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SBIR awards require that a majority of the work be done within a company. In this setting inventions and assets need to be at a fairly advanced stage and inventors need to be ready to take the plunge into ownership and commercialization. These are things in which they typically are not expert. How many technology management operations have programs where individual inventors get specific training and mentoring at this stage? Is this commonplace? Who pays?
More to the point of Steve Wille’s question I have wondered if there are creative SBIR award programs that could increase effectiveness at this early stage. I know Steve has talked about “bundling” programs receiving multiple awards under an umbrella company associated with but independent from the university. This would ease the transition into the commercial realm and avoid repetitive company formation. This company would be a for profit entity run by a board, with perhaps all other services delivered under contract. Grants could also be given for projects designed to identify and align inventions with markets at a very early stage and to provide the sort of seasoned guidance from there out that maximizes the likelihood of success. SBIR awards just a little outside of the traditional can act catalytically to increase commercial application of federally-supported research results, improving return on federal investment, and stimulating technological innovation and small business creation.