Phase "0" Funding
The South Dakota SBIR Center is pleased to announce the creation of a Phase "0" funding program. The Phase "0" program is designed to assist companies and individuals in the preparation of "Phase I" proposals. The Center is making available six $1500 awards. For more information contact: gary.archamboult@dsu.edu.

Tech Links
The Department of Defense (DoD) SBIR program annually provides over $500 million in R&D support to small businesses, in a wide range of topics, including medicine, biotechnology, education & training, software, communications, logistics, sensors, in addition to the military technologies most people may expect.

TechLink is again providing up to $3,500 plus special additional assistance to companies in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and North & South Dakota, to help increase DoD SBIR participation in this region. The funds are awarded to assist in the preparation of DoD SBIR proposals and help create partnerships with DoD labs across the nation. Creating R&D partnerships with DoD labs is a major factor in winning DoD SBIR contracts. Funds can be used travel and proposal preparation and review. A brief application letter to TechLink is required by Nov. 13th. Full information on this program is in the attachment, as well as at:
http://techlink.msu.montana.edu/services/sbir.html

Genesis Equity Fund
A South Dakota based venture capital company specializing in entrepreneurial, emerging-growth South Dakota companies, with high potential, vision for growth, innovation and risk taking. The Fund specializes in South Dakota seed, startup, and expansion companies. Generally the Fund assists companies with less than $1 million of annual revenues at the time of Genesis’ first investment. All capital invested by Genesis is in the form of equity and will create an ownership interest.

First round investments will range from $75,000 to $250,000. In deciding which companies to fund, GENESIS focuses on four key considerations:
Is the company’s product or service unique and defensible?
Is there significant opportunity, reflected by a large potential market, manageable competition, and reasonable capital requirements?
Does the management team possess exceptional industry knowledge, leadership skills, management experience, and high ethical standards?
Are the Founders the type of people Genesis can work with through the "ups" and "downs" of an early stage investment?
For additional information about the Genesis Equity Fund go to:
http://www.genesisequityfund.com/index.html

Recent Awards
Kiai Kloster of PhotoBioMed has been notified of a Phase I award by the Dept. of Defense for her continuing work in the field of tissue bonding.

Scott Thompson of Rapid Medical was also notified by the Dept. of Defense that he had won a Phase I award for the development of a light weight mobile trauma care unit.