We are excited to announce the expansion of our Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) Lab focused on helping SBIR Phase I-awarded companies earn Phase II awards and beyond! The program, now offering enhanced support from dedicated Program Manager Andrew Aston, aids participants with writing successful Phase II proposals as well as forming connections to the Oklahoma entrepreneurial ecosystem for commercialization support. In its expanded capacity, the program will be better positioned to guide SBIR awardees through the Innovator's Valley of Death – supported by Phase II award funding – to reach goals of venture capital funding, contracts and commercialization success.
Our SBIR Funding Labs are designed to lead early-stage startups through the Phase I application process for non-dilutive SBIR funding opportunities from federal agencies including NASA, DoD, DOE, USDA, NSF and more. The TABA lab will provide support to Phase I awardees as they pursue Phase II awards and commercialization opportunities.
Some SBIR-awarding agencies including NASA, DOE, USDA and NSF provide designated supplemental Technical and Business Assistance (TABA) funding (up to $6,500 for Phase I, and up to $50,000 for Phase II) to awarded companies so they can hire the vendor of their choice for commercialization assistance, but not all agencies provide TABA funding. Participants can use their TABA funding for a variety of services including – but not limited to – assistance with prototype development, product sales, intellectual property protections, market research, market validation, and development of regulatory plans and manufacturing plans. Our TABA Lab will provide assistance to Phase I-awarded companies regardless of whether TABA funding is included in their contracts.
We will provide participants in the TABA Lab with guidance throughout the program aimed toward winning a Phase II award and developing commercialization opportunities for their technologies. Participants will engage in regular check-in meetings as well as ongoing support tailored to the unique demands of their award requirements. This includes support in meeting benchmarks set in their Phase I proposals as well as assistance in creating their Phase II applications. In addition, we will serve as a bridge to connect participants with vital elements of the Oklahoma entrepreneurial ecosystem such as resources housed in the Tom Love Innovation Hub that can assist with prototype development and IP protection, venture capital firms in Oklahoma City and Tulsa and other resources necessary for startup development throughout the state.
Email okcatalyst@ou.edu to learn more about the OK Catalyst TABA Lab and other opportunities!