1. Carol Rabke, Ph.D. Dawnbreaker, Inc.
Best Practices: One-on-One Meetings with Program Managers and Quad Chart Preparation
Carol Rabke, Ph.D.
Dawnbreaker, Inc.

2. Unique Opportunity Guidance provided by a knowledgeable person
Focus your effort on best opportunity
Do your homework (now)
Come prepared

3. Do Your Homework
Before making meeting selections, review SBIR/STTR On-Line Tutorials
Contracts vs. Grants
Finding a Topic
Agency Introductions
Agency Solicitations
Website

4. SBIR/STTR Tutorials
Designed to provide you with pivotal information quickly
Accommodates different learning styles
Check out the brief videos

5. Agency Introductions Each agency has a unique culture
Program implementation varies
Understand prerequisites
Which agencies are a good choice for your technology? Your company?

6. Review Agency Opportunities
Topics and/or Solicitation Release Date
Department of Defense
Both SBIR and STTR Topics
Department of Education
Next release January 2020
Department of Energy
Department of Transportation
Topics usually released in the Fall
Health and Human Services
Multiple submission dates throughout the year
National Science Foundation
Usually released 90 days prior to due date (June 2019 or December 2019) Both SBIR and STTR – note new submission requirements
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Usually released in November (Both SBIR and STTR)
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Usually released in October

7. DOE Example

8. NSF Example https://seedfund.nsf.gov/apply/ What we look for
Here’s what we look for when determining which companies to fund:
Game-changing: Your innovation could make a difference to people worldwide or revolutionize an industry.
High-risk: Your product is based on unproven technology that needs further testing (and funding for that testing).
Market pull: You have evidence that your product or service could meet an important, unmet need for your customers.
Scale: If you successfully bring your product or service to market, it could form the foundation for a scalable business and make a large impact in your target market.

9. NSF Example

11. Now What?? Register to attend the Albany Road Tour Stop
Sign up for OoO meetings with agencies of interest
Be prepared to answer a few simple questions
Prepare your quad chart (SBIR elevator pitch)

12. Register

13. Action Items
About 6 weeks out (early August), you’ll get an asking you to register for OoO meetings
Need to answer a few simple questions
Company demographics
Familiarity with SBIR/STTR
What you want to gain from the meeting
Prepare a quad chart (SBIR elevator pitch)

14. Quad Chart aka SBIR Elevator Pitch

15. Complete a Quad Chart
Quad Chart (SBIR Elevator Pitch) is a one-page document used to quickly brief agency representatives
Fill it in to the best of your ability
4 quadrants
Technology
Company
Research Need
Opportunity

16. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT COMPANY INTRODUCTION
State:
Name:
Phone:
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
Technology/Research Overview: The team has developed a method to reduce triglycerides; improve glucose tolerance; and reduce weight using an adult stem cell technology platform
Intellectual Property Protection: Two issued patents and one patent pending
Stage of Development: Basic research
Value Proposition: Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease for those that cannot treat this syndrome with exercise. .
COMPANY INTRODUCTION
Mission: To improve patient outcomes by transforming great science into actionable solutions for the treatment of metabolic diseases.
Founded: 2005
Number of Employees: 20
Facility Description: We are currently developing this method in a laboratory located at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Product Sales: None to date
RESEARCH NEED
Seeking funding to test this platform on diabetes, high blood pressure, and abnormal cholesterol levels.
OPPORTUNITY
Need/Problem: Metabolic syndrome is becoming increasingly common due to a rise in obesity rates among adults. In the future metabolic syndrome may overtake smoking as the leading risk factor for heart disease.
Target Customer: About 32% of people in USA are considered to suffer from metabolic syndrome, with the risk increasing with age (e.g., 40% of people aged between 40 and 60 are considered to suffer from this syndrome).
Market Opportunity: Our technology aims to address the rise in obesity rates in order to reduce the risk of a debilitating stroke or myocardial infarction.

17. One-on-One Meeting Specifics

18. One-on-One Meeting What can you reasonably accomplish in 15 minutes?
Prepare a list of agency questions
Make sure you retrieve and print/screen shot your meeting schedule
Bring business cards and extra handouts
Prepare to spend no more than 5 minutes discussing your quad chart
See DHS video for Dos and Don’ts -

19. What to accomplish in 15 minutes
Introduce yourself, your company and research interests
Demonstrate that you have knowledge of the agency and have reviewed current or most recent solicitations/awards
Learn if a specific topic is potentially a good fit
Ask what next steps they would recommend (LOI, Pitch)
Ask what mistakes most new applicants make

20. Generate Questions
AGENCY NAME
Questions to ask

21. Listen Ask questions Listen for opportunities and fit
At least half of your meeting should be the Program Manager providing information

22. Was your meeting successful?
Yes…
You gained insight whether a specific topic is a good fit
The questions you prepared in advance were answered
You walked away with lessons learned regarding common mistakes
You know what your next steps are

23. Questions?
Carol E. Rabke, Ph.D. NSF, Program Manager DAWNBREAKER, Inc (office) (mobile)