OFFICE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

201 CORDELL NORTH, STILLWATER OK  74078

PHONE:  405-744-6930;  FAX:  405-744-6451

www.vpr.okstate.edu/ipm

 

 

Technology Business Assessment Group

Request for Proposals – Fall 2007

 

The Technology Business Assessment Group (TBAG) announces a Request for Proposals (RFP) for research projects in need of feasibility demonstration, and/or prototype development for commercialization purposes.  Funding is for a one-year period.  Funding for this program comes from the OSU Office of Intellectual Property Management and is derived from royalty income.

 

The TBAG group was created in the fall of 2005. It is composed of private sector partners experienced in new product identification and new technology evaluation, representation from i2E, early-stage capital investors (Acorn Growth Companies, Capital West Securities Inc., CxO Consulting), banking (Spirit Bank Business Resource Center), representation from the OSU Center for Innovation and Economic Development, the OSU VP for Research and Technology Transfer, the OSU Assistant VP for Technology Development, and OSU Okmulgee.

 

Functions of TBAG include:

 

·        Identifying and assessing potential commercial products from research

·        Directing “gap” funding to basic research projects having commercial potential

·        Advising and directing early-stage capital funding to newly formed companies

·        Facilitating the formation (commercialization) of new companies, and/or the licensing of new technology to existing companies

 

 

During the spring of 2007 TBAG made four awards.   We are pleased that the OIPM royalty stream allows us to hold yet another competition for the fall of 2007.

 

The proposal should be short, no more than two pages. It should contain the following elements:

1.    Title

2.    Principal Investigator with contact information

3.    Description of technology to be commercialized

4. Plan for commercialization, covering patent/copyright status; actual or potential interest by companies; entrepreneurial interests of PIs; short and long-term impact for Oklahoma
5. Project timeline

6.  Documented support from private sector, if any

7.  Proposed budget (indirect costs are waived)

 

The evaluation process will give more emphasis to the commercialization plan than the scientific merits of the project. The proposals will be evaluated by the TBAG group, as well as outside experts on a case by case basis.

 

Samples of projects that would be of interest include:

A.   Projects to strengthen copyright/patent status

B.   New faculty startup companies

C.   Projects that have not yet yielded any intellectual property yet require feasibility tests to do so

D.   Projects with Oklahoma companies that have expressed interest in and are willing to co-support and/or commercialize the research

 

Funding to support these projects in 2007/2008 comes from the Stillwater Office of Intellectual Property Management. We have $100,000 to disperse. Most projects will probably be in the $20,000-30,000 range. Monies will probably be available by December 1.  PI’s will be expected to give a verbal presentation of their proposal and, if selected, to attend at least one mid-project report meeting with the TBAG group to report on the status of the project.  A report at the end of the project is also required.

Submit proposals by October 5, 2007 via email to anise.arterbery@okstate.edu or mail to Steve Price, Director of TBAG, at the following address:

 

Dr. Steven Price

Office of Intellectual Property Management

201 Cordell North

Oklahoma State University

Stillwater, OK 74078

 

Please don’t hesitate to call the Office of Intellectual Property Management with any questions, 405-744-6930.