9/10/2007
NSF Wants Innovative Small Business Research Projects
by Mildred Holley, Technology Programs Manager
Today’s Tech Track E-News focuses on the opportunities open to Arkansas entrepreneurs to do research funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF has issued its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs Phase I Solicitation FY-2008, inviting research proposals from qualified small businesses. Arkansas entrepreneurs have been especially successful in winning awards from this agency. NSF is a significant participant in the SBIR/STTR programs and we encourage all research-capable small businesses to consider this opportunity for early R&D funding.
NSF expects to award $16.25 million to successful competitors in this solicitation. NSF estimates it will make about 125 SBIR Phase I awards and approximately 25 STTR Phase I awards. Recipients of SBIR awards will have 6 months and up to $100,000 to complete their projects. STTR awardees will have 12 months and up to $150,000 to finish their research efforts. NSF begins accepting electronic submission of proposals on November 4; the deadline is December 4, 2007 (by 5 p.m. proposer’s local time). All Phase I awards will have an effective date of July 1, 2008.
This NSF solicitation is for Emerging Opportunities and describes three very broad subtopics under that primary topic. One of the main purposes of the NSF SBIR/STTR program is to stimulate technological innovation and increase private sector commercialization. Emerging Opportunities emphasize commercial potential, so NSF will only support innovations that appear capable of attracting a third-party partnership within a three-year time frame. Each proposal will require letters of support (from potential customers, investors or strategic partners) for eventual commercialization of the proposed innovation.
The solicitation identifies specific areas under the three subtopics. Only proposals that address described subtopics will be eligible for consideration. If you have questions about the subtopic descriptions, please contact the NSF program director identified as responsible for the subtopic.
BE. Bio and Environmental Technologies
1. Applied biotechnology (environmental; agricultural; food; marine and aquatic)
2. Biomedical sensors and/or biosensors
3. Bioenergy
4. Sustainable technologies for green-manufacturing (waste reduction; waste utilization; waste treatment; waste abatement)
5. Bio-based materials
6. Biomedical technologies (diagnostics; drug delivery; tissue engineering and/or repair; biofilms; biomedical devices)
7. Genomics, proteomics, metabolomics or bioinformatics
CS. Components and Systems
1. Sensors for (smart infrastructure; transportation; environmental sensing; detection of and/or countermeasures to IEDs)
2. Wireless and wireless-supporting technologies (medical applications; smart antenna systems; RF components; tools for wireless device design)
3. Novel chip architectures
4. Optical technologies (data storage; photovoltaic cells and/or concentrators; low power flexible displays; organic light emitting diodes)
5. Energy (scavenging/harvesting components or systems for portable/remote devices; new energy storage technologies)
6. Innovative approaches to robotic technologies (sensing; perception; actuation; vision; devices that provide new capabilities to medical professionals; systems to extend human capabilities into hazardous environments)
7. Innovative photolithography techniques for semiconductor manufacturing
8. Novel integration of semiconductor components and/or devices into systems
9. Nanotechnology (novel production or uses of nanowires or nanotubes; quantum dot manufacturing)
10. Assistive technologies for those with disabilities (cognitive and/or learning; other physical disabilities such as motor related, vision- or hearing impaired)
SS. Software and Services
1. Knowledge discovery (including search), data management and/or visualization
2. Web services architecture
3. Digital arts
4. Virtual/Mixed reality applications
5. Broadband-enabled applications
6. Peer-to-peer (P2P) applications
7. Tools that enable user-generated content
8. Personalized user services including location-based
9. Collaboration-enabled applications
10. Virtualization
11. Human Computer Interface (application for human-computer interfaces employing speech, touch, vision or biometric technologies; natural language processing including language translation or multi-language interfaces; spoken language systems – conversational dialog management, semantic language analysis or interpretation; real- or non-real time machine learning and/or statistical-based algorithms)
12. Adaptive manufacturing (data mining for manufacturing system analysis; tools for real-time self-correcting manufacturing; intelligent control of manufacturing processes; intelligent process modeling and/or machine diagnostics)
13. Simulation for manufacturing (leveraging multi-processor/multi-core environments; predictive modeling; virtual reality-based simulation environment; discrete event simulation of manufacturing systems
The complete solicitation can be accessed at www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/sbir. Arkansas entrepreneurs and researchers interested in learning more about this or other SBIR/STTR opportunities are encouraged to contact Mildred Holley at lcfine@ualr.edu, 501.683.7700 or 800.862.2040 (AR only).
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