The Connecticut Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Office, an initiative of the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT), is piloting a state-funded SBIR program to advance the development and eventual commercialization of emerging nanotechnologies by CT small businesses. This competitive award is modeled after the national SBIR program in which federal agencies identify problems or “topics” that can be solved by small businesses and entrepreneurs through advanced research for the development of innovative, next-generation products. Each CT SBIR grant will be worth up to $65,000 in seed money.
The State’s Office of Workforce Competitiveness (OWC) has designated the CT SBIR Office at CCAT to develop and administer this program, to provide resources and to assist in a process that connects small nanotechnology companies with other industry and university resources that may help in the development of such innovative technologies.
The topic for the pilot is the “Nano-structured Catalysts/Reformers for Fuel Cells to Reduce Cost, Increase Efficiency, Improve Reliability and be Resistant to Poisoning for Military as well as Commercial Fuel Cell Applications in Unmanned Vehicles.”
Any US owned (at least 51%) Connecticut small business (500 or fewer employees) can apply for a grant of up to $65,000 to prove feasibility of their concept. The deadline for submitting the proposal is December 1, 2006. Like the federal program, the state-funded SBIR development effort will last 6 months. Firms may need to leverage and access other resources to complete the development and ultimate commercialization of their novel technology. More details are on the CT SBIR’s website.
The CT SBIR Office is an initiative of CCAT, a non-profit corporation in East Hartford dedicated to enhancing the region’s competitiveness through high-tech innovation and development. The CT SBIR Office, which is funded by the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, was created in 2004 to help small businesses in Connecticut capture federal SBIR grants of between $100,000 and $750,000 for developing promising technologies.
http://www.ccat.us/sbir/index.htm
