News Flash… Pact Reached for Water Tech Hub - The Enquirer
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Ohio, KY and IN Sign Landmark MOU - Business Courier
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Confluence in WE&T Magazine
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Confluence, Front Page Cincinnati Enquirer
The Cincinnati Enquirer asks, "Can we become a world leader in water technology?" Read More...
Water Cluster on Newsmakers - Channel 12
Alan Vicory and Bill Scheyer are interviewed on WKRC-TV's Newsmakers Show. View Now!
Notable Quote...
“WTIC, being situated geographically at the corner of 3 states and within 100 miles of their state capitals, is uniquely positioned to advocate for and coordinate the harmonization of their testing requirements. Technology developers will see this as distinctly advantageous in getting their products into the market place.”
David Henderson
XPV Capital, Toronto, Canada |
The Obama Administration today announced the third round of the i6 Challenge to promote American innovation, foster entrepreneurship, and increase the commercialization of ideas into viable companies. The $6 million competition seeks to develop Proof of Concept Centers and create a network of experts to support innovators and researchers; spur sustainable startups, small businesses, and new ventures; expand access to capital to fuel growth; connect mentors and education to entrepreneurs; and spark job creation.
Six winning teams will be awarded up to $1 million each for innovative proposals to create and expand Proof of Concept Centers, such as the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation at the Massachusetts Institute for Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The application deadline is July 20, 2012. Details are available here.
The competition is being led by the U.S. Commerce Department Economic Development Administration’s Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in partnership with Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Proposal Preparation Workshop—Regional Opportunities, Assistance and Resources
March 26, 2012 | Cincinnati, Ohio
WHAT: This workshop will provide companies with information about EPA’s SBIR program, which awards incentive funding to small businesses to translate innovative ideas into commercial products that address important environmental problems. Other state and regional funding opportunities will also be discussed.
Representatives from the EPA SBIR program, CincyTech, Dayton Development Coalition, the Water Technology Innovation Cluster, and other regional and state economic development organizations will provide information on funding opportunities in Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana, proposal development resources and assistance, and technology areas of interest. Networking sessions are planned to meet one-on-one with these organizations.
WHO’S ORGANIZING: Co-sponsored by U.S. EPA, CincyTech, and the Dayton Development Coalition, with support from the Small Business Administration and regional Water Technology Innovation Cluster
WHO’S INVITED: Technology companies and researchers interested in learning more about proposal requirements and review processes, past vendor experiences, and tips for submitting successful proposals under the EPA SBIR program and other state and regional funding opportunities
WHEN: 1 p.m. to 5:15 p.m., Monday, March 26. Registration and networking begin at 12:00 noon
WHERE: EPA’s Andrew W. Breidenbach Environmental Research Center at 26 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45268
COST: Free
REGISTRATION: Register online at www.scgcorp.com/SBIR2012
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Visit www.scgcorp.com/SBIR2012 or contact Abby Waits, EPA, at waits.abby@epa.gov
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS: The 2012 EPA SBIR solicitation will have a focus on technologies to help achieve “net zero”—moving towards zero net consumption of water and energy and zero net production of waste. This concept cross-cuts this year’s SBIR topic areas: Water, Innovation in Manufacturing, Green Building, Waste Monitoring, Air Quality, Sustainable Utilization of Biomass, and Homeland Security. In addition, the solicitation will include water topics for drinking water; wastewater, stormwater and water reuse; and the water energy nexus and climate change. The application for proposals will be available after March 15, 2012, on the EPA SBIR website at www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir.
Webinar- March 22, 2012
Compliance and Pollution Prevention Assistance for Manufacturers
Hosted by the Ohio Manufacturer’s Association (OMA), presented by Ohio EPA OCAPP staff
Ohio EPA has a non-regulatory Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention (OCAPP) that helps businesses comply with environmental regulations and identify pollution prevention measures that can save money, increase performance and protect the environment. OCAPP staff will describe the no-charge, confidential services that manufacturers may consider.
Workshop- March 26, 2012 – Cincinnati, OH
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Proposal Preparation Workshop Co-sponsored by U.S. EPA, CincyTech, Dayton Development Coalition, SBA and regional Water Technology Innovation Cluster
U.S. EPA’s SBIR program awards incentive funding to small businesses to translate innovative ideas into commercial products that address important environmental problems. Other funding opportunities will also be discussed.
Workshop- May 8, 2012 – Ann Arbor, MI
GreenScreen™Training
Hosted by US EPA Region 5 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative partners.
The GreenScreen™ for Safer Chemicals is a comparative chemical hazard screening method developed by Clean Production Action to encourage the use of greener and safer chemicals. This method is used by Washington State Department of Ecology and Hewlett-Packard to evaluate the hazards associated with specific chemicals and identify safer alternatives.
