NIH’s Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) is available to NIH SBIR Phase II awardees to help awardees transition their SBIR developed products into the marketplace. The Larta Institute of Los Angeles is working with the CAP program to advise the awardees.
CAP will begin October 2010 and will conclude the end of June 2011. The program has two tracks:
• The Commercialization Training Track (CTT) with 60 slots is appropriate for the majority of SBIR Phase II companies. CTT assists participants on how to evaluate their commercialization options based on their specific technologies. This include the need and prospect for investment, strategic partnerships, or licensing, and helps the companies to develop a solid market-entry plan covering an 18 month period plus assists in the development of market appropriate tools
• The Accelerated Commercialization Tract (ACT) with 20 slots available is for SBIR Phase II companies who have successfully commercialized or sold products and/or services, generated revenue, established partnerships and achieved a level of market development that will be sustainable over a definitive period. However, these companies may be lacking in a specific applicable issue such as a solid regulatory plan, a license-focused IP strategy, or a term sheet for investors which is key to their continued growth
All NIH SBIR awardees that have been active in the past six years are eligible to participant. Participants must meet the SBIR small business eligibility criteria available at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm.
CAP participation is free of charge for selected participating companies however, participants are responsible for travel and lodging expenses associated with attending workshops and for partnering for investment events.
Go to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/cap/more_on_cap.htm for more information. The deadline for submitting an application is September 17, 2010. For more information email Kay Etzier at sbir@od.nih.gov or Judy Hsieh, at jhsieh@larta.org.
