The National Science Foundation (NSF) invests more than $200 million annually in their SBIR/STTR Program to promote the progress of science; to advance national health, prosperity, and welfare; and to secure the national defense. NSF-funded research has led to breakthroughs and new discoveries that help people live longer, healthier and more productive lives, and builds a research foundation that drives further discovery.

Join our live Virtual SBIR Classroom for an Interactive, half-day, overview of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) grant programs. In addition to up-to-date information on the SBIR/STTR programs, we’ll take a deep dive into the NSF program specifics, so you’re equipped for a successful proposal.

You’ll learn:

• Program’s goals and eligibility
• How to navigate the NSF website and use web tools
• The importance of Program Managers
• Application components and proposal scoring
• How to avoid common pitfalls and more!

Fee:

• $75
• $50 Michigan-based companies

About the Presenter:

Megan Varnum, Ph.D.
Megan joined BBCetc as a Principal Consultant in 2019 with a wealth of experience in leading biological technologies on the path to commercialization. As CEO of FibrosIX Inc., a Michigan company developing compounds for the treatment or prevention of fibrosis-related disorders, Megan was involved in all aspects of planning and operations of the company. This included writing an SBIR grant proposal, which was awarded from the National Cancer Institute. Her prior experience includes serving as an Entrepreneur in Residence for Michigan State University’s Spartan Innovations where she assisted MSU researchers in translating their technologies into startup businesses. While at MSU, she managed the launch of two startups and assisted in the preparation of both NIH and NSF SBIR proposals. A former Research Associate of the Scripps Research Institute, Megan received a B.S degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a PhD from Boston University.

Baindu Bayon, Ph.D.
Baindu earned her BS in Biology from Indiana University-Bloomington and her PhD in Medical & Molecular Genetics from Indiana University School of Medicine. She was previously a Health Program Specialist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Dr. Bayon was a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the Small business Education and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED) office at NIH and at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences where she explored entrepreneurship at Clinical Translational Science Award hubs. She’s earned a myriad of awards throughout her career, including the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Forty Under 40. She is an active member of the Rotary Club of Downtown Silver Spring and of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.

Do you know about Michigan’s SBIR/STTR Assistance Program?  The Michigan SBIR/STTR Assistance Program provides SBIR/STTR training and proposal development services to technology companies with most costs covered by a state grant. The program is managed by BBCetc.

Funds for this initiative were provided by the 21st Century Jobs Fund, a MSF program designed to accelerate the growth and diversification of Michigan’s economy.