When you seek a business loan, familiarize yourself with the SBA’s business loan programs to see if they may be a viable option. Keep in mind the dollar amount you seek to borrow and how you want to use the loan proceeds. The three principal players in most of these programs are — the applicant small business, the lender and the SBA. SBA guarantees a portion of the loan (except for Microloans). The business should have its business plan prepared before it applies for a loan.
This plan should explain what resources will be needed to accomplish the desired business purpose including the cost of everything, the applicants’ contribution, use of loan proceeds, collateral, and most important, an explanation of how the business will be able to repay the loan in a timely manner.
The lender will analyze the application to see if it meets the lender’s criteria as well as SBA’s requirements. SBA will look to the lender to do much, if not all, of the analysis before it provides its guaranty on the lender’s loan or provides the Microlenders with funds to re-lend to the business. The SBA’s business loan programs provide a key source of financing for viable small businesses that have real potential, but cannot qualify for loans from the lending institutions on their own.
The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program reserves a specific percentage of federal R&D funding for award to small business and non-profit research institution partners. Central to the program is expansion of the public/private sector partnership to include the joint venture opportunities for small business and the nation’s premier nonprofit research institutions. Small business has long been where innovation and innovators thrive, but the risk and expense of conducting serious R&D efforts can be beyond the means of many small businesses. Nonprofit research laboratories are also instrumental in developing high-tech innovations but frequently, innovation is confined to the theoretical. STTR combines the strengths of both entities by introducing entrepreneurial skills to high-tech research efforts.
Thetechnologies and products are transferred from the laboratory to the marketplace. The small business profits from the commercialization, which, in turn, stimulates the U.S. economy.
Participating Agencies:
Each year the following five Federal departments and agencies are required by STTR to reserve 0.3% of their extramural R&D funds for award to small business/nonprofit research institution partnerships: Department of Defense; Department of Energy; Department of Health and Human Services; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and National Science Foundation.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program encourages small businesses to advance their technical potential from funds committed by federal agencies with large extramural research and development budgets. The SBIR program serves to fund the critical startup and development stages for a technology and encourages commercialization of the technology, product or service. In turn, this stimulates the U.S. economy. For more information on the SBIR Program visit www.sba.gov/sbir.
Participating Agencies:
Each year, the following eleven federal departments and agencies are required to reserve 2.5% of their extramural R&D funds for award to small businesses through the SBIR program:
Departments of Agriculture; Commerce; Defense; Education; Energy; Health and Human Services; Homeland Security; Transportation; Environmental Protection Agency; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and National Science Foundation.
The state of Ohio has an excellent program to assist Ohio companies obtain more SBIR contracts. For more information on this program contact:
Bio Start
Carol Frankenstein
513-475-6610
Serves Greater Cincinnati area
Braintree
Bob Cohen
419-525-1614
Serves Greater Mansfield area
Hamilton County Business Center
Pat Longo
513-631-8292
Serves Greater Cincinnati area
The Entrepreneur Center
Barbara Hayde
937-281-0098
Serves Greater Dayton area
Innovation Center at O.U.
Jennifer Simon
740-593-1803
Serves Greater Athens area
There are a variety of alternatives to bank financing for small businesses. The Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program fills the gap between the availability of private capital and the needs of small businesses for growth capital. Licensed and regulated by the SBA, SBICs are privately owned and managed investment funds that make capital available to qualifying U.S. small businesses at attractive rates. The funds raise private capital and can receive SBA-guaranteed leverage up to 3x private capital paid-in, with a leverage ceiling of $150 million per SBIC and $225 million for two or more licenses under common control. Licensed SBICs are for-profit investment firms whose incentive is to share in the success of a small business. The SBIC program provides funding for a broad range of industries. Some SBICs invest in a particular field or industry while others invest more generally. For more information visit www.sba.gov/inv.
Capvest Ventures, L.P.
One West 4th St., Ste. 415
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-721-8831 • 513-639-3072 Fax
Capvest Ventures, L.P.
Martha Kashner, Contact
14 S. High St./P.O. Box 673
New Albany, OH 43054
614-855-9980 • 614-855-9979 Fax
mkashner@capvestvc.com
Enterprise Ohio Investment Company (SSBIC)
Janet White, Manager
8 N. Main St.
Dayton, OH 45402
937-226-0457 • 937-222-7035 Fax
jwhite@citywidedev.com
Northcreek Mezzanine
Steve Touvelle, Contact
255 E. Fifth St., Ste. 3010
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-298-4137 • 513-985-6603 Fax
stouvelle@northcreekmezzaine.com
River Cities SBIC III, L.P.
Edwin T. Robinson, Contact
221 E. Fourth St., Ste. 2400
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-621-9700 • 513-579-8939 Fax
trobinson@rccf.com
Triathlon Medical Ventures Fund LP
Suzette L. Dutch, Contact
250 E. 5th St., 1100 Chiquita Center
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-723-2618 • 513-723-2615 Fax
sdutch@tmvp.com
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