SBIR/STTR Proposal Lab

Empowering Maryland's Innovators

For Maryland life science and technology businesses with a compelling innovation, the TEDCO team offers decades of experience in writing, reviewing, and winning SBIR/STTR and other federal grants and contracts. Our mission is to position your company for up to $305,000 of non-dilutive Phase I funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

A Focus on Diversity and Inclusion

Our team, which includes experts from OST Global Solutions’ GovCon Incubator and the Maryland Small Business Development Center, is committed to recruiting a diverse cohort of Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB), and rural companies across Maryland's 24 counties. This initiative, partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program, aims to foster innovation and economic growth in underrepresented communities. Graduates have used what they learned in our lab to receive more than $28M in SBIR and STTR Phase I and II funding from NSF, NIH, NASA, the Air Force, and USDA.
 

Comprehensive Training Materials Provided

Before the official start of the virtual SBIR/STTR Proposal Lab, participants will receive a comprehensive set of training materials designed to prepare them for success:

• SBIR/STTR Proposal Lab Webinar: An overview of the Proposal Lab, including references to essential SBIR.gov tutorials.
• Online Feedback Adjudication Training: Guidance on managing and working with feedback from multiple reviewers, starting with the Pitch feedback, to help develop better pitches and proposals.
• Partners, Funding Support Letters, and Navigating Requirements Webinar: A session covering the format for letters of support, teaming partners, navigating outlines and requirements, and transitioning from the NSF Project Pitch to a full SBIR/STTR proposal.
• SAM.gov and Research.gov Registrations Help: Pre-course tutorials and hands-on support to ensure firms are fully compliant with government registration requirements.
• TEDCO Market Research Tools: Access to market search resources to assist firms in researching current commercialization and market environments.

Two-Part Program

The SBIR/STTR Proposal Lab has evolved into a two-part program to better serve participating companies. These parts include:

Part I: Open to a broader set of 40 participants, this segment focuses on foundational skills in business planning, commercialization, and proposal writing. It includes 8 live workshops and hands-on learning opportunities. Participants will engage in pitch development, receive advice on business models, and gain access to dedicated SharePoint portals for collaborative work.

Part II: Following a competitive selection process, approximately 20 participants will advance to this phase. Those selected will typically have approved NSF pitches and refined business models. This phase will provide focused workshops and reviews designed to enhance proposal quality and submission readiness.

Proven Success and Collaborative Outreach 

TEDCO’s SBA FAST-funded SBIR/STTR Proposal Lab has a track record of success, with graduates consistently outperforming national averages. Notably, our women-owned participants have achieved a remarkable 58% success rate on their initial award attempts. Through collaboration with entities like Maryland’s County Offices of Economic Development, the University of Maryland’s I-Corps program, TEDCO’s Rural and Urban Business Innovation Initiatives, and the greater Maryland ecosystem, we are expanding our reach and impact. 

Additionally, we have partnered with the Catalyst Center for Business & Entrepreneurship in Alabama to share best practices and programmatic materials, enhancing the scope and efficacy of our lab.

Find the next weekly Proposal Lab Office Hours session and learn more

Register Here