprises.
Participate in two workshops to learn about pertinent commercialization issues, acquire valuable business skills, and meet with and obtain feedback from advisors, industry representatives, and investors.
Have access to legal, finance, and industry experts.
Gain exposure to and create contacts within the life sciences industry and investment community.
Network with fellow CAP participants and explore partnerships and business opportunities.
Have the opportunity to participate in the NIH Life Sciences Showcase, the culminating event of the CAP, to showcase their company to a national audience of investors and industry representatives.

All NIH SBIR awardees (grantees and contractors) that have received a Phase II award since January 1, 2001 are eligible to participate. Participants must, however, meet the SBIR small business eligibility criteria as described in the current SBIR Parent Funding Opportunity Announcement, PA-06-120 (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-120.html). Please note that this program is not available to STTR awardees.

Detailed program information, eligibility requirements, and application instructions are available at http://www.larta.org/nihcap/NIHCAP-ProgramDescription.pdf. The deadline for submitting an application is July 31, 2006. Approximately 125 companies will be selected to participate in this year’s NIH CAP and will be notified by August 14, 2006.

General inquiries about the CAP may be addressed to:

Ms. Ketaki Sood
Larta Institute
714 West Olympic Blvd., Ste. 750
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Telephone: (213) 765-4824
Email: ksood@larta.org

Ms. Kay Etzler
NIH SBIR/STTR Program
Office of Extramural Programs
National Institutes of Health
6705 Rockledge Drive, Suite 360
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 435-2713
FAX: (301) 480-0146
Email: sbir@od.nih.gov